Shadows stretched over the street, painting everything in darkness and light. If she didn't keep moving he would catch her. Pain squeezed her chest as she dragged in panting breaths into burning lungs. Her legs dragged, sore and tired, but she forced herself to continue to run. The fear threatened to overwhelm her, he always seemed so close to finding her, he was going to catch her this time if she didn't keep moving. His oppressive presence, the weight of it was near, it bore down on her, and prickled across her senses, down her spine, and the scars across her back seemed to burn white-hot. Her flesh seared with the remembered pain. He was close, too close, the fear and the memory of that pain drove her on and forced her to move more quickly.

She was so close now, almost free. For now, for the time being, she could escape again. For however long it would take him to find her again. They had been playing this game of theirs for so long it seemed natural, this game of hide and seek. He would appear on the horizon and she would run, and it would all begin again. She was no longer a child, the fear shouldn't be so strong, but it remained. It blazed brightly and pushed her onward. After he killed her parents she'd spent her childhood running from the demon in her nightmares and she feared it would never stop. There was no one for her to trust, no one to turn to, the fear of damnation was real. To others though, it would be viewed as insanity and there would be no help for her, he would win. Her fingers hugged the locket that hung around her neck for comfort as she pushed through the doors into the brightly lit airport terminal.

Relief rushed through her. There was safety in the light. She glanced over her shoulders out into the night beyond the terminal, he was out there, even if she couldn't see him.

She could feel him always there just out of sight. The only time she caught a glimpse of him was in her nightmares. A continual nightmare that haunted her when she closed her eyes at night. It was in her sleep she saw him, saw the night her parents died and she escaped his wrath. The scars across her back were the only proof that night existed outside her dreams. The only proof that night was a reality and not some insane dream invented by her imagination. She never wanted to him in the flesh again. Thus far she'd done well staying ahead of him. He'd managed to get close to her a few times over the years, but he hadn't gotten ahold of her again and for that she was glad. The fact that this trip had already been planned weeks ago and gave her the escape she needed was a blessing. The monster only moved through the darkness, unless he chose to possess some innocent mortal. She discovered early on that possession wasn't something he did often. The beast enjoyed terrifying her in his natural form. Not to mention, he enjoyed killing in that form.

She fished her ticket out of her purse and handed it to the man at the security checkpoint. At least she had the foresight to have her luggage picked up by the airline service earlier today so it was already checked in. The creature's appearance surprised her and she'd been forced to flee her home quickly. At least she wouldn't be without her things.

Her eyes went to the windows once more before she placed her purse onthe security belt along with her shoes and stepped through the scanner. She wassafe for the moment, how long that would last was anyone's guess.