As I wandered through the still, dark house, I realized I was alone. I had been running for hours it had seemed, but in reality, it had only really been about five minutes.

I stopped, relieved, trying to catch my breath through my aching lungs. No one seemed to be chasing me anymore. Breathe in, breathe out. Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum.

I sat down in an old dusty chair, resting my tired legs. I must have covered at least two miles in that five minutes. He would be catching up soon.

I sighed as I got up and prepared to get on with it. There was a unique pageantry about being chased down, about being hunted. It was all in the sport of it, really. Only this time I wouldn’t be getting any medals or trophies or ribbons or anything if I got first place. Either I got to keep my life, or I didn’t.

A sudden noise, a door being broken down harshly, oh so severely, and I hasten myself accordingly. I was not going to lose this one.
“Where are you?” a singsong voice asks, mocking me. He knew exactly where I was.

I try not to move, not to even breathe. In and out, I remind myself. Dadum dadum dadum.

I knew my increasing heart rate would give me away. Shut up shut up shut up.

“I can hear you breathing…” my hunter taunts. He’s now in the same room as me. I feel like I’m spinning out of control, wild, dangerous. I might die of a heart attack before he even gets to me.

I suddenly feel a rough touch, reaching for me blindly. My legs, my torso, my heart, everything is on fire. This is not how it was going to end.
“Come on, Jer-Bear, we’ve had some fun, now haven’t we?” I hated it when he called me that.

I climb as high up on the wall as my body will let me. Surely he can’t reach me from here.

Something touches me, a jaw snaps. He enjoys this too much, the thrill of the chase.

I fall down to the floor rather ungracefully, landing on my back. Now I’m done for. He greedily licks his lips, staring me down as I close my eyes, prepared for the end. I panic, fear so thick up to my neck I can’t even speak. Dadumdadumdadum.

“Tom!” My hunter turns around, wondering who could be calling him. “Tom! Come get your dinner!”

It’s his owner, probably back from shopping. He gives me a sly look, releasing me somewhat reluctantly as I grin from ear to ear. I run off back to my little hole in the wall almost too happily, a large paw grabbing me by the tail and stopping my retreat.

“Jerry…this time tomorrow?” a somewhat shy voice asks.

“Anything for you, Tom,” I say casually, strutting back into my home, secretly self-satisfied. The game is on.