At the last instant, I changed direction and threw myself down; the axe splintered the trunk of a tree.
I stumbled into the pool of bright light. My lungs burned; I was too exhausted to move. I tensed as I waited for the killing blow, but it never came. I raised my head. Nothing moved in the darkness beyond.
For the moment, bathed in the cold light, I was safe.
Departure Manuscript: Wake Reaches a Safe Haven of Light
