I crouched behind a tree, breathless from running through the forest for three days now.
I groaned as a leaf grazed the large gash on my belly.
The burning tears that dripped from my eyes didn’t matter to my fifteen year old mind.

I huddled forward and ran on, deeper into the forest.
Where had I gone wrong ?
Was it my fault that I was born a deaf mute ?
Even then, what wicked tradition demands a deaf mute to be sacrificed every year ?
I slowed...