I set out for my afternoon run. I had more errands than usual or I was slower or something that day, I can’t remember, and by the time I properly hit my usual route- a pretty trail through one of the local parks, it was heading to twilight. Obviously I was nervous. I hated myself for feeling that way. I want to do my daily run, it is my main form of exercise and stress release and it bothers me so much that I should feel afraid or constricted. Besides, I had just received my new running shoes and I was eager to try them out.
Anyway, there I was, cautiously jogging along the emptying trail, my ear buds prudently out, the better to hear any faintest unusual or suspicious noise.
I was relaxing into the rhythm of my breath, the surge of pleasure in the soft breeze and the smell of the lake overtaking my fears, enjoying the golden light on the odd little leaves and plants, when I heard the unmistakable crackle of branches and thud thud thud signalling another runner is behind me.
I tense up a bit, and glance back, and sure enough a figure was some way back, also running. The light behind me wasn’t clear enough, or the branches and trees crowd the trails path too closely for me to make out the features, but someone was there, getting closer.
Not wanting to be a creep and keep looking over my shoulder, I tried to focus on my own business and route, and keep my eyes ahead. The thud thud drew closer, and somehow more urgent.
The trail ahead was now fully empty.
I couldn’t help it- I turned back and felt like screaming with relief. For the runner behind me was now close enough that I could see her high pony-tail, swishing from side-to-side as she ran urgently.
Yes, there was an urgency to her look and movements – not that of the typical runner. I could tell she was looking fixedly at me. Was she? I slowed my own pace, but at the same time the trail curved and she fell out of sight.
The wind rustles the leaves, but the creaking of the twigs and branches behind me is louder than wind.
There must have been someone else on the trail other than the pony-tailed runner. I pick up speed, running fast. Not at my full speed, but this is definitely no longer a leisurely run, I am panting hard.
She turns around the curve and catches up with me easily. She is running faster than I, but she drops her pace, slowing down and staying by my side. She is wearing a baseball cap tilted low, shadowing her face, but from the corner of my eye, I see she is smiling in a friendly way, nothing urgent at all. The remainder of the sun glints on the whites of her teeth. I must have imagined the urgency, super-imposing my own paranoid fears on this young woman. I also slow down somewhat- not that I could have kept up my pace.
“I love your sneakers!” she exclaims brightly, turning towards me.
“Oh thank y-“ I turn to respond, looking at her fully in the face, and I fall silent with shock.
In the faded light, I can see her face is blue, her eyes are bulging, her face twisted and distorted. Her neck bears marks of strangulation. Her high pony swishes slowly from side-to-side. I come to full stop, but she smiles with her puffy lips and inclines her head. I resume running by her side.
We run along for a couple of seconds, as I try to pull together my thoughts and feelings. And then we come upon a fork in the trail. One way goes back to the car park, and I would reach my car in two minutes, the other continues the trail inside the park for another twenty minutes or so before leading back to the parking lot. Normally, I would of course have looped back on the shorter route to the car park.
But the runner beside me smiles determinedly at me, repeats “I love your sneakers!” and runs towards the longer route continuing inside the park. And I follow her instinctively.
The woods crackle behind me.
I do not dare look at her again, she remains jogging at my pace by my side. About thirty seconds into the route, I spot two other figures with a dog ahead. I almost cry out with delight, and once again pick up speed, sprinting towards them. I glance quickly at my companion as I notice she isn’t keeping up with me. She has come to full stop, is bent over with her hands on her knees, panting. But she looks up at me and smiles again, and gives me a thumbs up sign.
I keep running towards the couple and the dog. “Hello!” I call out to them.
They turn towards me, I smile and slow down. I don’t care anymore about how crazy and paranoid I sound. Trying to talk in a cheerful, controlled voice I say “Hey do you mind if we walk to the car park with you? It got dark so quickly!”
They smile, looking a little a confused. The dog bounds up to me and I pet it and the man says “Of course, we were just heading back to the car park too. Are you waiting for someone?”
I glance back. The trail behind me is completely empty. I shake my head.
“No- sorry-“
They nod - I have no doubt they think I’m crazy anyway, but whatever. “Come along Sheppie!” the woman calls to their dog and puts him on the leash. “It’s getting quite chilly too, isn’t it!” says the man. “It’s that time of the year,” the woman says “all warm and sunny one minute, and then dark and cold the next”. They kindly chat about the weather and dogs until we are at the car park. “Are you sure you’re ok my dear?” said the woman as they see me into my car.
“Yes of course. Thanks so much!” I drive off.
I don’t go back to that trail.
Almost a month later I see the other runner’s face all over local media sites- her proper, unstrangled face, with the high ponytail.
Her body was found just inside the fork in the trail, almost immediately where it leads off into the shorter route back to the car park.