Like lambs to the slaughter

The two girls took off through the woods, the limbs slapping them tearing at them like demented claws, slowly opening gashes first in their shirts and then their pants as they plunged into the deeper darker thickets.

They had a good headstart and if they had turned to the left, they would have come out into a safe place, but they had no luck, and time was not on their side as they shot out of the trees tumbling down a small embankment to the sounds of the men up above them leering at them.

With a scream they were off again, their legs slowing, their young bodies already exhausted as they glanced to see the men easily jogging up to them and they knew their chances were slipping from slim to none.

Each girl's mind roiled with what they knew was probably going to happen, yet they struggled against hope to escape these three gruff looking men closing on them like wolves on does.

Cornered with the men in behind them and the river spewing it's white froth in front of them they gave in to the fatigue and weariness that fell on them like darkness, forcing them both to their knees shaking in fear and joining hands trying to find the strength for one more run for it or a dive into the cold water.