His trouser leg ripped free of my fingers, yanked my arm out straight and I went face first into the moss.

I covered my head but he didn’t kick me, why did that bastard always run?

I slipped through the mud and I pulled myself up on the fallen tree.

Barely on a trail now, I was hopping tree roots and nearly turning my ankle on rocks.

I could taste blood from my lungs – I couldn’t even remember how long I’d been running.

*

Nobody could find Gary, his family looked for five years and the local rumour was he hanged himself in “Spook Woods”.

He never recovered from losing Anna, blaming the bloke that knocked her over – but that guy was being chased himself, it was a complete accident.

Anna was beautiful, I wouldn’t recover either.

*

I remember thinking, “He’s disappeared again, I’ll spot him though, I always do, I’ll kick him half to death.”

*

The kids love to make up daft stories about those woods – whether it’s faeries, witches or the Grey Lady. Its real name is Redham Woods.

Gary never seemed suicidal anyway, he wanted to live. Not that he was in love with life, he was not a happy man. I’d say was driven by a deep hatred.

*

Back down the bank, feet slipping, on my arse a couple of times and grazing my hands. It’s the river coming up again – I dig my heels in and stop dead. I’m not going down there.

I must have nearly got hold of him properly eight, nine times now, I dunno maybe more. I listen out but I can only hear running water and it sends chills right through me.

*

They reckoned he was being mugged, the man that knocked Anna down. She cracked her head off the concrete a few seconds after he’d shouted, “Sorry”.

He came forward after the police appeal, he was devastated and the police didn’t charge him with anything. Gary went ballistic at the coppers.

I think Gary found the poor guy once and made some threats but it didn’t come to much more.

*

I’ll double back up this bank, he won’t have come down here, I’m sure that woman told me she hadn’t seen him this way.

*

Anna’s favourite song was Heat Wave, she loved soul music. Gary was a bit of a miserable twat but she saw something in him.

*

That fog is back, it always clears though, I usually see him up here, I’ll get the bastard this time.

*

He got nasty eventually, full of paranoia and you just couldn’t reach him. He went out on these long walks apparently. These mysterious walks are why some of the kids on our estate dare each other to go into Spook Woods, they say Gary will get you, he’s walking in there.

*

I was after him again, he must be tiring out now but he just glided through the bramble bushes as they ripped my calves to shreds – I pushed through the pain and waded my way to the other side but I couldn’t see him anymore. I was at the top of the riverbank, the woman was walking down there again.

*

I hope he’s re-united with Anna on the other side now and found peace. They did find his body in Redham Wood, but it was floating in the river, not hanging from a tree – no one knows if he jumped or fell, but I reckon fell.

*

His trouser leg ripped free of my fingers, yanked my arm out straight and I went face first into the moss.

I covered my head but he didn’t kick me, why did that bastard always run?

I slipped through the mud and I pulled myself up on the fallen tree.

Barely on a trail now, I was hopping tree roots and nearly turning my ankle on rocks.

I could taste blood from my lungs – I couldn’t even remember how long I’d been running – It felt like forever.