The animals teeter-tottered on their stiff legs behind him. Aaron stopped at the entrance to gauge how far away his pursuers were and saw them galloping a little more smoothly on legs that did not seem as stiff. Aaron continued to run out of the amusement park and through an open field, thinking if he could locate the pond, he could find his way back out. He turned and found the animals gaining on him, so he continued to run across the field looking for a place to hide. He spotted a house in the distance and ran toward it. His chest felt as if it would collapse inward from his heavy breathing. His foot caught against a rock, causing him to stumble. He could hear hooves and large paws steady on his trail. Aaron quickly got up and continued to run toward the house. He approached a small picket fence, but he did not stop to find the gate. Instead, he dove headfirst over the top and went into a roll before staggering back onto his feet. The house was old and rundown, and boards covered several of the windows.
