“Faster, Faster,” John told himself sprinting through the woods! His overalls tore on a branch, but he didn't care! This was life and death. He could hear the dogs barking hot on his trail. He ran faster but suddenly he saw them in the clearing. “Impossible,” John said, “ they doubled back”!  John had just escaped from a Russian Gulag in East Russia. It had been an awful 8 months for him, He had been beaten and worked till he almost died. The only thing he had left was the dirty, torn overalls on his back that his mother had sewn for him before this nightmare began. His entire family had been brutally murdered for being “ political threats” three months ago. He had given up hope until he realized the hole in the gate. Over the next two months, he had memorized the guards every move, how they walked, when they ate, and when they slept.  On September 27, 1967, in the pouring rain, he made his escape. He knew the guards wouldn’t count the prisoners until the morning so he had a full day head start. John Sprinted through the woods using all his energy, jumping over logs, trying to get as far away from that awful place as he could. He kept going all night until he found a hollow tree that he could sleep in. As soon as he had covered the opening with tree branches he passed out into a deep sleep. When he woke he knew he had to find food and water, and keep moving. As he was walking he found a big lake that he could drink from. The water tasted so good on his incredibly dry throat, he drank so much that he began to feel sick. “I have to keep moving”, he keeps telling himself. As he was walking down the road he spotted an abandoned house, As he ran into the house he found old moldy bread and some expired cheese. He didn't care and ate every piece of it. Once he finished he began to keep moving, he started to run now that he had energy. He was twenty miles from Poland, He could taste the freedom! As night fell he slept in another hollow tree, he felt a peace come over him almost as if he thought he was gonna make it. He awakes the next morning to the sounds of trucks in the distance. He knew they were after him, he had to run. As he got up and started running he heard the dogs, the sounds were faint but growing closer. Then only after ten minutes of running, he was about to make it to a clearing and suddenly they appeared. “Impossible,” John said, “ they doubled back”!  He threw his hands up and they slapped him to the ground.  Now staring down the barrel of a Russian shotgun, his hope vanished! As the soldier told him to “ say your last words buddy”, Right as he was pulling the trigger the soldier fell into the grass. Blood was pouring from his head and a Russian farmer came from the woods holding a Mosin -Nagant. John stood there in amazement! The farmer told him “ I hate the gulag”, John started crying and ran up to him and started thanking him! The farmer then told him  “ load up I'm taking you to freedom”  As John crossed into Poland he felt a huge burden lifted off his back.