I put on my I-Pod headphones on and headed outside for my daily walk as I always did, but this night was different. Something was different, I could feel it but couldn't see it.

The Carolina blue sky above me gave me a show of dark blue clouds outlined in pinks and yellows- it was absolutely gorgeous. The hot summer weather took my breath away as soon as I stepped outside, and I immediately thought how I couldn't wait until next month when the weather would start cooling down.

I took the three flights of steps downstairs and noticed how much more comfortable my feet felt since I had bought shoes specifically for running and some insoles that supposedly made my feet and back hurt less. But that wasn't it either...

What was it that was different?

I turned my I-Pod to song 37 and turned my volume up as loud as I could, before stretching my legs and taking off to run.

"Hung my cotton dress on rusted wire," blared LeAnn Rimes as she sang "Nothin Better To Do" loudly into my ears. I was in my running mode, paid attention to nothing and no one around me. I ran my five miles and headed back up the three flights of stairs to my apartment.

I took my end of the day shower and was getting ready to get into bed by eleven. As I stood beside of my bed, I looked down at my feet and thought how wonderful my feet still felt with my new shoes and insoles. I couldn't believe it.

I lifted one leg to get into bed when I felt it and knew what was different- excruciating pain in my ankle and something wet running all over my foot. I looked down to see a deep gash along my Achilles Tendon with dark red, thick blood pouring onto my foot. As soon as I set my other foot down, I saw it- a hand with a sharp surraded knife slashing a gash into my other ankle. The movement was so quick that all I saw was a swift motion, but I felt the pain and soon fell to my knees and collapsed onto my stomach.

I was starting to feel faint and cold and started losing consciousness. I was slowly starting to bleed to death... guess I wasn't going running tomorrow.

Copyright: Amanda Vittitow.