The occasional skeleton in the meadows is night only. Night is more dangerous... these spawn at the grave sites where you have above ground bones in a little rock hut.

when running, break LOS for a min and hide, and it will look for you a bit and go away. If you can't hide, it will keep seeing you and keep chasing you. This takes a little practice, but it will escape all but the fastest couple of enemy. ruins/buildings are great to hide in. Instances don't always work, but when you exit, immediately hide and it may be ok.

There is a lot of randomness in the game, and it sounds like you got some bad luck right off and gave up right away. Maybe try again using some of the advice here an other 'what to do when new' threads to see if its as broken as you suggest or if its one of those things that happens here and there.