Present
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Leaves and branches scratched my arms, face and other parts of my body as I ran along the dark wooded forest. I didn’t know where I was going, but I was pretty945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZXKIurnF6
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWZYf73bBn
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUJT6fqY1Q
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgac0086WG
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ823ZDpId2T
leaves above.
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I ran, trying to dodge every branch and jump over any fallen log blocking my path. I had fallen over a log at some point and must have badly injured my knee, but now945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P61nwVIEX
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLcC2NaCxd
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBtEZw4oDC
could tell it wanted to find me. I could tell it wanted to kill me.
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Whenever I felt it coming closer, I would try to push myself and run a little faster. Sweat ran down my face and I was panting so much. No matter what, I couldn’t945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjBcrxOacp
stop running and I wasn’t planning on doing so any way.
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This was just like those American horror or Africa Magic movies about witchcraft I had watched. I never thought I would be going though whatever happens in such movies in my life. Everything's so real and my heart pumped so fast that the945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMg6XF9SwL
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3CfRcaha5
seemed liked hours.
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All of the sudden, I felt something grab my waist and draw me a few steps back. I found myself pinned to the bark of a tree. For a moment, I thought whatever945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTghvQ4CbZB
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrc6ourxSB
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGayJ0kTj3O
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEmV307bdI
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7Vo3ajV0p
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiGQlFSV9r
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJUtkrc0mN
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Tz4VHXLmE
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZGat7fIEP
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamiiAMJuMz
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2CA8Se0Nq
me, but that didn’t mean I had forgotten about the danger around us.
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A chilling sensation came over me. The feeling became stronger and I knew it was coming closer. The man still had me pinned to the tree and he just waited in945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nbzkYUN8t
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbZ8BSKoQU
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdQ2jQDVEA
about that. Thank goodness the man came before anything happened.
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A few seconds later, the chilling sensation had subsided and I couldn’t help but feel relived. The man’s hand that held me to the tree loosened and he took me by the945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6NFmxTRdY
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5zo9hkHDk
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLmoyC99hd
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIERtAUbEG
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7Grb5WuMO
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHq6iBBBxym
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR6DwX9AQw
badly and curiosity took the better of me: I spoke.
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“Do I know you?” I asked.
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The man stopped walking and I bumped into his back. I felt his body go rigid because of my question. I hoped I hadn’t upset him. He was the only key to getting out945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrM7hA2Lpv
of here.
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“Now isn’t the right time for this,” he whispered, “and you better stop talking. We aren’t safe here.”
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“I just wanted to know who are you, that’s all,” I whispered. “I want to thank you for what you did for me back there.”
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“Don’t thank me; we aren’t out of the forest yet.”
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I couldn’t help but say, “You sound very familiar, do I know you?”
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For a moment there was only silence and all I could do was stare at the back of the man who had saved me. He sighed out heavily and he finally spoke:
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“Knowing you, you aren’t going to give up so easily, asking the same question just to annoy me. You’re always so persistent and stubborn, Diana.”
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It was now my turn for my body to go rigid. I stared at him with shock. How did he know my name? How did he know I was persistent and stubborn? I needed answers.945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡky6djnMMJI
And I needed them right away.
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I didn’t have to ask the questions that were running around my head as the man immediately turned to face me. My jaw suddenly dropped and I couldn’t help but feel945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUofjPKqH0
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwv5rBLBcX
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first945Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWcvdG4WHU
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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