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 pretty896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHplCXiKxsi
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkYu5ojZQD
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVELMqHZfCe
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2fDmtgM7R
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUR2kxc5J92
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 now896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlf3jUFJAP
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGD0WViSrZ
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuTEGScdOB
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’t896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHvEAqjbGM
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 the896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmoRm3Wh1i
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzppSvhNMk
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 whatever896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuveV9mBiq7
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfaiAXSjpQ
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrv9LmpURe8
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV26LNm4Dm
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6598UeSfR
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiCUsI5sHQ
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk01zacNX1s
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvCOnYJOl6
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwonnkaUESw
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsS0Mxauyg
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1Y9HPDlYH
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 in896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnwJqWOYoQ
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbxjPT0Fyh
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvNPp1KA1A
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 the896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4vCX0JX12
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXvafU3YqH
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbiEPCOx3K
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoZ3nTsKYg
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23B0ea3KF4
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Dq8tfXaUd
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjH3GzDNdV
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 out896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyFJYTuJuC
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.896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjhKWLOknb
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 feel896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFqRJl1nTb
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqcWkRATJr
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡua7uuihpKx
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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