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 pretty571Please respect copyright.PENANAxqrRT8sNGw
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air571Please respect copyright.PENANAR5MCk16sIt
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come571Please respect copyright.PENANACEqebl8bCa
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for571Please respect copyright.PENANAnm7hth0dGc
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree571Please respect copyright.PENANAneIn7gz3b8
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 now571Please respect copyright.PENANAVI4bGakMJT
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I571Please respect copyright.PENANAmf4slK4aXv
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I571Please respect copyright.PENANA12Zf97d65v
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’t571Please respect copyright.PENANAVzHvvBC3pA
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 the571Please respect copyright.PENANAEJ6qD5uF8s
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what571Please respect copyright.PENANArsoTUFExek
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 whatever571Please respect copyright.PENANAt7F0kiezgw
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand571Please respect copyright.PENANArCMyv6GYR6
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it571Please respect copyright.PENANAoBpt30H9ed
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I571Please respect copyright.PENANAxSy1WGpOKp
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel571Please respect copyright.PENANAjdV4CRJTDt
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree571Please respect copyright.PENANANrWdCA25UQ
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was571Please respect copyright.PENANAKhulzvHh6F
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips571Please respect copyright.PENANA4dtaIyyf5i
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my571Please respect copyright.PENANAtt2vG4JtjO
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell571Please respect copyright.PENANA5ob0ZnpS3g
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect571Please respect copyright.PENANApZgPn8b1ZS
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 in571Please respect copyright.PENANAbRqsSqw3tN
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I571Please respect copyright.PENANA26ts5XD6G5
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt571Please respect copyright.PENANAy5my72MdQx
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 the571Please respect copyright.PENANA1WSbZQmKX2
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t571Please respect copyright.PENANAbybbCVUwZN
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,571Please respect copyright.PENANAbFFqi3rVHZ
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area571Please respect copyright.PENANAdosTx2By4t
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see571Please respect copyright.PENANApcGKgz9ZgE
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I571Please respect copyright.PENANAttsRFgPafc
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so571Please respect copyright.PENANAErostgxVq1
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 out571Please respect copyright.PENANACZZV9KTZgw
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.571Please respect copyright.PENANAIPkn3mq3kA
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 feel571Please respect copyright.PENANAXBBtoe5o8W
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things571Please respect copyright.PENANAfub4eyOvQ9
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first571Please respect copyright.PENANAU3tmjaZf9D
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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