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 pretty812Please respect copyright.PENANAIXyIOTWXAg
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air812Please respect copyright.PENANAvBLEgIijDf
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come812Please respect copyright.PENANAkCDSd1OGNc
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for812Please respect copyright.PENANApi7IAfogt6
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree812Please respect copyright.PENANAwdHAnfpgYh
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 now812Please respect copyright.PENANAQJnrih8ul0
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I812Please respect copyright.PENANAFDRHk3eJnv
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I812Please respect copyright.PENANACNtsn8lWls
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’t812Please respect copyright.PENANACQlcS15LbM
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 the812Please respect copyright.PENANAaIjg5U449T
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what812Please respect copyright.PENANA6VbxuV94RD
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 whatever812Please respect copyright.PENANApkXy2PR6BH
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand812Please respect copyright.PENANAfVqBBloZby
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it812Please respect copyright.PENANA4CgPUvsdZS
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I812Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yb90u5nn6
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel812Please respect copyright.PENANA6sSFxJFbjl
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree812Please respect copyright.PENANA6o7YJGMnNc
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was812Please respect copyright.PENANAeNp1Wpt8PG
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips812Please respect copyright.PENANAuag81eHDZ7
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my812Please respect copyright.PENANAinq7mvBOJb
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell812Please respect copyright.PENANAEouuVVIVnH
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect812Please respect copyright.PENANAGFLdzNK0aV
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 in812Please respect copyright.PENANA6MEhmdU5gj
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I812Please respect copyright.PENANAGPauHM12ny
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt812Please respect copyright.PENANAKBxOYhGaud
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 the812Please respect copyright.PENANAeZvXTuk13O
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t812Please respect copyright.PENANAWyxfpNu9jO
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,812Please respect copyright.PENANAUvTJh6D65L
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area812Please respect copyright.PENANAyLPQQVUNpF
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see812Please respect copyright.PENANA67yt2PKR45
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I812Please respect copyright.PENANAb1Ehc9ty8d
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so812Please respect copyright.PENANAY4ddLTqupy
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 out812Please respect copyright.PENANA3ibcWblna1
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.812Please respect copyright.PENANAuCkJOlS6zM
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 feel812Please respect copyright.PENANAyz0JySbgVo
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things812Please respect copyright.PENANA07AxQm7Hyp
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first812Please respect copyright.PENANAoJWVJO7JwL
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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