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 pretty840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBadgg2t1mN
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMLCHgDk8M
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC1gdng0Mn
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9a3pkFngk
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ675o6N2C9y
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 now840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SEVvAQ0u6
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZun3UIT9q
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHsCZ1a2g3
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’t840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxp9m2TB3EG
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 the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZhWbWEVOz
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI8G05vcLA
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 whatever840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwaivxqhc4
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0fLFF2uRO
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNndCtjnJy8
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYulAfXlOzw
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡav30eSbJqX
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWUjt1DiCA
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKR7vXxNZI
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG29jghH3KV
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0Me6ZLXTL
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xHDkI0yyW
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP93hecmK6C
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 in840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3FszAmMqd
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg56NPvLnee
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIyUGzZH56
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 the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSBz8BRCmu
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLQJZnoWPQ
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQJplM2hwn
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHJSBC6TGJ
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJxjlR8PO4
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfTBvAQ7iL
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsyirZKvSx
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 out840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDCIcirEWw
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.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyecg97ihu6
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 feel840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnYi8a2TL5
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJHYGrwYFJ
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXD8vEKqLP
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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