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 pretty973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHO7TAWA2w
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGu6d42YMt
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWscebuF3J6
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmWrxP1XC0
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEepUXp0di8
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 now973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCNYnn2kkj
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUdDEWZixV
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUTaTi5Z47
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’t973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLFjTr8R7X
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 the973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCdX4u0oQU
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lJZ0HhOT2
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 whatever973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWX0sSEVi6u
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsktD5T8G4U
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY9CrIYrZk
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOpJv65Mw0
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxGQhPmbI8
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvHfHQeWCz
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq470FnvxYe
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsnonszL1q
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFjkDCb1RV
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQziYasZd7B
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpM1ExPpOxk
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 in973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJkdX9umkE
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz78WV0Yn6W
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBhZUrmH6I
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 the973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqSDVMyMdo
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm30bbGa7re
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTlwfJlk5m
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0L5KLT11G
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOq8xZc2eT
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvY46V6QZId
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCQ3Ptj7zh
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 out973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOlHuulo5T
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.973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt5kupL36T
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 feel973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQ6SOfAoFr
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWSogAehqz
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first973Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyOMZUkqYB
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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