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 pretty722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyH36uZ0Wm
sure I was running for my life from whatever was chasing me. The air722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y0lDoibBa
around me was cold and there was fog everywhere. The full moon had come722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelZr0o53tP
up and it was as bright as ever. But its light wasn’t bright enough for722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOSTSdn5hK
it to illuminate around the forest because of the foliage of the tree722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pZ2QkE7ob
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 now722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvaFZFlBVp
was clearly not the time to check myself. I could feel its presence and I722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY2JNRnqtW
knew it was coming closer and closer. I could tell it wanted me. I722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8o6cTqG00B
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’t722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqAP9kTTkY
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 the722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8irbQCwhL
adrenaline that spread throughout my body had kept me going for what722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdXuRbeeRw
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 whatever722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK7HVvQjd4
was after me had finally caught me. Before I could scream, a hand722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFi67sfaIhi
quickly covered my mouth and I could tell I was with a person, but it722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZur4akvobr
was too dark to even see who it was. I could tell it was a man because I722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R5heG4xxM
could make out the person’s physique even in the darkness. I could feel722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wkjkF7sgJ
his other strong arm pin my whole body with my back against the tree722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvXGh6KgzF
that I couldn’t even move. The hand he used to cover my mouth was722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImLF7Smf9b
quickly withdrawn. He put up his index finger and placed it to his lips722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFVdkGApCD
obviously telling me to be quiet. I silently nodded, and for once, my722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUtkpseEFx
breathing slowed down and I felt my body relax a little. I could tell722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ853T3Q3HZ8
that no matter what, this man in front of me was only trying to protect722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3UHDeeqMx
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 in722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2UZWr5lnF
silence. Then a black shadow passed us and it was moving as fast as I722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzoN9FRfzt
could have ever imagined. The shadow was going to catch me, no doubt722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrfagSvpHh
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 the722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP326jBYen
hand and dragged me along with him to wherever we were going. He didn’t722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8QdeyoKno
say a single word to me and it was best to keep quiet in these forests,722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWZMapZHwB
just in case the shadow ever found us. We soon came upon an open area722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfYW3DyoFY
with a few trees around, the moon shone brightly over us and I could see722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8DJaZRjin
the man’s back but not his face. As I continued to look at him, I722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjLakQXE0W
couldn’t help but feel that I know him. I wanted to see his face so722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4i1lfRnaiW
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 out722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxg0knxFOd
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.722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KZRVEL8qa
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 feel722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQrYJRRAxA
surprised and yet again happy when I saw his face. But some things722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2FFbacDWS
weren’t adding up though. How did he know where to find me in the first722Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpH0QbA8l6
place?
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And why of all people did it have to be him?
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