Run
1055 Words
“Move.”
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Zayden didn’t wait.
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He pulled me with him—
hard—
out of the alley.
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My feet struggled to keep up.
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“What are they?” I demanded.
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“No time.”
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“That’s not an answer—”
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“They’re not supposed to find you this early.”
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That stopped me.
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Early?
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My grip tightened on his arm.
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“What does that mean?”
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Zayden didn’t respond.
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He turned sharply into another street—
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Then another.
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Fast.
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Too fast.
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Behind us—
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Footsteps.
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Not loud.
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Not rushed.
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But steady.
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Unrelenting.
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I risked a glance back.
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And immediately regretted it.
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They were still there.
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Not running.
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Just walking.
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And somehow—
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Getting closer.
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“That’s not possible,” I whispered.
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Zayden’s jaw tightened.
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“They don’t chase,” he said.
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“Then what are they doing?”
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A beat.
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“They’re closing.”
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My chest tightened.
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“That’s worse.”
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We turned another corner—
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And suddenly—
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The world flickered.
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My vision glitched.
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The street shifted.
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Buildings stretched—
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Then snapped back into place.
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I stumbled.
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“Hey—stay with me,” Zayden said, tightening his grip.
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“I—I’m trying—”
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But it wasn’t just dizziness.
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It felt like everything around me—
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Was breaking.
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Or reacting.
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To me.
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*You’re slipping.*
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My breath caught.
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“Not now,” I whispered.
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Zayden glanced at me.
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“What?”
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“Nothing—just—keep moving.”
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We pushed forward.
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But the sound behind us changed.
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Closer.
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Too close.
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I turned again—
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One of them was right there.
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Not walking anymore.
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Standing.
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Just a few steps behind.
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“How—?”
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Before I could finish—
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It moved.
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Fast.
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Not human fast.
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Zayden shoved me aside.
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“Down!”
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The figure lunged—
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Missing me by inches—
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And slammed into the wall behind us.
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The impact cracked concrete.
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My heart slammed in my chest.
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“That’s not normal!” I shouted.
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“No,” Zayden said, pulling me up again—
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“It’s not.”
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We ran.
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Harder now.
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No direction.
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Just distance.
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Another flicker.
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Stronger this time.
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The ground beneath me rippled—
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Like water.
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I lost my balance.
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And fell.
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Pain shot through my hands as they hit the ground.
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“Nyra!” Zayden snapped.
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I tried to get up—
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But something felt wrong.
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My chest tightened.
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My breathing changed.
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Slower.
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Deeper.
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Too controlled.
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*Let me handle this.*
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My eyes widened.
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“No.”
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*You’re going to get us caught.*
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“I said no.”
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Zayden grabbed my arm again.
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“We don’t have time—get up!”
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I tried.
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But my body—
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Didn’t respond the way I wanted.
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My fingers curled slightly.
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Not by choice.
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“Nyra,” Zayden said, sharper now.
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Something in my chest shifted.
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Cold.
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Focused.
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And then—
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Everything went quiet.
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Not outside.
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Inside.
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Still.
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Too still.
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My breathing stopped feeling like mine.
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My thoughts slowed.
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Slipped.
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*There you go.*
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“No—”
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Too late.
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I stood.
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Slowly.
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But not the way I normally would.
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Zayden stepped back slightly.
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“…What are you doing?” he asked.
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I didn’t answer.
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Because I wasn’t in control anymore.
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Not fully.
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The figure behind us moved again—
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Charging forward.
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Fast.
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Deadly.
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But this time—
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I didn’t run.
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I turned.
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And faced it.
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Zayden’s voice cut through—
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“Nyra, don’t—!”
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Too late.
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The figure lunged.
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And I moved.
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Faster.
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Cleaner.
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Effortless.
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I caught it mid-motion.
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My hand locked around its arm.
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Stopped it completely.
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Like it weighed nothing.
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Silence.
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Even Zayden didn’t move.
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Didn’t speak.
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Because this—
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This wasn’t normal.
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The figure struggled—
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But it didn’t matter.
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My grip tightened.
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And something inside me—
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Enjoyed it.
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*See?*
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My head tilted slightly.
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Observing.
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Studying.
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Like I was learning.
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Then—
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I moved again.
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A sharp twist—
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A crack—
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And the figure dropped.
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Still.
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Not moving.
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Gone.
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Silence filled the street.
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Heavy.
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Unreal.
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Zayden stared at me.
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Not shocked.
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Not confused.
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Something else.
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Recognition.
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“…That’s not human,” he said quietly.
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I turned toward him.
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Slow.
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And for a second—
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I wasn’t sure if I was looking at him…
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Or through him.
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Then—
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Everything snapped back.
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My breath hitched.
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My body staggered.
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“What—what just—”
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I looked down.
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At my hands.
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At what I had just done.
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“No…”
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My chest tightened.
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“I didn’t mean to—”
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Zayden stepped forward.
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Careful.
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Like I might break.
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Or worse—
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Like I might not.
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“They’re still coming,” he said.
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And right on cue—
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The other two stepped into view.
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Unharmed.
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Unbothered.
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Watching.
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“Yeah,” he added quietly…
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“we’re definitely not safe yet.”
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My heart started racing again.
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But now—
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It wasn’t just fear.
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It was something else.
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Something worse.
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Because whatever took over just now—
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It felt…
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Right.
- Writer
