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[Grey_Hoodie]

username. Grey_Hoodie
word count. 9/xx

ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴀ "ᴍɪssɪɴɢ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴs" ᴘᴏsᴛᴇʀ ʜᴜɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ fᴀᴄᴇ ᴏɴ ɪᴛ

Odd. They should have found the body by now.

wip! c:

[kerplunk]

ooh im totally gonna enter this! I'll probably write my entry next week. I'll use prompt 2. nvm, gonna write it now.

Username: MelancholyRat
Prompt: #2
Word Count: 492

"I don't want to be the bad guy anymore.." I whispered, a tear rolling down my cheek.
"Don't worry," My brother said, trying to comfort me. "This is our last assessment."
"But Tyler, didn't you hear what would happen afterwards? I'll be taken away from you." I sobbed. "I don't want to be taken away!"
"Hey, listen to me!" Tyler whispered angrily. "They won't take you away. I won't let them, okay?"
I sniffed, wiping my face. Smiling, I softly replied, "Okay."

The next morning, I marched down to the patrol office with Tyler and my best friend, Amy. The officer greeted us. "Miss Costello," she nodded to Amy, who saluted in reply. "Mister White," she nodded at Tyler, "and Miss White." She turned to me. "Glad to see you're well again, after yesterday."
Suddenly, visions of yesterday clouded my mind. Our assessment, the bank robbery. The alarms. The police. My nervous breakdown. I almost got caught. This "crime" thing totally isn't working out for me.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." I lied. The officer smiled at me, a side of her I usually don't see showing. Most of the time she always barks at us for doing something wrong, much like a parent scolding a young child.
"Well, come in. Don't just stand there." We walked inside her office. She had the nicest office in the block, with a plush purple leather couch and a bright pink carpet stretching around half of the room. She even had a fireplace, with way too many pictures of herself cluttering the top of it. I sat down in between Tyler and Amy. The officer stretched her dark purple cardigan and was about to sit down in her desk chair when the phone rang. Muttering swears, she answered the call. "Hello?"

Suddenly, I heard her gasp, "I'll be right there!" She hung up and turned to us, with a frightened look on her face. "The cops are here," She explained. "They saw you 3 on a security camera. I don't have time to get more into detail. Hide!"

Like hunted birds, we scattered. Amy hid behind a plant, while Tyler and I ran behind Officer's desk. There was a loud bang on the door and I started to cry again. Tyler wrapped me into a tight hug, whispering, "Shh. It's okay, baby sis. It's okay." Another loud bang, and the door fell with a thud as the police started searching the room. A thought suddenly went into my head, and it consumed me with rage. Officer didn't leave to distract them! She gathered everyone up and left!

Amy screamed in terror as a cop grabbed her leg and pulled her out of her hiding place. "Where are the others?" The cop demanded, and I saw Amy point to the desk. Amy, no! The cops swarmed around us. I knew this would happen. They're taking me away! I struggled desperately, but it was no use. I've..lost.

Ta-da! lol this is really bad but eh whatever
Also, no, I am not against cops (but rather the stupid people that accuse them for crimes they didn't commit). I just thought that the cops would be good villains in this story, as the protagonist is a criminal.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! Let me know what you think c:

[pillowa]

ʙᴜᴍᴘ!
"ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴀʀᴇ... 𝕄𝔸𝔾𝕀ℂ."
-ᴀɴᴏɴʏᴍᴏᴜꜱ

[SnowyAshes]

Prompt: ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛ ³
Username: SnowyAshes
Word count: [WIP]
Entry:
[WIP]
Like rainfall, applause sounded around the theatre. The velvet curtains sank over the final scene as the light vanished from the stage and filled the seating area. Behind the curtain, a single actor was stood in the darkness, a lavish theatrical mask over their countenance.

[pillowa]

ʙᴜᴍᴘ!
"ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ. ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ."
-ᴀɴᴏɴʏᴍᴏᴜꜱ

[zamatsenga]

Mark

[pillowa]

"Step into a scene and let it drip from your fingertips"
-MJ Bush

[soccerali9]

soccerali9
ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛ ¹
499 words
note: I hope this is an acceptable adaptation of the prompt (I accidentally thought of the missing poster figuratively and ran with it. The character wishes to return to who he once was, but barely recognizes the poster as himself because he was forced to change so much) If this is not an acceptable interpretation, I completely understand and will take it down. It wasn't actually my intention - I sorta forgot the prompt as the idea developed, oops.

The night won't end
The sun traverses endlessly across the vacant sky but to no avail. The night won't end
As a child, I was shunned and alone, but I could always run to her arms. When the shadows haunted me or the monsters slithered in the dark, I would flee to the one who could send away the fiercest of evils. The one who could always end the night.
Days grew to years as inches grew to feet. In a matter of memories, I towered over her. Yet she was always my rock, my fighter, my defender. Regardless the danger, no matter the cost, she would banish the fear from my mind and envelop me in folds of love and light. Warmth and love I sought in her and freely she gave as a generous queen of boundless riches. Selfless sacrifice sparked in me a desire to please endlessly. If ever I could love her, I would without a doubt. The pain in moments apart paled in comparison to the joy together. Sometimes the days would race by; sometimes we would race through corridors of trees and man-made machines. No fear was too great in our joint adventures. No danger too costly if fun was to be had.
And then the night
He awoke me. He said she thought to power through. But it overcame. The darkness overcame.
And in that instant, fear reigned and the light was snuffed.

My greatest regret is the unspoken farewell. Separation was inevitable, but the reunion was expected, taken for granted. Now all the things I wish I would have said are borne in the weight yoked on my back.
I cannot go back, try as I might, to her arms. I cannot cry to her when fear threatens my peace. Instead, it overcomes. I succumb to the loneliness of this world, the depravity of society, the pain of sheer isolation.

He approaches with broken eyes and a rent heart. He loved her as I did. So now we unite.
In her honor, we fight. We fight the dark and the fear and the night. While we cannot undo life's eraser marks, we can push back the dark. Together our strength lies in the absence of her presence. Because she was the one who protected me, fought for my peace, now I shall continue and press onward through the unknown. I bare my fists, knuckles hardened, eyes set straight, shoulders square. I look my fear dead on and recognize its power, yet I deny its prowess. I used to cower, now I fight. To protect those who cannot protect themselves. To send shadows fleeing as I once did.

I want to be that old me

I want to seek shelter in her loving arms
Who I am now is unidentifiable
Comparatively

But shoulder on I must
I am now a fighter
To carry on her memory

No, the night won't end
And the darkness seems to never cease
But neither must we

[pillowa]

ʙᴜᴍᴘ!
"ɪꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ɪꜱ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ."
-ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍ ꜰᴀᴜʟᴋɴᴇʀ

[faolan16]

username; faolan16
prompt; #1
word count; 1,030

Ｉ ａｍ ｎｏｔ ｂｏｔｈｅｒｅｄ ｂｙ ｂｅｉｎｇ ｎｅａｒｌｙ ｉｎｖｉｓｉｂｌｅ． Ｉｎ ｆａｃｔ， Ｉ ｈａｖｅ ｇｒｏｗｎ ｔｏ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｄｅｐｅｎｄ ｏｎ ｉｔ． Ｔｒｕｌｙ， ｉｔ＇ｓ ａ ｂｌｅｓｓｉｎｇ ｆｏｒ ｏｎｅ ｗｈｏ ｒｏａｍｓ ｔｈｅ ｓｔｒｅｅｔｓ． Ｓｏ ｗｈｅｎ ｙｏｕ ｓｅｅ ｙｏｕｒ ｆａｃｅ ｏｎ ａ ｓｉｇｎ， ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｐｅｒｍａｎｅｎｔ ｆｏｒ ａｎｙｏｎｅ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ， ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｉｓ ｔｅｒｒｉｂｌｙ ｗｒｏｎｇ．

Ａ ｄａｒｋ ｐｈｏｔｏ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｏｗｎ ｉｍａｇｅ ｗａｓ ｆｉｒｓｔ ｓｅｅｎ ａｓ ａ ｐｏｓｔｅｒ ｈａｎｇｉｎｇ ｏｎ ａ ｐｕｂｌｉｃ ｂｏａｒｄ． Ａ ｓｐｌｉｔ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ ｏｆ ｄｉｓｂｅｌｉｅｆ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｎ ｆｅａｒ ｐａｓｓｅｄ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ Ｉ ｉｎｓｔｉｎｃｔｉｖｅｌｙ ｒｅａｃｈｅｄ ｏｕｔ ａｎｄ ｒｉｐｐｅｄ ｉｔ ｏｆｆ． Ｗｈａｔ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｏｒｐｈａｎ＇ｓ ｆａｃｅ ｄｏｉｎｇ ｏｎ ａ ｐｏｓｔｅｒ？ Ｔｈｅ ｆａｃｅ ｏｆ ａ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｗｈｏ ｈａｄ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ｔｏ ｍｉｓｓ ｔｈｅｍ？ Ｍｙ ｓｔｏｍａｃｈ ｔｗｉｓｔｅｄ ａｓ Ｉ ｃｒｕｍｐｌｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｐａｐｅｒ． Ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ｗａｓ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｉｔ， ａｎｄ Ｉ ｈｏｐｅｄ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｈａｄ ｋｅｐｔ ｍｙ ｆａｃｅ ｏｕｔ ｏｆ ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ＇ｓ ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ．

Ｂｕｔ ｓｏｏｎ Ｉ ｂｅｃａｍｅ ａｗａｒｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｔｈｅｒｓ－ ｍａｎｙ ｍｏｒｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ ｏｎ ｓｈｏｐ ｗｉｎｄｏｗｓ， ｔｅｌｅｐｈｏｎｅ ｐｏｌｅｓ， ｂｌａｎｋ ｗａｌｌｓ ｏｆ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇｓ． Ａ ｐａｎｉｃ ｔｏｏｋ ｍｅ ｙｅｔ Ｉ ｍａｎａｇｅｄ ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｒｕｎ， ｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｍｙ ｗａｌｋ ｗａｓ ｆａｓｔ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｑｕｉｃｋ ｍｏｔｉｏｎ ｂｅｃａｍｅ ｒｈｙｔｈｍｉｃ． Ｓｅｅ ｔｈｅ ｗｈｉｔｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｄａｒｋ， ｓｌｉｐ ｐａｓｔ ｉｔ ａｎｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｌｉｇｈｔｎｉｎｇ ｆａｓｔ ｔｅａｒ， ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｇｏｎｅ． Ｔｈｅ ｗｏｒｋ ｓｅｅｍｅｄ ｔｅｄｉｏｕｓ ｂｕｔ Ｉ＇ｄ ｂｅｇｕｎ ｔｏ ｂｅｌｉｅｖｅ ｔｈａｔ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ｈａｄ ｓｅｅｎ ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ ａｎｄ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｐｏｓｓｉｂｌｙ ｓａｆｅ．

Ｉｔ ｔｏｏｋ ｍｅ ａｗｈｉｌｅ ｔｏ ｓｐｏｔ ｈｉｍ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｄａｒｋ； ａ ｋｉｄ ｎｏｔ ｍｕｃｈ ｏｌｄｅｒ ｔｈａｎ ｍｅ， ａｌｗａｙｓ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｅｄｇｅ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｖｉｓｉｏｎ ｏｒ ｌｕｒｋｉｎｇ ｎｏｔ ｆａｒ ｂｅｈｉｎｄ． Ｈｅ ｗａｔｃｈｅｄ ａｌｌ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｄｉｄ， ｂｕｔ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄｎ＇ｔ ｓｔｏｐ， ｃｏｕｌｄｎ＇ｔ ｌｅｔ ａｎｙｏｎｅ ｅｌｓｅ ｃａｔｃｈ ａ ｇｌｉｍｐｓｅ ｏｆ ａ ｇｉｒｌ ｗｈｏ ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ ｗａｎｔ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｆｏｕｎｄ． Ｒｉｇｈｔ ｎｏｗ， ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｍｏｒｅ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｔｏ ｋｅｅｐ ｔｈｅ ｇｅｎｅｒａｌ ｐｏｐｕｌａｔｉｏｎ ｏｕｔ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｌｉｆｅ ａｎｄ ｄｅａｌ ｗｉｔｈ ｏｎｅ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｌａｔｅｒ．

Ｉ ｈａｄ ｍａｄｅ ｇｏｏｄ ｐｒｏｇｒｅｓｓ ａｎｄ ｗａｓ ａ ｆｅｗ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ ａｗａｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｆｉｎｉｓｈｉｎｇ ｗｈｅｎ ａ ｈａｎｄ ａｐｐｅａｒｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｄａｒｋ ａｎｄ ｓｔｏｐｐｅｄ ｍｅ ｆｒｏｍ ｃｌｅａｎｌｙ ｔｅａｒｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒ， ｂｒｅａｋｉｎｇ ｍｙ ｒｈｙｔｈｍ， ｔｈｒｏｗｉｎｇ ｍｅ ｏｆｆ ａｎｄ ｃａｕｓｉｎｇ ｍｅ ｔｏ ｓｔｕｍｂｌｅ． Ｉ＇ｄ ｋｎｏｗｎ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｂｕｔ ｈｅ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｅｄ ｍｅ， ａｎｄ ｃｕｒｓｉｎｇ ｍｙｓｅｌｆ， Ｉ ｋｅｐｔ ａ ｓｍａｌｌ ｄｉｓｔａｎｃｅ ｂｕｔ ｓｔｏｏｄ ｍｙ ｇｒｏｕｎｄ．

＂Ｗｈｏ ａｒｅ ｙｏｕ， ａｎｄ ｗｈａｔ ｄ＇ｙｏｕ ｗａｎｔ？＂ Ｉ ｓｐｏｋｅ ｆｉｒｓｔ， ｍｅｅｔｉｎｇ ｈｉｓ ｅｙｅｓ ｅｖｅｎｌｙ． Ｉｆ ｙｏｕ＇ｒｅ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ
ｓｔｒｅｅｔｓ ａｗｈｉｌｅ， ｙｏｕ ｌｅａｒｎ ａ ｆｅｗ ｔｈｉｎｇｓ． Ｃｕｔ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｈａｓｅ， ｂｅ ｂｌｕｎｔ， ｓｔａｎｄ ｙｏｕｒ ｇｒｏｕｎｄ， ｍａｋｅ ｅｙｅ ｃｏｎｔａｃｔ．

Ｄｏｎ＇ｔ ｇｏ ｄｏｗｎ ｗｉｔｈｏｕｔ ａ ｆｉｇｈｔ．

Ｈｅ ｍａｄｅ ａ ｓｈｏｗ ｏｆ ｓｌｏｗｌｙ ｒｅｍｏｖｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｐａｐｅｒ， ａｎｄ Ｉ ｒｅｆｕｓｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｌｉｎｃｈ ｄｅｓｐｉｔｅ ｔｈｅ ｆａｃｔ ｙｏｕ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｈｅａｒ ｔｈｅ ｔａｐｅ ｐｅｅｌ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｐｏｌｅ． Ｗｉｔｈ ｍｙ ａｔｔｅｎｔｉｏｎ ｆｕｌｌｙ ｏｎ ｈｉｍ， ｈｅ ｈｅｌｄ ｔｈｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｉｎ ｆｒｏｎｔ ｏｆ ｍｅ． ＂Ｉｔ＇ｓ ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｔｏｏ ｌａｔｅ，＂ ｈｅ ｔｏｌｄ ｍｅ， ｂｕｔ Ｉ ｓｎａｔｃｈｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｉｓ ｈａｎｄｓ ａｎｄ ｃｒｕｍｐｌｅｄ ｉｔ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｔｒｙｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｓｋｉｒｔ ａｒｏｕｎｄ ｈｉｍ． Ｓｔｏｐｐｉｎｇ ｍｅ ｗｉｔｈ ｈｉｓ ａｒｍ， ｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ＂Ｌｅａｖｅ ｔｈｅｍ ａｌｏｎｅ． Ｙｏｕ ｎｅｅｄ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ａｓ ｆａｒ ａｗａｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｅｒｅ ａｓ ｙｏｕ ｃａｎ．＂

＂Ｉ＇ｌｌ ｄｏ ｗｈａｔ Ｉ ｗａｎｔ，＂ Ｉ ｓｎａｐｐｅｄ， ｂｕｔ Ｉ ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ ｇｅｔ ｔｏ ｓｈｏｖｅ ｐａｓｔ ｈｉｍ ｗｈｅｎ ｓｏｍｅｂｏｄｙ ｇｒａｓｐｅｄ ｍｙ ａｒｍ ａｎｄ ｙａｎｋｅｄ ｍｅ ａｗａｙ． ＂Ｓｔｏｐ！＂ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｙ ｙｅｌｌｅｄ， ｇｉｖｉｎｇ ｃｈａｓｅ， ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｂｅｓｉｄｅ ｍｅ ｕｒｇｅｄ ｍｅ ｔｏ ｒｕｎ ａｎｄ ｆｏｒ ｓｏｍｅ ｒｅａｓｏｎ Ｉ ｄｉｄ．

Ｉ ｐｌａｎｎｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｒｅａｋ ａｗａｙ， ｂｕｔ ｗｉｔｈ ａｓ ｆａｓｔ ａｓ ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｇｏｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ＇ｓ ｈａｎｄ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｃｌｉｎｇｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｍｙ ａｒｍ， Ｉ ｋｅｐｔ ｐａｃｅ ｗｉｔｈ ｔｈｅｍ ａｓ ｗｅ ｄｏｄｇｅｄ ｃｏｒｎｅｒｓ ａｎｄ ｓｌｉｐｐｅｄ ｉｎ ｆｒｏｎｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｃｃａｓｉｏｎａｌ ｌａｔｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ ｄｒｉｖｅｒ．

Ａｔ ｌａｓｔ ｗｅ ｌｏｓｔ ｈｉｍ， ｄｕｃｋｉｎｇ ｄｏｗｎ ａ ｄａｒｋ ａｌｌｅｙ ａｎｄ Ｉ ｓｔｏｌｅ ｂａｃｋ ｍｙ ａｒｍ， ｆｉｓｔｓ ｃｌｅｎｃｈｅｄ， ｒｅａｄｙ ｆｏｒ ａ ｆｉｇｈｔ ｉｆ ｉｔ ｃａｍｅ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｈａｒｄ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｄａｒｋ． ＂Ｓｈｏｗ ｙｏｕｒｓｅｌｆ，＂ Ｉ ｃｏｍｍａｎｄｅｄ， ｍｙ ｅｙｅｓ ｄａｒｔｉｎｇ ａｒｏｕｎｄ ａｎｄ ｓｅａｒｃｈｉｎｇ ｆｏｒ ａ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｓｈａｄｏｗｓ． ＂Ｗｈａｔ＇ｓ ｇｏｉｎｇ ｏｎ？＂

＂Ｔｈａｔ ｂｏｙ ｉｓ ａ ｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ＲＡＳ．＂ Ａ ｇｉｒｌ ｃａｍｅ ｉｎｔｏ ｖｉｅｗ， ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｐｒｅｔｔｙ ｃｏｎｓｉｄｅｒｉｎｇ ｈｏｗ ｆａｓｔ ｓｈｅ ｗａｓ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｒｕｎ， ｗｉｔｈ ｌｉｇｈｔ ｈａｉｒ ｃｕｒｌｉｎｇ ｉｎｔｏ ｐｅｒｆｅｃｔ ｒｉｎｇｌｅｔｓ ｔｈａｔ ｓｔｒｅｔｃｈｅｄ ｊｕｓｔ ｐａｓｔ ｈｅｒ ｓｈｏｕｌｄｅｒｓ． ＂Ａｎｄ？＂ Ｉ ｓａｉｄ ｅｘｐｅｃｔａｎｔｌｙ． Ｉ ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ ｗａｎｔ ｔｏ ａｄｍｉｔ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｈａｄ ｎｏ ｉｄｅａ ｗｈａｔ ｔｈｅ ＲＡＳ ｗａｓ．

Ｓｅｅｍｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ ｍｙ ｌａｃｋ ｏｆ ｋｎｏｗｌｅｄｇｅ， ｓｈｅ ｅｘｐｌａｉｎｅｄ， ＂Ｔｈｅｙ ｋｉｄｎａｐ ｏｒｐｈａｎｓ ｆｏｒ ｐａｒｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅｉｒ ｃｒｅｗ． Ｔｈｅ Ｒｅａｒｍｅｄ Ｓｏｃｉｅｔｙ．＂

Ｆｏｒ ａ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ Ｉ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ ａｂｏｕｔ ｗｈａｔ ｓｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ｔｈｅｎ ｓｔａｒｅｄ ａｔ ｈｅｒ． ＂Ｈｏｗ＇ｄ ｙｏｕ ｋｎｏｗ Ｉ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｏｒｐｈａｎ？＂

Ｈｅｒ ｅｙｅｓ ｆｌａｓｈｅｄ ｆｏｒ ａ ｍｉｌｌｉｓｅｃｏｎｄ． ＂Ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒ，＂ ｓｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ｍａｉｎｔａｉｎｉｎｇ ｅｙｅ ｃｏｎｔａｃｔ． Ｉ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ ｂａｃｋ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ． ＂Ｎｏ， ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ ｊｕｓｔ ｈａｖｅ ａ ｈｅａｄｌｉｎｅ， ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ， ａｎｄ ｎｕｍｂｅｒ．＂ Ｓｈｅ ｓｈｏｏｋ ｈｅｒ ｈｅａｄ， ｓｅｎｄｉｎｇ ｈｅｒ ｃｕｒｌｓ ｆｌｙｉｎｇ．

Ｍｙ ｆｉｎｇｅｒｓ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｃｌｕｔｃｈｅｄ ａ ｐａｐｅｒ， ｔｈｅ ｏｎｅ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｇｕｙ． Ｉ ｆｌａｔｔｅｎｅｄ ｉｔ ｏｕｔ． ＂Ｄｏｅｓｎ＇ｔ ｓａｙ ａｎｙｔｈｉｎｇ ａｂｏｕｔ ａｎ ｏｒｐｈａｎ，＂ Ｉ ｓａｉｄ ａｃｃｕｓｉｎｇｌｙ， ａｎｄ Ｉ ｓｔａｒｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｂａｃｋ ｕｐ．

＂Ｙｏｕ ｓａｉｄ ｉｔ，＂ ｓｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ｈｅｒ ｖｏｉｃｅ ｒｉｓｉｎｇ． ＂Ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｇｕｙ．＂

Ｉ ｓｈｏｏｋ ｍｙ ｈｅａｄ ａｎｄ ｔｕｒｎｅｄ ｔｏ ｒｕｎ， ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅｎ ｈｅｒ ｎａｉｌｓ ｄｕｇ ｉｎｔｏ ｍｙ ａｒｍ， ｈａｌｔｉｎｇ ｍｙ ｅｓｃａｐｅ． Ｃｌｏｓｉｎｇ ｍｙ ｆｉｓｔ， Ｉ ｓｗｕｎｇ ａｔ ｈｅｒ． Ｓｈｅ ｄｕｃｋｅｄ ｊｕｓｔ ｉｎ ｔｉｍｅ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｎ ｃａｕｇｈｔ ｍｙ ｆｉｓｔ． Ｍｏｖｉｎｇ ｄｏｗｎ ｍｙ ｈａｎｄ， ｓｈｅ ｅｎｓｎａｒｅｄ ｍｙ ｗｒｉｓｔ． Ｗｉｔｈ ｂｏｔｈ ｏｆ ｍｙ ａｒｍｓ ｉｎ ｈｅｒ ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ， ｔｈｅ ｇｉｒｌ ｔｗｉｓｔｅｄ ｔｈｅｍ ａｎｄ ｆｏｒｃｅｄ ｍｅ ｔｏ ｍｙ ｋｎｅｅｓ．

Ｉ ｍａｎａｇｅｄ ｔｏ ｋｉｃｋ ａｔ ｈｅｒ， ｇａｉｎｉｎｇ ｂａｃｋ ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｍｙ ａｒｍｓ ｔｏ ｐｕｎｃｈ ｈｅｒ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｔｉｍｅ， Ｉ ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ ｍｉｓｓ． Ｈｅｒ ｇｒｉｐ ｏｎ ｍｙ ｏｔｈｅｒ ａｒｍ ｌｏｏｓｅｎｅｄ， ａｎｄ Ｉ ｔｏｒｅ ａｗａｙ， ｓｔｕｍｂｌｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｇｒｏｕｎｄ． Ｂｒｅａｔｈｉｎｇ ｈｅａｖｙ， Ｉ ｆｏｒｃｅｄ ｍｙｓｅｌｆ ｕｐ ａｎｄ ｓｕｄｄｅｎｌｙ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｒｕｎｎｉｎｇ ａｇａｉｎ， ｔｈｅ ｐｏｓｔｅｒｓ ｆｏｒｇｏｔｔｅｎ． Ｉ ｗａｓ ｓｔｏｐｐｅｄ ｏｎｌｙ ｗｈｅｎ Ｉ ｃｒａｓｈｅｄ ｉｎｔｏ ａ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ－ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｙ．

＂Ｓｔａｙ ａｗａｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｍｅ，＂ Ｉ ｏｒｄｅｒｅｄ， ｌｕｒｃｈｉｎｇ ｂａｃｋｗａｒｄｓ． ＂Ｉ ｔｏｌｄ ｙｏｕ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｏｕｔ ｏｆ ｈｅｒｅ，＂ ｈｅ ｓａｉｄ ｅｖｅｎｌｙ． ＂Ｄｏ ｙｏｕ ｅｖｅｎ ｋｎｏｗ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｙｏｕ＇ｒｅ ｇｏｉｎｇ？＂

＂Ｌｅａｖｅ ｍｅ ａｌｏｎｅ．＂ Ｍｙ ｈａｎｄｓ ｓｈｏｏｋ ａ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ａｎｄ Ｉ ｗａｓｎ＇ｔ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｓｔｏｐ ｔｈｅｍ． ＂Ｉ ｊｕｓｔ ｗａｎｔ ｔｏ ｈｅｌｐ，＂ ｈｅ ｓａｉｄ， ｍｏｖｉｎｇ ｆｏｒｗａｒｄ．

＂Ｎｏｔ ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ ｓｔｅｐ，＂ Ｉ ｗａｒｎｅｄ， ｆｉｓｔｓ ｃｌｏｓｉｎｇ ａｇａｉｎ． Ｔｈｅｙ ｗｅｒｅ ｔｈｅ ｏｎｌｙ ｗｅａｐｏｎｓ Ｉ ｈａｄ．

＂Ｗｈａｔ ｄｉｄ ｓｈｅ ｓａｙ ａｂｏｕｔ ｍｅ？＂ ｈｅ ａｓｋｅｄ， ｒｅｆｅｒｒｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｇｉｒｌ． Ｉ ｇｌａｒｅｄ ａｔ ｈｉｍ， ｂｕｔ ａｎｓｗｅｒｅｄ ａｎｙｗａｙｓ． ＂Ｔｈａｔ ｙｏｕ＇ｒｅ ａ ｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ＲＡＳ．＂

Ｈｅ ｓｔａｒｅｄ ａｔ ｍｅ ａ ｓｅｃｏｎｄ， ｔｈｅｎ ｓｍｉｌｅｄ ａ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｂｉｔ． ＂Ｔｈａｔ＇ｓ ａ ｐｒｅｔｔｙ ｖａｌｉｄ ｒｅａｓｏｎ ｔｏ ｄｏｕｂｔ ｓｏｍｅｏｎｅ．＂

Ａｎｄ ｈｅ ｌａｕｎｃｈｅｄ ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ ａｔ ｍｅ．