Half Truths

  DON’T THINK ABOUT IT!

  THINK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!

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  THINK ABOUT STAYING ALIVE!

  You’ve got to move. The Hunters are on your tail. That fast one was close. She was very close last night. What happened last night?

  what happened?

  NO! FORGET THAT.

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  THINK ABOUT STAYING ALIVE.

  WORK OUT WHAT TO DO.

  You can look, move your head a fraction to see more. The ground by your face is covered with pine needles. Brown pine needles. But the brown isn’t from the pine. It’s the color of dried blood. Your left arm is extended. It’s streaked in it. Crusted with dried brown. But your hand isn’t streaked in it, it’s thick with it.

  Red.

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  You can find a stream and wash. Wash it all off.

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  You need to go. For your own safety you have to get out of here. You need to get moving. Get away.

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  The mobile phone is close, not changing. It won’t be coming closer.

  But you have to look. You have to check.

  Turn your head to the other side.

  You can do it.

  It looks a bit like a log. Please be a log please be a log please be a log please

  It’s not a log . . . It’s black and red. Black boots. Black trousers. One bent leg, one straight. Black jacket. Her face is turned away.

  She has short light-brown hair.

  It’s sopping with blood.

  She’s lying as still as a log.

  Still wet.

  Still oozing.

  Not fast anymore.

  The mobile phone is hers.

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  And as you raise your head you see the wound that is her throat, and it is jagged and bloody and deep and

  red

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