Old lady in the woods

As Kat ventured deeper into the forest, frustration mounted within her like a simmering pot about to boil over. "Seriously, what terrible luck," she grumbled to herself, her voice tinged with irritation. "First, I lose Lance, and now I'm lost myself. Could this day get any worse?"

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Each step felt heavier than the last as I scolded myself, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "Pull yourself together, Kat," I muttered, annoyance evident in my tone. "Losing your cool won't help you find your way out of here."

Despite my attempts at self-motivation, a sense of frustration and helplessness lingered in the air. Every rustle of leaves and distant sound seemed to amplify my unease. "Come on, focus," I urged myself, trying to push aside the creeping sense of dread.

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Then, just as she was mustering the courage to press on, a rustling sound behind her broke the silence. "Lance?" Kat called out hopefully, turning around in anticipation.

But to her dismay, there was nothing there but the rustling leaves and the eerie silence of the forest. "Great," she muttered, frustration creeping into her voice. "Just what I needed."

Kat's annoyance grew as she continued to walk, the sense of being watched weighing heavily on her. "Seriously, what is going on?" she muttered to herself, her unease mounting with each passing moment.

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Now I really want out of this place. I hadn't taken more than a few steps forward when I heard another rustling sound, this time closer than before. "Young lady," a voice pierced the silence from behind me, causing my heart to skip a beat and my body to freeze in place. 'Oh God, no,' I muttered under my breath. Slowly, I turned around to face the source of the voice, locking eyes with an old lady. A chill ran down my spine as her unsettling smile sent waves of unease through me."

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Kat's grip on the handle of her suitcase tightened instinctively as she observed the old lady's pallid, ghostly-like complexion and piercing icy blue eyes. She seemed to exude an aura of otherworldly power, leaving Kat feeling wary and cautious in her presence."

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"As I observed the old woman, noting the way she stood tall and thin, her hunched posture adding to her eerie presence.

She was adorned in a dress that seemed to belong to another era, its style reminiscent of a time long past. The intricate lace trims and high collar exuded an antique charm, while the fabric rustled softly with each movement. Her gray hair was neatly styled, adding to the timeless elegance of her appearance. Despite the kindly appearance of her fixed smile at first glance, there was an unsettling quality about it that sent shivers down my spine, making me feel uneasy. 'Oh God, I'm so creeped out.'

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"Y... y-yes?" Kat finally managed to stammer out, her voice slightly cracked, as she was frightened by the woman's presence.

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Despite my attempt to mask my fear, the quiver in my words betrayed my unease. The old lady seemed to sense my unease, her malicious smile only widening in response.

' Hell no!!, no normal old woman would be in this part of the woods at this time of the night'

'I don't even want to know what she's doing here. The first chance I get, I'm running the hell out of here.' With a sudden burst of courage, I made the decision to bolt. I didn't know what this woman could be up to, and I wasn't going to stick around to find out.

My instincts screamed at me to run, but for some stupid reason, my legs felt frozen in place. 'Legs, this isn't the right time to play games. Please move.' I desperately pleaded with my legs to move, and I felt a sense of dread wash over me.

"Shhhh, just calm down, breathe, Kat, breathe," I murmured to myself, trying to calm my nerves down so my legs would move. The air around us seemed to grow colder, as if the very forest itself was alive with darkness.

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Kat broke into a cold sweat when she heard the woman's raspy voice speak. "Do not be frightened, dear," she said. Her reassurance didn't help Kat, as her voice sent a cringey sensation all over her.

"There is every need to be frightened," I whispered with an awkward expression. "It's time you went home, Katherina," I heard her speak again, with the word 'home' landing on my ears, my feet finally moved as if they found their motivation.

With that, I was going to get the heck out of there, only for realization to strike me like a bolt of lightning. My eyes widened in shock as I processed the fact that the old lady knew my name. "How... how do you know my name!?" I asked. Panic began to grip me as I scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs of anyone else. 'Could this old lady be a fan? What the hell am I thinking, Kat? How could that in any way be possible?' I babbled to myself in my head, my eyes darting frantically from side to side.

She only smiled at my question and replied, "You need not worry about that, dear. You have a lot more ahead of you," she said, taking two steps forward towards me. I instantly took two steps back. "Wh... what do you think you are doing?" I questioned, my words breaking, alarmed by her sudden action. " Look ma'am, I respect the elderly. But, what you are doing is stalking, and it would be best if you stayed as far away from me as possible, or I will get you arrested."

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"Though Kat was frightened by the woman, she still couldn't allow herself to be cornered in this manner. She tried to keep her voice stern as she threatened the old lady, intending to scare her off.".

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I didn't bother waiting for her response. I already understood I had to be tricky to get away. I turned, feigning concern, and gestured behind her. "Who's that?" I pointed, and as I expected, she turned to look. Without waiting another second, I bolted.

As I ran, I didn't bother to look back, knowing that even if she were to run after me, there's no way her old legs could catch up to me.

After running with my suitcases dragging behind me, I stopped to catch my breath when I felt I had put a good distance between me and the old lady. Looking back, I saw no trace of her."

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Kat let out a breath of relieve, she decided to continue running to make sure she puts enough distance between them. nothing in world could have prepared Kat for what was about to happen. Just as she turned her gaze forward, she was greeted with the most frightening sight, the old woman stood just tow steps away from her. "Jesus Christ!!!!!!" Kat screamed.

Her voice echoes through the woods, causing, the birds that nested on the nearest trees to fly away as the sound of the birds filled the sorrowing

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"How did she...?" my mind struggled to process anything. But before I could react, the old lady blocked my path with an unsettling smile on her face, sending panic coursing through me.

Despite my desperate attempts to flee, it was as if the old lady possessed some dark and mysterious power that held me captive. With each passing moment, the sense of dread grew stronger, and I found myself scrambling to escape her clutches.

In my frantic attempt to get away, I stumbled and fell hard on my bottom, the impact jolting through me. As I struggled to regain my footing, she stood a few steps away from me, but it felt like she loomed over me, a menacing gleam in her eyes.

Desperation welled up within me. I couldn't comprehend anything, my heart pounding drastically in my chest. "Don't come any closer! Stay away from me!" I shouted in panic.

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As the old lady moved closer, Kat felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, causing her to sway unsteadily on the ground. She tried to push herself up, but her strength failed her, and she collapsed back down, her vision growing even more distorted.

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Through my blurry sight, I could see the old lady morphing and changing before my eyes. The wrinkled face and hunched figure transformed into that of a tall, ethereal woman with radiant beauty. She now glowed like the sun in the dark woods, casting a warm light over me.

As the figure approached, I strained to make out her features, my mind struggling to comprehend the transformation before me. I managed to muster the strength to speak, my voice barely a whisper as I gazed up at the transformed figure before me. With a mix of fear and curiosity in my voice, I rasped, "Who are you?" The words escaped my lips almost involuntarily, a question born out of confusion and desperation as I struggled to make sense of the surreal situation unfolding before me. "What is going on? I feel so dizzy. What are you doing to me?"

I weakly asked the transformed her once again, "Who are you?". She responded enigmatically, "You would know soon enough, my dear." Despite my distorted state, I could hear her voice clearly; it sounded nothing like the old raspy voice she portrayed earlier. It was sweet and smooth, her tone elegant, sounding like a melody used to lure children to sleep.

The cryptic reply sent more questions my way, leaving me with more questions than answers. Undeterred, I pressed on with another question, my voice trembling with fear and anticipation, "What do you want from me?" The old lady's response was equally unsettling, "You. It will all begin to make sense to you when the time comes."

With those ominous words hanging in the air, I felt a wave of dread wash over me as I realized that my fate was inextricably linked to this mysterious figure before me. And as darkness closed in around me, I could only pray that I would soon understand the truth behind her cryptic words. 'I remember this feeling, the feeling of being powerless and helpless, not being able to do anything, just like the night my mother and Nathan burned in front of my eyes. I couldn't do anything.'

"Mum, Nathan, I will meet you both soon. I love you," I whispered to myself, ready to reunite with my family. Tears streamed down my eyes, surprising me in the brief moment. 'I hadn't cried since the time I was separated from you two. Now I shall cry when I reunite with you both,' more tears welled up in my eyes as I spoke.

Then, as my vision blurred and my consciousness slipped away, I saw the woman's goddess-like figure bend in front of me, her glowing hand grazing my cheek. ' she feels so warm and comfortable. I wouldn't mind dyeing by this hands'.

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Kat's thoughts drifted away as she heard the woman's voice, a melodic whisper in the chaos of her mind. 'Until we meet again, Katharina,' the haunting echo of her words lingered in the air as Kat succumbed to darkness and fell into a deep slumber.

The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, its golden rays reaching out across the land. The early morning sun rose higher, casting long shadows and painting the sky in hues of pink and orange. As the light hit the entrance hall of the castle, its warm glow illuminated the stone walls and floors, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

My eyes slowly fluttered open, the murmurs and whispers of people nearby filling my ears. It sounded like a crowd had formed not far around me, their voices buzzing with curiosity and speculation. One voice spoke up, a young lady asking, "Who's that?" Another voice spoke, "Where did she come from?" The voice of a young girl in a maid uniform whispered, "Such strange clothes, and so revealing too."

Gathering my strength, I finally opened my eyes fully, adjusting to the brightness of my surroundings. As I tried to gather my bearings, I was greeted with the sight of a small crowd of people staring at me, their whispers floating through the air like ghostly echoes. Some of the people gathered around me murmured in hushed tones, their voices tinged with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Who is she?" one voice whispered, barely audible. 'What in the world is she wearing?' another voice chimed in, laden with intrigue and confusion.

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Confused, Kat opened her mouth to speak, but a yawn escaped her lips instead. She put her hand forward to hush her yawning, as she spoke, drowsiness evident in her voice. Her voice cut through the whispers. "Who are you people, and where am I?"

"We should be the ones asking the question here, lady," the voice of a man spoke, his tone drowning in arrogance. "And who are you?" Kat asked, raising an eyebrow.

The man stepped forward, keeping enough distance between them both. His arms came to cross in front of his chest, and he huffed. 'I'm nobleman Herrington, a court man of the king,' his demeanor carrying arrogance and pride as he spoke, his eyes narrowed at Kat, as if she were a mere insect he could squash beneath his feet.