Darkness falls - English version

Bid farewell

I have created a playlist for this story, which always gives me the right mood and inspires me. If you want, you can listen to the songs. I recommend while reading the chapters ;-) I've added those for the previous chapters as well. Thank you all for the many votes and encouraging comments. Writing is so much more fun with that and I'm so glad you like it.

>>Separate Ways by Daughtry + What the hell are we dying for by Shawn Mendes<<

Penny's home, out of town - 2 days later

Darkness surrounded me and I felt this ominous pressure on my chest that threatened to choke me. I felt like I was being watched, but I couldn't see who or what it was.I looked around, always ready to flee.

The darkness clears a bit until I could make out shapes - eerie, large shapes that towered mightily over me. Trees manifest around me and I found myself in a forest. The moon shone dull through the treetops. White fog wafted across the ground. I looked around again and saw a brief flash followed by a sneer.

"I finally got you!" Said a dark voice sardonically, shaking me to the core. A voice I was familiar with, from a long time ago.

I ran as fast as I could in the other direction, swerving through the trees like a rabbit. My pursuer was close behind me. I heard his heavy breathing behind me, as well as his heavy footsteps on the forest floor covered with leaves and branches.

I had good endurance thanks to my daily jog, but it wasn't helpful for long sprints.

My lungs felt like they were going to burst, my legs got heavier and heavier. I lost sight of the ground in front of me as I gave in to the temptation to look behind me. I staggered, stumbled and fell.

I hit a root hard, squeezing the air out of me. I gasped, trying to get up when my pursuer grabbed my collar and threw me to the side. I hit softer ground and looked up. He was it. After all these years he had found me and the knife in his hand with the strangely patterned white handle showed me clearly what he had in mind.

I backed away in panic. A tree behind me stopped me."There's no escape for you. Now you get what you deserve. Finally!" he murmured with a grin and raised the knife.

As it came down on me, I raised my arms defensively in front of my face. A last scream escaped me...

I started up, gasping, still feeling the fear and anxiety weighing on me. It was just a dream, I then realized. Just a dream. Yet again.

"PENNY?!" I heard Malcolm call and winced when he kicked in the door and looked around the room, gun raised.

"Good thing, that I don't have to worry about repairing the door anymore!" I objected dryly and Malcolm lowered his gun to look at the door, which was only hanging on one hinge and was obviously no longer usable. "It wasn't even locked," I then stated with a smile.

He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment."I thought you were in danger. Sorry, but this is all getting on my nerves. Why did you scream?"

"I had a nightmare. Ask me about my nerves. After all, it's me who's on the hit list."

"Believe me, if something happens to you and it comes out that I'm supposed to protect you, I'm on Sam's hit list and then, I'll die an agonizing death," he replied with a cheeky grin, for which I threw my pillow in his face.

"Sam is your friend. He would never harm you."

"If something happens to you? Then I wouldn't guarantee anything with Sam anymore."