The most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen. Many people tell me that they don’t believe in miracles, but I guess they should think for a moment, we live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the sea, and they don’t believe in miracles? Huh?

Well, I indeed believe in miracles cause if you are just about to die and on top of that, you see a girl coming towards you with a dagger. You cannot move a single part of your body, but in a blink of an eye, you stand up and start running as if somebody had given you several doses of flakka (a drug).

I didn’t know where I was going.

I was just running and running and running. Nonstop. I knew someone was behind me, most probably that freaking dagger-girl, chasing me like a maniac. I knew if I stopped, then another miracle would not save me. I was on my own, all alone and scared.

The footsteps behind got indistinct. I couldn’t believe my legs! How could the freaking dagger-girl not catch me? I’m no athlete. My Dad always used to mock me cause I wasn’t good at any sport. I never ran so fast! I wish Dad was here, so he could see me running like a pro athlete. I was missing Mom and Dad. I hope they’re okay.

While I was busy thinking about Mom and Dad, I didn’t realize that I was in the middle of Clevet Woods. The only place where I shouldn’t be at this time or at any time.

“A 15-year-old girl was reported missing this Saturday along with his 12-year-old brother. The police have still not solved the disappearance of the 21-year-old man, Shawn Michael. The recent study of the PNB shows that the city's kidnapping rate has been increased to 35% for the past two months. Most of the disappearances were reported near the Clevet Woods. The police are perplexed and frustrated with the ongoing situation in Exeter. People are requested not to go out after 11:30 at night as most of the recent kidnappings occur after 11:00 at ni—”

“You heard that?” My Mom entered the room. She looked worried. “I want you home before 11 p.m. You don’t understand the situation, Ethan. It’s all messed up right now. It’s better to be home at 10 p.m. We don’t know who the hell is doing all this, not even the police. And most importantly, why is he/she doing all this? For money? No. The missing people's families didn’t get even a single call from the kidnapper asking for ransom. I hope all of this en--.”

Wait, I could hear footsteps! Someone was coming towards me. But who?

“Oh boy!” I thought. “I’m in trouble! I’m in trouble again!”

The footsteps were getting closer. I gathered my wits and decided not to run this time and face the girl. But no one showed up. No one. The footsteps also stopped. Dead silence fell everywhere. I wa-

Aughh!

All of a sudden, I felt a burning, searing pain coming from my shoulder. I also began to feel something dripping down my arm. I looked, and it was blood. There was a dagger deep inside my back. I gasped, but someone held a hand over my mouth. It was the girl. I knew it was the girl who was chasing me. She stabbed me from behind!

I groaned.

“Shhh,” she said. “Don’t ruin this for me!”

I woke up by the soft crackling of wood in a fireplace. The first thing that crossed my mind was that I wasn't in my bed. It took me a moment to remember all that happened to me. It seemed like my senses were coming back to me one at a time as if my brain was going through some kind of a reboot. I figured that I was inside a room of some old cottage. The walls of the room were covered with weird paintings that I never saw anywhere before. Slowly and slowly, my vision was getting clearer. I saw an old man sitting in front of me on a creaking chair. He was sipping something from a cup. I guessed from the smell that it was coffee. He had a weary face and eyes that told a long history. His face seemed familiar, but I don’t know how.

"Thank goodness," He stated. You're awake after all. You recovered faster than I expected. I know that you have many questions to ask, but this is not the right time. Now your ordinary life is over, Ethan. At least for some time. Something darker, more sinister awaits you. But you’ll have to face it like a grown-up. Don’t run away from it. For how long will you ignore it? You can’t ignore it forever. You cannot forever hide the truth about yourself, from yourself.”