I plunged into the woodland. Bushes grasped at my legs, tree branches whipped across my face. Darkness virtually devoured me.

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Squinting, I could make out larger trees and hazes of undergrowth. My quarry was gone…

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The rational part of my mind was pleading for common sense. I relented and skidded to a halt. I would probably have yelled something after the killer, but I ended up bending over to catch my breath…

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If I had run on just a few more paces, the murderer could have attacked me from behind and I would have been easy prey. Instead, crouched to my left, he had to lunge from the side. I heard him and caught sight of motion out of the corner of my weaker eye—

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I turned and focussed on the rushing form.

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In the gloom, details were hard to establish. He seemed approximately my height, but I couldn’t determine his build. Clothed in black from boots to gloves to balaclava, the man was virtually a shadow. Only one thing came distinctly into vision: a large hunting knife, held point-down, gripped in his right hand.

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The knife shimmered in starlight as it ripped from left to right. I jumped back and landed hard on my heels – and felt the rush of air cut by the blade.

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My attacker advanced steadily. He didn’t speak. I could hardly hear him breathing.

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Instinct told me to retreat further. Caution warned of the wet, slippery ground and the danger of tripping or backing into a tree. So, as he started another left-to-right slash, I threw myself at him – hands reaching for his elbow and forearm, seeking to use my bodyweight to stop the attack and drive him back.

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He was very strong, but I was very desperate and the ground was slippery under his feet too. My hands locked onto his arm and I stopped the blade. The man skidded backwards—

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I continued to drive forward, kicking my feet into the sodden earth and heaving with all my might.

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His free left hand came up and landed a terrific punch to my face. If my jaws hadn’t been clenched, my front teeth would have caved in. The blow knocked me back. I lost grip of his arm, stumbled and landed on my back.

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He leapt onto me, throwing his whole body behind the downward stab of his knife—

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I rolled sideways so fast that glowing dots flooded my vision.

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 The knife penetrated the ground where my chest had been with the kind of THWACK that a butcher’s cleaver makes.

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We reacted together. Me rolling further and clambering upright. Him ripping the knife free and turning towards me.

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I peered around. I could find no convenient fallen heavy branch to heft as a club, not even a large stone to throw. Then again, in this darkness, there could have been a shotgun lying unseen metres away.

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I felt like an extra at the beginning of a slasher movie.

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He paced towards me, somehow appearing bigger all the time.

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I stepped back, my feet sinking into slushy earth. Coming to a halt, I drew my right leg back and deliberately sank my toes into the mud…

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Still no words from the killer as he closed in. He drew the knife back for another ripping attack.

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I kicked upwards with my partly-buried foot – and sent a mass of filth directly towards his eyes…

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Mud splattered across his face and his quickly-raised left hand. I didn’t lunge to grapple with him again. Clearly, he was the better, stronger fighter. I threw myself down at his feet, reached for his crotch with my right hand and squeezed his genitals with all my might. The thick fabric of his black jeans couldn’t protect him completely.

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Finally, a sound from the man. One I relished. He screamed in agony.

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I held on with my right hand whilst driving my left elbow sideways into his right knee. I hoped to snap the joint…

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Again, his strength was superior. I failed to break his knee. Instead, his leg jolted and he went off-balance – and I was immediately thankful that he did—

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For his knife came down – and missed my left shoulder by a hair’s breadth. My shirt was torn like paper…

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I released him and tried to flee. Surely crushed genitals would slow him down?

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He kicked out, knocking my legs from under me. I fell forward, twisted and hit my shoulder on the ground. Then I rolled—

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And saw the blade coming down once more, straight for my face.

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Everything seemed to go into slow motion… My hands rising to intercept the weapon – knowing I would be too late… The point of the blade, closing horrifically…

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…The small foot, clad in a muddy trainer, kicking the side of the knife… And the weapon spinning from the killer’s hand…

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In the next instant, I thought the man was going to land on top of me. Instead, he shifted deliberately away from my saviour and thud-splashed into the mud at my side.

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To the right I saw Jessica standing ready to fight. She moved before the killer could get completely to his feet.

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There was a flurry of attacks from the woman. Her feet and hands flowed like striking cobras – and the rising man intercepted the assaults with trained blocks of his hands, forearms and shins.

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I rolled over and started to rise. I had to help.

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They exchanged another swarm of attacks and counter-attacks, my friend issuing the split-second blocks this time. Then the killer did the unexpected: he threw himself open-armed at her.

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The change of tactics didn’t faze Jessica. In the time it took for me to make a single pace towards them, she had kicked his crotch and driven her fist into his throat. But now he was close enough to grapple her. The man grabbed her by the hair and spun about, whirling her into a half-circle…

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I uttered a cry as he released Jessica and sent her hurtling face-first into a tree.

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He staggered, regained his balance and fled.

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I didn’t attempt to pursue him. I rushed to where Jessica now lay. She looked like a broken doll.

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“Oh God,” I mumbled, kneeling and turning her onto her back. A paramedic would have called my action foolhardy, yet I wasn’t thinking. “God, let her be alive.”

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When I saw her eyes flutter open, my heart soared with gratitude. There was a cut in her hairline above her right eye and blood oozed from the wound.

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Jessica gave one of her devilish smiles. “Uh… Did I break the darn tree?”

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I helped her up and we stumbled, arms across each other’s shoulders for support, back towards the Traveller.

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