Blake woke up at 5 a.m., as usual. He would go for a run and have breakfast before he went back to the military at eight. Lily usually woke up after eight, so Blake hardly had time to be with Lily. Sometimes, Blake wanted to wake Lily earlier to spend time with her, but he preferred letting her sleep in.
Blake kissed Lily gently on her forehead. She smiled even though she was still asleep. Blake looked at Lily adoringly.
Blake returned to his room to change for running, not noticing a pair of footprints following him.
At dawn, Blake was running on the street. He felt like someone was tailing him. Blake did not look back. Instead, he picked up the speed, and the footsteps from behind followed suit.
Blake ran as fast as an Olympic runner, yet the footsteps followed him closely. Blake realized what was happening: no ordinary human could run as fast as him without running out of breath.
Why would you follow me after getting hit by the car?
Blake remembered Lily told him before that one should never turn their head when being followed at night because that would risk putting out the vitality fire on their shoulders. Blake thought he would be fine if he turned his whole body instead of his head.
Blake jumped up abruptly. He turned and kicked hard. However, there was no one behind him. Blake landed on his feet. At the same time, he saw a pair of footprints behind him. Whose footprints are those?
Blake began to run away as fast as possible.
**
Lily woke up alone in her bedroom. The sky was still dark, and Polly was still asleep.
Lily vaguely remembered her father coming to her after being chased by a ghost in her dream. She also remembered she was protecting her father by holding onto him tightly.
That can't be true. Daddy is so strong he could send a ghost flying away with a punch. He doesn't need me to protect him.
Lily yawned and went to wash her face.
Pablo came into the room. He sat down and read a book.
"Master, where have you been?" Lily mumbled with a mouthful of toothpaste. She looked at Pablo's book curiously.
"What's the book about?" Lily asked.
"Something you don't understand. I'll teach you when you are older," said Pablo dismissively.
Lily pointed at the words in the book. "Mary had a little lamb. Her father shot it dead. Now it goes to school with her, between two chunks of bread," she recited.
Pablo's eyes twitched. "Who taught you this?" He was always amazed by Lily's ability to spout nonsense.
"Hannah taught me this," Lily answered.
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