Page 116 - Mistified Update June 2020_Neat

He was familiar with Aroha’s family marae and
agreed to take them to me in the morning.
~

I was up at dawn and wandered out to the porch
where I could see the fading moon in the early morning
sky. I just sat there holding my necklace mostly
unconscious of my surroundings.

Then there she was again … Miss Grace.
Right away she started up about my necklace being
a gift from my father and that the carvings were that of
our family. I begged her to leave me alone, but she just
won’t stop talking.

She got very disturbed and told me that I MUST
take my place in the family. It was my duty and there
would be severe consequences if I did not.
At this point, I was really confused and frightened.
My emotions were going up and down like a yoyo. The
past 24 hours had turned my world upside down and I
just wanted to escape.
So, that’s what I did. I just took off running right
into the thick forest, over a rickety old bridge with
turbulent waters raging below. I tore my skirt on some
vines, but I ran on frantically and didn’t care.

I just kept running. It was as if that fierce face on
her tokotoko stick was chasing me down propelling me

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