2. Primary National Strategy ‘On the run’: an interactive, on-screen text forming one element of the ‘Multimodal Writing Kit’ A word-only version of the same text, and a writing template derived from it are also included in the kit. VIEW this SLIDE SHOW to activate it. (Open the Slide Show menu and View Show, or press F5.) Once the show is running, click on the on-screen buttons to move about the text. Use End Show or press Esc to QUIT the slide show. start

3. Yes! Escape! I ran frantically up the steep lane, sensing all the while that something was close behind. Was it the shadow of my own fear that chased me, or had the Master already sent one of his creatures after me? My heart was pounding and my legs felt like lead. As I neared the white cottage I saw that the path divided. I needed to reach the wood. But I had no idea which way to go? I looked around in desperation. Then I bent almost double and gasped for breath, fear churning in my stomach like clothes in a washer. Which path should I take?

4. Go left Go right

5. Keep going

7. Keep going

8. Keep going

9. In the end I just chose any path and followed it, running on and on. The gravel was rough under my feet and scrunched with each weary footfall. The straight track seemed to go on for ever. I could feel the presence behind me coming closer and closer. Then, at least, I saw the wood ahead.

10. As soon as I reached the wood I felt somehow safer. Its shadows cooled and calmed me. The sunlight that filtered through the trees, seemed to hearten me. I slowed to a walk and tried to catch my breath. Surely somewhere here there would be a safe place to hide – to hide from him! I searched around.

11. Long ago, before I was sold to the magician, my grandfather taught me to love the woods. He told me that there were spirits there, good spirits. They would help me and hide me. They would keep me safe from the Master. But where were they? I searched and searched for them. I looked deep into the wood. Where were the spirits when I needed them?

13. I looked more and more closely into the trees, but as I did so I began to feel cooler, then colder.

14. My feeling of safety left me. There were no good spirits in this wood after all. Fear crept back into my bones and my heart began to pound again.

15. Suddenly the light changed and became hard and cold. Once again I sensed a presence behind me. I felt an icy breath on the back of my neck. I knew it was the magician himself. His creature had followed me after all and now it had called him. Without turning I stiffened, knowing what was to come.

16. I felt the magician lift his wand and point it at my back. Then the reflection of his spell glowed from the trees. Its power seeped into me as I knew it would...........

18. I was in his power again.