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She was afraid.
The kind of fear coming from something or someone, you can't get away from. The kind of fear that grows in magnitude, to every each step you make, as you gingerly step closer to your object of fear. And every step you make, it gets heavier the next. You can't back out or step back. Either you go through that fear or face the wraith of someone else, who are pushing you into this. Onto this man.

It was the first time she saw the man. He was being so friendly and accomodating, as if he knew her. Yet she hardly knew him let alone understand what he was saying to her. And there were things on the man's hand, on his body and especially on his face, gripping her with white cold sickening fear. He is the kind of men, most little girls wouldn't want to see and a lot less to be with. And yet, unbelievably her mum and dad, was pushing her to within his reaches. The man smiled as he started reaching for her hand...

She is from an island village, far in the eastern water of Sabah. A small island just an afterthought ballpoint dot on the map of North Borneo. But a small island with laidback white sandy beaches, lazy inducing breeze with waltzing coconut trees and sweaty afternoon. Still, it is remote enough. So remote even people in the nearest coastal town, never heard of it.

So remote that most of the young islanders, have never seen a doctor or being treated by one before. It was that remote.