The Mating Run by Leeka

Game

The forest stretches out endlessly, the trees standing tall and imposing.

I follow the map, its numbers and lines guiding me through the forest. The air is cool against my skin as I move with purpose, my footsteps soft against the earthy ground.

The map leads me deeper into the heart of the forest. I squint at the map, trying to decipher its cryptic instructions. The trees seem to close in around me, their branches interlocking like a maze.

As I navigate through the darkness, a clearing emerges before me. Moonlight spills through the gaps in the canopy, casting a silvery glow on the forest floor. The map directs me to a specific spot, and I feel a sense of anticipation.

I reach the designated location, and my eyes scan the surroundings. The numbers on the map point upward, towards a tall tree that towers above the others. I crane my neck, trying to see what the map is leading me to.

And there, high up in the branches, I spot it – a shack.

The tree stands like a sentinel, its trunk sturdy and unwavering. I wonder how I’ll reach the top, but the map insists this is where I need to be. The forest, once at place of mystery, now feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

I take a deep breath and begin to climb.

The bark is rough against my palms, but determination fuels my ascent. Each branch becomes a foothold, and I pull myself upward, higher and higher. The night. air grows cooler as I climb, the moon watching over me like a silent guardian.

The shack comes into view, nestled among the leaves and vines that act as nature’s camouflage. It’s decent–sized, blending seamlessly with the foliage. Tall leaves and long vines drape over it, concealing it from prying eyes.

O

1/7

08:32 Sat, 9 Mar N

Game

Game

88%

The forest stretches out endlessly, the trees standing tall and imposing.

I follow the map, its numbers and lines guiding me through the forest. The air is cool against my skin as I move with purpose, my footsteps soft against the earthy ground.

The map leads me deeper into the heart of the forest. I squint at the map, trying to decipher its cryptic instructions. The trees seem to close in around me, their branches interlocking like a maze.

As I navigate through the darkness, a clearing emerges before me. Moonlight spills through the gaps in the canopy, casting a silvery glow on the forest floor. The map directs me to a specific spot, and I feel a sense of anticipation.

I reach the designated location, and my eyes scan the surroundings. The numbers on the map point upward, towards a tall tree that towers above the others. I crane my neck, trying to see what the map is leading me to.

And there, high up in the branches, I spot it – a shack.

The tree stands like a sentinel, its trunk sturdy and unwavering. I wonder how I’ll reach the top, but the map insists this is where I need to be. The forest, once at place of mystery, now feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

I take a deep breath and begin to climb.

The bark is rough against my palms, but determination fuels my ascent. Each branch becomes a foothold, and I pull myself upward, higher and higher. The night air grows cooler as I climb, the moon watching over me like a silent guardian.

The shack comes into view, nestled among the leaves and vines that act as nature’s camouflage. It’s decent–sized, blending seamlessly with the foliage. Tall leaves and long vines drape over it, concealing it from prying eyes.

O

1/7

08:32 Sat, 9 Mar

Game:

If not for the map, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it.

88%

myself standing on a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs. The

my senses on high alert.

door. I hesitate for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. The night is silent around me, and a sense

finding a hiding spot. The moment when I thought I could outsmart the game, evade the chaos of the Mating Run. If only Victor hadn’t

close my eyes, trying to conjure the memory. The forest was different then, a place of potential rather than confusion. I had found a secluded nook, a spot where the trees formed a natural barrier. It felt like a sanctuary,

with his twisted sense of control, had to

thinks everything’s a fucking

hadn’t ruined shit for

I had remained hidden, tucked away in that quiet corner of the forest?

now, entwined with someone

ancient tradition?

things have

spared the confusion, the

and that

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Game

the

something from me night. He took away my right to choose, to decide my own fate in this

the alternate paths my life could

hate that Victor, in his arrogance, decided to play puppet master with our lives. I close my eyes again, trying to shut out the haunting thoughts.

door creaking as I push it open. The shack, unlike Ettie’s cabin, is different. It’s smaller, cozier, but it’s filled with more things. The air inside is different too, cooler, and I notice there’s

air–conditioning.

swings open, I catch sight of

in shock. He’s laughing at some joke, the sound echoing in the small space, while a swirl of smoke from

stand there, frozen, my irritation bubbling

his eyes

doesn’t sit well with me. The magazine drops to the

a plume of smoke. “What took you

frustration simmering within me. I can’t even speak. My mouth opens but nothing comes out, my entire body is trembling with anger as I look. around the shack

shack, my jaw clenched tight. The frustration, the anger they churn within me like a storm. The contrast between the

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Garne

of his little haven is too much to bear, I can’t

express the intensity of my

his face. The shack, a mockery of our struggles, feels suffocating. I glance around, trying to take in the audacity of it all. It’s not just comfort; it’s excess. The incap amount of food, the electricity, the television–it’s as if he’s on a lavish vacation while we

see the bounty of food neatly organized on a shelf. Cans, fresh produce – things I haven’t seen in what feels like

a buffet.

right? I guess my father must have

than happy

my throat, suffocated by the intensity of my anger. I want to scream, to unleash the frustration that’s been building within me since

free to

a look, a silent plea for him to stop treating everything like a joke. But he’s too wrapped up in his amusement, too

within me.

powers the shack. “Oh! And

without any tv. He couldn’t give me a phone but I guess this should be enough.”

television – al luxury I

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Game

hands me a can of soda from the mini–fridge, still laughing. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Alina. Relax. It’s not everyday

the illusion of comfort that Victor has created. But force myself to keep it together, to not let

the shack. “And over here, we have a fully stocked pantry. I made sure we won’t run out of supplies anytime soon. You know, Otta stay

the face. I think. about the meager rations we scrounged for in the forest, the

arrogance.

and opens it with a casual flourish. He flips throught channels on the television,