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%

me thin out, and I find myself standing on a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs. The shack looms

senses on high

I hesitate for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. The night is silent around me, and a sense of anticipation hangs in the air.

attempt at 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 ruined it. If only

eyes, trying to conjure the memory. The forest was different then, a place of potential rather than confusion. I had found a

with his twisted sense of control, had

a fucking game.

he hadn’t ruined

if I had remained hidden, tucked away

be mated right now, entwined with someone

ancient tradition?

things have unfolded differently?

I have been spared the confusion, the chaos,

don’t know, and that uncertainty gnaws

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Sat, 9

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the

to decide my own fate in this twisted game he orchestrated. The air is cool against my skin, but there’s a heat within

the what–ifs, the alternate paths my life could have

knot tightening in my chest. I hate that I don’t know. I hate that Victor, in his arrogance,

push it open. The shack, unlike Ettie’s cabin, is different. It’s smaller, cozier,

air–conditioning.

I catch sight of him – Victor.

as my eyes widen in shock. He’s laughing at some joke, the sound echoing in the small space, while a swirl of smoke from a cigarette hangs in the air.

stand there, frozen, my irritation bubbling beneath the

glances up, his eyes meeting

with me. The

a plume of smoke. “What took you so long, sweetheart?

shake my head, 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

tight. The frustration, the anger they churn within me like a storm. The contrast

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9 Mar

Garne

of his little haven is too much to bear,

the intensity of my emotions.

sits on a cushy chair, a smug grin on 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

the bounty of food neatly organized on a shelf. Cans, fresh produce – things I haven’t seen in what feels like an eternity. The anger bubbles, threatening to spill over, as

a buffet.

must have told some of the restaurant

happy to

throat, suffocated by the intensity of my anger. I want to scream, to unleash the

“Feel free to make yourself

him to stop treating everything like a joke. But he’s too wrapped up in his amusement, too blind to see the

within me.

“Oh! And look at this! Electricity in

almost immediately without any tv. He couldn’t give me a phone but I

to move, to take a step forward. The shack seems to close in on me, the absurdity of it all amplifying my frustration. I glance at the television – al luxury I hadn’t even dared to dream about in the forest. Victor seems to revel in my silent shock, as if he’s expecting me to

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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 where we don’t have to work. Might as well make the

to shatter the illusion of comfort that Victor has created. But force myself to keep

towards a corner of the shack. “And over here, we have a fully stocked pantry. I made sure we won’t run out

rations we scrounged for in the forest, the hunger that gnawed at our stomachs. Victor’s little paradise

arrogance.

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