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%

branches beneath me thin out, and I find myself standing on a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs.

senses on

hovering over the doorknob. The night is silent around

think back to that first 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 he hadn’t taken that choice away

confusion. I had found a secluded nook, a spot where the trees formed a natural barrier. It felt like a sanctuary, a

Victor, with his twisted sense of control, had

thinks everything’s a fucking game.

hadn’t ruined shit

tucked away in that quiet

I be mated right now, entwined with someone

ancient tradition?

things have unfolded differently?

I have been spared the confusion,

and that uncertainty gnaws at

O

1/7

9 Mar N

Game

the

night. He took away my right to choose, to decide my own fate in this twisted game he orchestrated. The air is cool against my

what–ifs, the alternate

know. I hate that Victor, in his arrogance, decided to play puppet

unlike Ettie’s cabin, is different. It’s smaller, cozier, but it’s filled with more things. The air

air–conditioning.

open, I catch sight of

as my eyes widen in shock. He’s laughing at some

stand there, frozen, my irritation bubbling beneath

glances up, his eyes

smirk that doesn’t sit well with me. The

look who decided to drop by,” he says, exhaling a plume of smoke. “What took

but nothing comes out, my entire body is trembling with anger

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

O

3/7

581, 9 Mar

Garne

haven is too much to bear, I

the intensity of my emotions.

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

as I see 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

a buffet.

me with an expectant smile. “Impressive, right? I guess my father must have told some of the restaurant owners outside that I wanted

happy to sponsor

by the intensity of my anger. I want to scream, to unleash the frustration that’s

unfazed, gestures around the shack. “Feel free

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

within me.

gesturing towards the electricity that powers the shack. “Oh! And look at this! Electricity

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

seems to close in on me, the absurdity of it all amplifying my frustration. I glance at the television – al luxury

217

Sat. 9 Mar

Game

seen a ghost, Alina. Relax. It’s not everyday where we don’t have to work. Might as well make the most of

gripping it tightly. I want to throw it across the room, to shatter the illusion of comfort that Victor has created. But force myself to keep

“And over here, we have a fully stocked pantry. I made sure we won’t

respond. I can’t. The food, the excess – it’s a slap in the face. I think. about the meager rations we scrounged for in the forest, the hunger that gnawed at our stomachs. Victor’s little

arrogance.

bag of chips and opens it with a casual flourish. He flips throught