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.

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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%

a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs.

senses on

as I step closer, revealing a wooden door. I hesitate for a moment, my hand hovering over the

I could outsmart the game, evade the chaos of the Mating Run. If only Victor hadn’t ruined it. If only he

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

Victor, with his twisted sense of

everything’s a fucking game.

hadn’t ruined

remained hidden, tucked away in that quiet corner of the

now, entwined with someone in the name of some

ancient tradition?

would things have unfolded differently?

the

and that uncertainty

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Game

the

mouth, a reminder that Victor took something from me 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 skin, but there’s a heat within me, a simmering frustration that refuses to

wonder about the what–ifs, the alternate

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

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

air–conditioning.

catch sight

beanbag, lazily flipping through a magazine. The shack seems to swallow me as my eyes widen in shock. He’s laughing at some joke, the sound echoing in the small space, while a

stand there, frozen, my irritation bubbling beneath

his eyes meeting

well with me. The

by,” he says, exhaling a plume of smoke. “What took you so long, sweetheart? I was

opens but nothing comes out, my entire body is trembling with anger as I look. around the shack that

anger they churn within me like a storm. The contrast between the harsh

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Garne

his little haven is too much

intensity

trying to take in the audacity of it all. It’s not just comfort; it’s excess. The incap

Cans, fresh produce – things I haven’t seen in what feels like an eternity. The anger bubbles, threatening to spill over, as I realize that while I starved, Victor

a buffet.

“Impressive, right? I guess my father must have told some of the restaurant

happy to sponsor me.”

trapped in my throat, suffocated by the intensity of my anger. I want to scream, to unleash the frustration that’s been building within me since the Mating Run began. But all

“Feel free to make

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

within me.

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

huh? My father knew I’ll get bored almost immediately without any tv. He couldn’t give me a phone but I guess this should be enough.”

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 join

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

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

corner of 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 well–fed

it’s a slap in the face. I think. about the meager rations we scrounged

arrogance.

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