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 above me, a mysterious structure hidden in the

cautiously, my senses on high

my hand hovering

at finding a hiding spot. The moment when I thought I could outsmart the game, evade the

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

with his twisted sense of control,

everything’s a fucking game.

he hadn’t ruined shit for

hidden, tucked away in that quiet corner

mated right now, entwined with someone in the name of

ancient tradition?

would things have unfolded differently?

been spared the confusion,

that uncertainty gnaws

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Sat, 9

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the

my 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

the what–ifs, the alternate paths my life could

I 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

cabin, is different. It’s smaller, cozier, but it’s filled with more

air–conditioning.

door swings open, I catch sight of him –

swallow me as my eyes widen in shock. He’s laughing at some joke,

irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

glances up, his

laughter fades, replaced by a smirk that doesn’t sit well with me. The magazine drops to the floor, forgotten in the face of my

to drop by,” he says, exhaling a plume of smoke. “What took you so long,

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

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

O

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9 Mar

Garne

is too much

intensity of my

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

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

a buffet.

father must

more than happy to sponsor

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

shack. “Feel free to make yourself at home,

shoot him a look, 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 the

within me.

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

knew I’ll get bored almost immediately without any tv. He

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

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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 most

the can mechanically, my fingers 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 run out of supplies anytime soon. You know, Otta stay

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 paradise becomes a mockery, a testament to

arrogance.

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