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%

on a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs. The shack looms above me, a

cautiously, my senses on

hovering over the doorknob. The night

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

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

twisted sense

thinks everything’s a

he hadn’t ruined shit for me?

had remained hidden, tucked away in that quiet

I be mated right now, entwined with someone in the name of some

ancient tradition?

have unfolded

have been spared the confusion, the chaos,

that

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1/7

Sat, 9

Game

the

my right to choose, to decide my own fate in this twisted game

the what–ifs, the alternate

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

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

air–conditioning.

the door swings open, I catch sight of him –

He’s laughing at some joke, the

there, frozen, my irritation

his eyes meeting

sit well with me. The magazine drops to the floor, forgotten

of

but nothing comes out, my entire body is trembling with

Victor’s shack, my jaw clenched tight. The frustration, the anger they churn within me

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581, 9

Garne

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

the intensity of my emotions.

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 fight for our lives

a shelf. Cans, fresh produce – things I haven’t seen in what feels like an

a buffet.

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

happy

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

around the shack. “Feel free to make yourself at home,

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

within me.

powers the shack. “Oh! And look at this! Electricity in

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

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

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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

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 it together, to not let him see the extent

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 during our little adventure.”

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 paradise becomes a mockery, a testament to

arrogance.

with a casual flourish. He flips throught