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%

a sturdy platform of intertwined limbs. The shack looms above me, a mysterious structure hidden in the embrace of the

my senses on high

as I step closer, revealing a wooden door. I hesitate for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. The night is silent around me, and a sense

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

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

sense of control, had

a

hadn’t ruined shit for me?

remained hidden, tucked away in

now, entwined with someone

ancient tradition?

have unfolded

the confusion,

know, and that uncertainty gnaws

O

1/7

Sat, 9

Game

the

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

wonder about the what–ifs, the alternate

I don’t know. I hate that Victor, in his arrogance,

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

air–conditioning.

swings open, I catch

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

there, frozen, my irritation bubbling beneath

up, his eyes meeting

smirk that doesn’t sit well with me. The magazine drops to the floor,

of smoke. “What took you so long, sweetheart? I was waiting for ages!”

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

anger they churn within me

O

3/7

581, 9

Garne

of his little haven is

to express the intensity

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 outside.

fresh produce – things I haven’t seen in what feels like

a buffet.

me with an expectant smile. “Impressive, right? I guess my father must have told some

happy to

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

around the shack. “Feel free

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 storm

within me.

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

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

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

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Game

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 most

it across the room, to shatter the illusion of comfort

here, we have a fully stocked pantry. I made sure we won’t run out of supplies anytime soon. You

the excess – it’s a slap in the face. I think. about the meager rations we scrounged for in the forest, the hunger

arrogance.

with a casual flourish. He