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%

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

cautiously, my senses

vines part 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 of anticipation hangs in the

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.

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

twisted sense of control, had to

a fucking game.

if he hadn’t ruined shit for me?

had remained hidden, tucked away

entwined with someone in the name of some

ancient tradition?

would things have unfolded

spared the

know, and that uncertainty gnaws

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the

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

alternate paths my life could

don’t know. I hate that Victor, in his arrogance, decided to play puppet master with our lives. I close my eyes again, trying

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

air–conditioning.

the door swings open, I catch sight of

eyes widen in shock. He’s laughing at some joke, the sound echoing in the small space, while a swirl of smoke from

there, frozen, my irritation bubbling beneath

his

fades, replaced by a smirk that doesn’t sit well with me. The magazine drops to

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

head, frustration simmering within me. I can’t even speak. My mouth opens but nothing comes out, my entire

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

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and the absurd comfort of his little haven is

intensity of my emotions.

struggles, feels suffocating. I glance around, trying to take in the audacity of it all. It’s

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

a buffet.

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

happy to

unleash the frustration that’s been building within me since the Mating Run began. But all that comes out is a stifled

unfazed, gestures around the shack. “Feel free to make yourself at home, Alina.”

joke. But he’s too

within me.

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

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

absurdity of it all amplifying my frustration. I glance at the television – al luxury I hadn’t even dared to dream about in

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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

illusion of comfort that

made sure we won’t run out of supplies anytime soon. You know, Otta stay well–fed during our

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

arrogance.

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