The Mating Run by Leeka

In His Eyes: Lost

Zeke’s POV

The first thing I become aware of as I wake up, groggy, is the sound of birds chirping outside our makeshift shelter.

My senses are immediately met with a void, as I notice the absence of any sights or sounds around me. The bed feels cold, colder than it should be. Instinctively, my hand reaches out and pats the empty space beside me, hoping for warmth, only to be met with cold.

Like an unwanted visitor, panic begins to infiltrate my being amidst the hazy morning.

My eyes dart around the shelter, desperately searching for any trace of her presence, but it remains vacant. Alina’s gone. She didn’t return. Just as she has gone missing, so has my hoodie, adding to the sense of loss and confusion.

“Shit!”

The realization hits me with the force of a gut–wrenching blow.

“Alina?”

Desperately, I call out, my voice bouncing off the walls of the empty space. There’s no response, and the silence becomes almost oppressive, filling the air with a haunting presence. Anxiety tightens its grip on my chest, causing my heart to ace. Scrambling for my clothes, I feel the urgency building inside me, urging me to

hurry.

I pull on my jogger pants, the worn–out material reminding me of the countless miles I’ve run in them. Frustrated, I let out a sharp exhale of curses under my breath. The panic intensifies, my heart pounding like thunder in my chest.

Where has she gone off to?

Why did she leave me?

As if she could materialize out of thin air, I frantically scan the surroundings, my

maze, eyes darting in every direction. The familiar forest now feels like an intricate devoid of any sense of direction. My voice trembles with desperation as I call out for her again, the fear inside me growing stronger.

“Alina! Where are you?”

My words hang in the air, lingering, waiting for a response that never comes. My pleas fell on deaf ears as the stoic forest remained indifferent. I stumble out of the shelter, my eyes darting anxiously in every direction, desperate to catch even the faintest trace of her presence.

As I look around, all I can see are endless trees and a sea of vibrant green leaves. My throat tightens as I swallow the lump forming, my hand instinctively reaching up to claw at my hair, all while the cameras continue to document my

every move.

“Alina, please!”

I utter is tinged with desperation, my voice wavering uncontrollably. Waking up alone sent shivers down my spine, a feeling of terror I never anticipated. Although I’ve often

this situation. I grit my teeth and try to block it

trudge through the forest, the branches scratching against my skin, my steps hesitant and unsure. The dense foliage seemed to encroach upon me, taunting my fruitless search. With each passing moment, the fear grows stronger, twisting

sunlight filters through the trees,

are

name fading away,

emptiness.

she leave willingly? Was she taken?

question grows more menacing, echoing

through the underbrush, the sound of twigs snapping under my feet echoing through the silent forest. My heart leaps at the slightest rustle in the leaves and the faintest sigh of the wind. A pang of regret washes over me as I wonder if I

Perhaps she was overwhelmed with fear, causing her to hastily retreat. Maybe somebody stumbled upon us, forcing her to make the difficult decision to leave and shield us

emptiness of her absence is amplified by the

1. me.

brought a sense of warmth and contentment. Now, all that remains is the chilling absence of a vacant

my head, attempting to physically rid myself of the

feeling the knots and tangles

went far. I remember her telling me she needed some space to breathe, and I feel guilty for leaving her by herself. I should have gone to her, embraced her tightly, and

But I

chest.

feel was the

the silence, a haunting reminder of her absence. The cold bed, untouched and unshared, reflects the void that has grown within me. And now, the weight of regret settles like an

bittersweet melody that taunts me with what could have been. I had a chance to make her mine, to claim her. She wanted it, her eyes

to cross the threshold that separated us, but I hesitated. Fear clutched at my heart, whispering doubts that now echo

have taken

specter, haunting my thoughts. Alina, with her warmth and laughter, deserved more than the uncertainty I offered. I let her slip through my fingers,

wasn’t ready for a relationship. The commitment, the vulnerability, it all felt like a daunting abyss that I wasn’t prepared to navigate. But looking back, was that just an excuse?

heart on her sleeve, her desire for connection evident in the way she looked at me. And I, in my indecision, failed to reciprocate. I failed to see that she could be the anchor in this chaotic world, the

a haunting reminder of her absence. The cold bed, untouched and unshared, reflects the void that has grown within me.

my mind a bittersweet

make her mine, to claim her as more than just a companion in the Mating Run. She wanted it, her eyes revealing a vulnerability that I chose to

had the power to make her mine, to cross the threshold that separated us, but I

thoughts. Alina, with her warmth and laughter, deserved more than the uncertainty I offered. I let her slip through my fingers, and now the regret

the vulnerability, it all felt like a daunting abyss that I wasn’t prepared to navigate. But looking back, was that just an excuse? A shield to protect myself from the

And I, in my indecision, failed to reciprocate. I failed to see that she could be the anchor in this chaotic world, the one constant that could tether me to something more profound than the fleeting moments of the

dictate my actions, and now I’m left with the aftermath of my choices.

for her presence. The branches seem to reach out like accusing fingers, pointing at the consequences of my indecision. I cry out her name, my voice resonating in the calmness of the forest, but its secrets remain locked away, refusing to

location.