The Mating Run by Leeka

Chapter 31

Root

The air hangs heavy with the acrid scent of vomit.

I’m hunched over by the side, retching violently as my body rebels against the weight of guilt and fear that clings to my insides. Each convulsion sends waves of nausea through me, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within.

Ettie’s voice, a distant murmur, penetrates the fog of my anguish.

“Alina, you need to stop. It’s done.”

Her words, meant as reassurance, fall on deaf ears. I can’t shake the images that replay in my mind–the brutality, the blood, the makeshift grave. The forest seems to close in around me, its ancient trees bearing silent witness to the chaos that has unfolded in their domain.

As I retch, Ettie continues to stand near the makeshift grave, her gaze fixed on the rocky ground. “We did what we had to do, Alina.”

Her words cut through the fog, a stark reminder of the unforgiving reality that governs the Mating Run. Survival leaves no room for hesitation or remorse.

I wipe my mouth, trembling, and attempt to rise.

The forest floor feels unsteady beneath me, each step a struggle against the lingering shadows of guilt. Ettie turns toward me, her eyes holding a mixture of concern and frustration.

“Alina-”

“Ettie… We… We can’t afford to stay here. We shouldn’t. The cameras are watching. We need to go somewhere they can’t see us..”

I stumble towards Ettie, my legs weak beneath me.

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Ettie’s gaze softens

and we made ours.”

“Alina, survival comes with a price. Elijah made his choice,

“We?” I mutter to myself, my entire body shaking. “What do you mean we?”

Anger pulses through me

mel that still linger in my chest.

like a wildfire, fueled by the charred remains of guilt

The echoes of Elijah’s demise reverberate in my mind, a haunting melody that refuses to be silenced. Yet, as I turn my gaze toward Ettie, a different kind of fury

takes root within me.

“Ettie, it was all you! You did that! It’s not something we both decided on! Why did you kill him?”

The words burst forth, sharp and accusing. My voice, usually soft, carries the weight of betrayal.

Ettie meets my gaze, her eyes defiant. “Alina, he touched you. He was going to hurt you. What choice did I have?”

The forest, with its silent trees and hidden cameras, bears witness to our confrontation. The air crackles with tension, charged with the unspoken truth that now stands between us.

“You had a choice, Ettie! You didn’t have to kill him like that!” My fists clench at my sides, the anger boiling within me. “We could have found another way, stopped him without resorting to… to this.”

response sharp. “Alina, this is the Mating Run. There are no rules, no mercy. You think he would have hesitated to

her words stings, a bitter reminder of the unforgiving nature of our reality. Yet, I can’t suppress the surge of resentment that courses through me. “That doesn’t give you

within them. “You think I enjoyed

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think it was easy for me? He had to die, Alina.

you.”

“But you didn’t let me decide, Ettie! You took that choice

expression hardens, a wall of resistance against the accusations that hang

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what needed to be done. If you can’t

cut out

you know what’s best for me, Ettie. You didn’t save

let anyone harm you, Alina. If that means making tough decisions, then

like they are.” I

think you can survive this on your own?

now shatters like glass. I clench my teeth, determined

compromise

that reverberates through the cave. “Who you are? In this

of her judgment stings, but I refuse to let it break me. “I won’t lose myself in this

tone cold. “Sometimes, Alina, you have to become a

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truth in her words, though chilling, ignites a defiant spark within me. “I won’t let fear and violence define

on my own.”

indifferent to our conflict, remains a silent spectator to our unraveling camaraderie. Ettie’s gaze,

alone. You

of resentment lingers on my tongue. “Trust is earned, Ettie. And right now, I

reaches my ears, and I stiffen immediately,

on Ettie.

my heart softens, a realization dawning upon me – we’re both victims

“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean those words. I

her eyes stained with tears, and for a moment,

like delicate glass on the verge of shattering. “How can we go on if

reminder of the fragility of trust. I step closer, my heart heavy with the weight of my own insecurities.

wipes away a tear, her gaze searching mine for sincerity. “I thought we could rely on each other, Alina. That’s

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a mirror reflecting my own fears. The realization hits me – I’m not alone in this struggle, and the survival

of becoming something I’m not. But I’m also scared of losing you,” I admit, the words hanging in the air like an unspoken plea. “That’s what scares me

mean everything to me. I did what I did to protect you, to keep you safe. If that means sacrificing a piece of

gravity of her choices. We’re not just navigating a forest filled

“Ettie, I’m scared because I care about you. But I can’t blindly accept

both recognize. “I never wanted to make you doubt me, Alina. I just… I can’t lose you in this place. I can’t let

We’re two souls entangled in the dance of survival, each step fraught with uncertainty. “We need each other, Ettie. But we also need to trust in our ability to make the right

choices.”

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