The Mating Run by Leeka

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.”

rules, no mercy. You think he would have hesitated to kill

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 the right to play judge, jury, and executioner. You made that decision for both of us, and I can’t just pretend

storm brewing within them. “You think I

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for me? He had to

you.”

rises, an unchecked torrent of frustration. “But you didn’t let me decide, Ettie! You took that choice away from

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

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be done. If you can’t understand that, then maybe you’re

out for this.”

act like you know what’s

closer, her eyes ablaze. “I won’t let anyone harm you, Alina. If that means making tough decisions,

you’re so different but you’re a monster just like they are.” I say the words, instantly regretting it the moment they leave my lips.

on your own? You’re naïve,

the air. Trust, once a fragile bond between us, now shatters like glass. I clench my teeth, determined not to let Ettie’s decisions define my

survive, Ettie. But I won’t compromise who

a bitter laugh that reverberates through the cave. “Who you are? In this forest,

refuse to let it break me. “I won’t lose myself in this madness. I won’t become some…

eyes narrow, her tone cold. “Sometimes, Alina, you have

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

on my own.”

to our unraveling camaraderie. Ettie’s gaze, a mixture of frustration

survive this alone. You

taste of resentment lingers on my tongue. “Trust is earned, Ettie.

reaches my

on Ettie.

emotions, a vulnerability I hadn’t anticipated. In that moment, my heart softens, a

I murmur, my voice hesitant, as if navigating a fragile bridge. “I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean those words. I just… I’m

stained with tears, and for a moment, the distance

whispers, her voice fragile like delicate glass on the verge of

stings, a sobering reminder of the fragility of trust. I step closer, my heart heavy with the weight of my own insecurities. “Ettie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’m just… I’m scared of

rely on each other, Alina. That’s what kept us going. If we

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The realization hits me – I’m not alone in this struggle, and the survival of our camaraderie is

scared of losing you,” I admit, the words hanging in the air like an unspoken plea. “That’s what

of understanding bridging the gap between us. “Alina, you mean everything to me. I did what I did to protect you,

realize the gravity of her choices. We’re not just navigating a forest filled with perilous beasts; we’re navigating the

her, reaching out tentatively to touch her shoulder. “Ettie, I’m scared because I care about you. But I can’t blindly accept everything. We need

make you doubt me, Alina. I just… I can’t lose you in this place.

fears. 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

choices.”