The Mating Run

Chapter 24

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Clutching the knife tightly, | feel its icy touch, a familiar sensation that anchors me in a moment poised between fear and fury. As the day wanes, | find myself frozen in place, the Hunter’s figure highlighted by the lingering light, unable to escape the intensity of my glare. As she holds my map with her bl oody hands, a wave of freezing panic and fear washes over me. Swallowing nervously, my eyes dart around, relieved to find the Hunter doesn’t work in groups.

“Just let it go, now.”

My words, filled with demand, cut through the tense air like a knife. The Hunter’s eyes dart back and forth between the knife and my face, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.

My map seems to shimmer mockingly, as if taunting me, as it rests in the Hunter’s hands.

“Please don't

to no use this.”

Taking measured steps, | inch forward, the sharp blade of the knife pointed towards them. Their eyes narrow with irritation as they finally lock their gaze with mine. The raw intensity of the moment causes my muscles to tense, my senses on high alert. I'm left guessing the Hunter’s number, as they don’t have their tracksuit on. It’s against the rules, but then again, she’s a Hunter, so | figure they have certain privileges. The rules, unfortunately, only apply to us Hiders, making it feel unfair.

The atmosphere grows heavy as time seems to stand still, intensifying the weight of our confrontation.

“Put it down!”

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Hunter easily picks up on my fear, her eyes gleaming mischievously and a laugh obling up inside her. In the Hunter's silence, my heartbeat thunders like a mpede, a relentless rhythm.

| can’t help but notice the Hunter’s fingers, clenched tightly around the edges. the map. With fresh blood staining her lips, she wears a sly grin, and her eyes arkle with a blend of malice and amusement. The tank she wears has become a nvas for the blood of her victims, a haunting reminder of the violence she has ileashed.

Gripping the knife tightly, | feel the coldness of its blade reflecting the filtered. unlight. “Are you stu pid? Can you hear me or what? | told you to put it down!”

1 demand, but my voice comes out way sharper than | meant. The Hunter’s iugh is sharp and creepy, totally mocking.

“Why would a tiny Hider like you bother with a map?” With a taunting tone, she eases while her eyes intensely scan the map, as if determined to engrave it in her nind. “So wasteful, don’t you think? It’s better to give it to someone who knows ‘ow to use it.” Frustration surges through me, intensifying with each passing moment. The map, given to me by my sponsor, is not something she has the right to take. It belongs to me! Is it common for Hunters to take things that don’t belong to them?

“| really don’t give a da mn. Give it back!”

l insist, my hand trembling as | grip the knife tightly. The Hunter’s grin widens, her lips curling into a menacing smile, reveling in the power play. With each step she takes closer, the gap between us closes, and | watch as her fingers absentmindedly fiddle with the edge of the map. In that moment, fear courses through me like an electric shock, causing me to take a step back in alarm.

“Or what? Are you gonna stab me or what?”

With a twisted sort of delight, she goads and savors the taste of blood on her lips. | can feel the fury building up inside me, like a raging Inferno about to explode.

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Despite the trembling in my hand, | hold onto the knife tightly, determined not to drop it, even as my arms grow sore.

As we stand there, the forest seems to tighten its grip, the rustling leaves and distant sounds of wildlife adding to the eerie ambiance. | know | need that map without it, | would be lost and helpless. But the Hunter remains steadfast in her determination to withhold that vital lifeline from me.

| take a deep breath, feeling the rush of cool air fill my lungs, as | try to calm my racing heart.

“| won't hesitate.”

| warn, my voice quivering with a blend of fear and determination. | feel the weight of the Hunter’s stare, a wordless challenge that demands a response.

As the Hunter toys with the map, her eyes flicker with a sinister curiosity, piercing into me, as if stripping away the layers of my existence. | feel a shiver crawl down my spine, and an intense blend of fear and rage surges through me, entwining like a venomous serpent. With a gleeful laugh, she fixes her gaze on me, before her eyes wander to the map in her hands.

“How you managing on your own, Hider?” Her voice holds a predatory delight as she muses, the words oozing with malice. “It's gotta be the maps that keep you going, right? Something to help the weak get by.”

The sound of her taunts seems to bounce off the trees, creating an eerie atmosphere of tension in the forest.

As | hold the knife, my fingers clench around it, my knuckles becoming pale. With each glance at the map, | feel a renewed sense of dread, knowing it’s my only chance at finding a way out. The Hunter's insinuations stoke the fire of my anger, swirling within me like a brewing tempest.

As she takes a step closer, the distance between us narrows, and her eyes shine with wicked excitement.

“Right here, right now, | could stake my claim on you.”

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She purrs, savoring the discomfort that flickers in my expression. In an instant, my entire body freezes, and the fear coursing through me amplifies, becoming ten times more intense, | can’t help but feel a sense of disgust as | see the scratches on her shoulders and neck, as if | can smell the stale scent of blood.

“But you know, | can’t resist the thrill of the chase. That's what keeps me alive and kicking”

Fear pulses through me, my heart pounding against my ribs, its rapid cadence echoing in my ears. Each word the Hunter speaks sends a wave of fear crashing over me. As | see myself reflected in her eyes, | feel a shiver run down my spine, knowing | am nothing but prey,

| can’t stand by and watch her claim the map as her own. It’s all | have-my quide, my protector-and I rely on it for every step | take. Stripped of it, | am defenseless and exposed, an easy prey for sa distic individuals like her. Desperation surges through me, causing profanities to burst forth from my lips uncontrollably.

“Let go of the da mn map and get the hell away from here!”

My scream cuts through the stillness of the forest, its raw Intensity lingering in the air. The Hunter’s laughter erupts, dismissing everything | say as mere amusement. All the cameras in the vicinity swivel towards us, catching our every move. | can’t stand the way they chose to broadcast this. It Infuriates me that they have gathered here solely to witness my weakness as an easy target. The Hunter circles me like a vulture, her eyes fixed on me with a predatory. intensity. As she moves with meticulous accuracy, her eyes gleam with a twisted delight, never breaking contact with mine. The map, stained with blood, is tightly gripped in her hands, swaying back and forth like a cruel temptation.

| can feel the weight of the knife in my trembling hand, its cold metal offering Rittle comfort. Each step she takes reverberates through the stillness, a haunting reminder of the delicate balance between hunter and hunted. My chest constricts with panic, leaving me gasping for air as | desperately try to maintain my focus on the Hunter.

She playfully pretends to lunge at me, her laughter echoing through the room.

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Her laughter rings out, a twisted melody of sa dism that makes me uneasy. | let out a piercing scream, a desperate plea for her to either end the torment or back away. But she revels in the power she holds-both as the one in control and the one. inflicting chaos.

“C’mon, little Hider! Let's see those speedy legs in action!”

With a venomous melody, she taunts, her voice cutting through the silence.

“Or maybe you'd rather deal with my claws right here, right now?”

core.

The Hunter’s words hit me like a powerful earthquake, shaking me to my very

My mind races, like a whirlwind, trying to make sense of the impossible choice before me. With the map in her hands, she has the upper hand and | can’t escape her grasp. | know for a fact that the knife in my hand feels cold and unfamiliar, a feeble defense against a seasoned predator like her.

Then, with a sudden burst of speed, she lunges towards me, and | react by thrusting the knife in her direction, the metallic sound of the blade slicing through the air. But with a quick sidestep, she leaves me stumbling and defenseless. No. matter how hard | stretch, the map remains just out of my reach, fueling my frustration.

“You sure know how to throw down, don’t ya?”

She muses, circling back and tracing her steps.

“But seriously, how much fight do you still have in you?”

With every taunt she hurls, a wave of rage surges through me, fueling my resolve to stand strong and not become her prey. My volce cra cks with desperation as | scream obscenities into the darkness. The Hunter revels in my torment, savoring the cacophony of screams and shattered voices.

In a flash, she lunges again, and this time, | swing the knife with all my strength, feeling the weight of It In my hand,

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Her laughter rings out, a twisted melody of sa dism that makes me uneasy. | let out a piercing scream, a desperate plea for her to either end the torment or back. away. But she revels in the power she holds-both as the one in control and the one inflicting chaos.

“C’mon, little Hider! Let's see those speedy legs in action!”

With a venomous melody, she taunts, her voice cutting through the silence.

“Or maybe you'd rather deal with my claws right here, right now?”

core.

The Hunter’s words hit me like a powerful earthquake, shaking me to my very

My mind races, like a whirlwind, trying to make sense of the impossible choice before me. With the map in her hands, she has the upper hand and | can’t escape her grasp. | know for a fact that the knife in my hand feels cold and unfamiliar, a feeble defense against a seasoned predator like her.

Then, with a sudden burst of speed, she lunges towards me, and | react by thrusting the knife in her direction, the metallic sound of the blade slicing through the air. But with a quick sidestep, she leaves me stumbling and defenseless. No matter how hard | stretch, the map remains just out of my reach, fueling my frustration.

“You sure know how to throw down, don’t ya?”

She muses, circling back and tracing her steps.

“But seriously, how much fight do you still have in you?”

With every taunt she hurls, a wave of rage surges through me, fueling my resolve to stand strong and not become her prey. My voice cra cks with desperation as | scream obscenities into the darkness. The Hunter revels in my torment, savoring the cacophony of screams and shattered voices.

In a flash, she lunges again, and this time, | swing the knife with all my strength, feeling the weight of it in my hand.

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Like a desperate plea for control, it latches onto her arm, its grip tightening with each passing second. Despite the hiss that escapes her lips, her eyes continue to shine with unwavering determination. With a twisted smile, she chuckles while blood oozes down her arm, seemingly relishing the macabre scene.

With a guttural growl, the Hunter pounces on me, her claws moving through the air with a menacing swiftness. | stumble backward, the cold metal of the knife providing little comfort as | prepare to defend myself against the imminent attack.

As her claws tear through fabric and skin, a searing pain erupts from the first swipe that grazes my shoulder. | clench my teeth, trying to suppress a scream, while my fingers tighten around the knife.

“Submit, little Hider,” Her snarl echoes through the air, while her eyes shine with a predatory glimmer. “The fact that you resist only makes me more interested.”

| can feel my shoulder throbbing in sync with my heartbeat, the pain intensifying as blood continues to seep from the fresh wound. The Hunter’s feral grace is on full display as she circles, taunting me with each calculated movement. As | tightly grip the knife, my knuckles turn white.

“Give in,” She purrs, her words dripping with malevolent sweetness. “Take off those useless clothes, surrender to me, and I'll handle the claim quickly. It’s a lot of fun, you'll see.”

With defiance burning within me, | spit on the forest floor, the wetness seeping into the earth right by her feet.

“F uck off,” | retort, my words sharp and laced with venom. “I don’t want you touching me; you're too dirty.”

She lets out a sharp, menacing laugh before lunging towards my arm. The world becomes a whirlwind of evasion and desperation as | dash away, my feet barely touching the ground.

“You can’t avoid me forever, 9. You’re supposed to submit to us Hunters, Hiders like you. Nature is nature; you can’t do anything about It.” She sneers, her eyes narrowing and taking on a deeper, more Intense hue. “It’s game over for you, little

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Hider. The minute you registered for the Mating Run.”