If the trial doesn't get me, then I'm sure Tobi's hug will. Tobi kept pulling me into hugs, this last one lasting much longer than the previous ones."You did it," he whispered, then kissed my forehead. "You actually did it."“This has become a weird habit.”“What can I say, you are incredible” which made me grin. He turned to the others, his voice growing louder with excitement. "This is why we need to stick with Kae! He's the real deal! If we stay with him, we can make it through anything this trial throws at us!"I wanted to tell him to shut up, that the last thing I needed was everyone looking to me for leadership as Raven's words echoed in my head: ‘Don't babysit anyone unless they're valuable for survival.’But before I could say anything, Rach was nodding enthusiastically."He's right," Rach said. "You saved all our asses back there.""We all would have died without you," Jabari added quietly.The weight of their expectation settled on my shoulders like a lead blanket. I did

Panic rippled through the participants as we found ourselves exposed again despite no mutant staying around. In the distance, I could see the shapes of airdrops falling.Most participants assumed the drops were bait, designed to make us fight each other or become the next meal for the animal. Whatever their reasons were gave me a perfect opportunity. While they remained stiff and theorized, I bolted for the nearest green airdrop and noticed Vira taking my cue to for the red with Little right beside her. Tobi and Jabari went for the blue while Jokob also targeted the green with me. We stuffed our packs with supplies as other participants finally caught on and rushed toward the drops. Some even chased after us, hoping to claim what we'd gathered.We found a hiding spot in a cluster of fallen trees on rocks, and I forced our way through. I was thinking about how to beat this current game while we ate with Tobi shrugging my shoulders."God, you're paranoid," he said, but there was aff

I was seen as a threat, and honestly, it felt good Seeing how Bitus's goons intercepted me before dragging me closer to him was a good idea to draw me closer to my target, unsuspected. When I was near enough, I pulled out the flamethrower and blasted the highlighted slot number.Sparks flew, electricity crackled, and the barrier shattered like glass.Chaos erupted as the crowd turned on me. "You're going to get all of us killed!" someone screamed."Now we are all going to die!" another lamented. As some were panicking, wondering what they are going to do, others were after my heads. Well, I won't blame them, but I can't be the one holding by the thread. Plus, I don't want Bitus to feel like he has won. I don't want to see it.Animal cries echoed from the forest. "What the he—," Tobi whispered as hordes spilled out.I rejoined my team, returning Vira's flamethrower. We circled around Little, weapons ready."I hope you know what you're doing," Vira grunted, blazing at the mutant."W

Aside from the muffle sound of the steam monster, the only thing we could hear in here were our ravaged breath. Everyone was panting heavily we could feel the warmth breath spilling from our lips. "Is everyone alright?" I asked, falling flat on the dirt ground with a throbbing pain in my head like it's pounded after being torn apart. "I am." Jabari replied "Me too." Little followed "So what's next?" Vira coughed. "Anything that has to do with an enclosed place isn't where I want to find myself in." Vira was right. From what I've experienced so far, the worst thing one can do is trap thyself inside something with no escape routes. "So we have to keep pushing." I said, raising up. Tobi grumbled. "I was literally on my feet for hours, can't we at least rest for a few hours?""Tobi—" I was in mid-sentence when he continued "Fine, one hour.""We can't afford to waste any more time in here." I crouched before him and stretched my hand towards him. Tobi mumbled a few words I could

The sound of shuffling shouldn't be as terrifying as this with scraping sounds growing louder from deeper within.A wave of creatures poured around the corner as dozens moving with jerky gaits. Human-like but wrong, with rotting skin revealing chitinous exoskeletons beneath. Their pale yellow eyes glowed as they coordinated with clicking sounds that made my teeth ache."Oh God," Vira breathed.Nothing told us what the next line of action was. We fled as hybrid horrors erupted from silk prisons and the chittering horde closed in. Narrow corridors became nightmare obstacle courses of debris."This way!" I shouted, but the building seemed to shift—passages leading to dead ends, rooms appearing from nowhere.Mutants shrieked behind us. Some skittered along ceilings like spiders, others bounded across floors with powerful legs cracking ancient stones.We burst into the room to get Little when we froze in our tracks. Standing there was another participant right on top of Little whose hand