The Mating Run

Chapter 14

Truce

mine.

Zeke’s bag contains a completely different assortment of items compared to

Having knocked him out completely, | swiftly sn atch his bag and ruthlessly dump everything onto the ground. While he has the basic survival necessities, his bag holds some extra items that | lack. One thing that stands out is the plentiful supply of weapons. Among the items are utility knives, real knives, and a mysterious small packet filled with an unknown white substance. | don’t bother figuring it out, but the only thing | know is that | want to rid myself of it.

The thought of stealing doesn’t sit well with me, considering the potential for bad karma, but | find myself without any other choice after leaving my own bag behind. With a lump in my throat, | meticulously return everything to the bag.

Whoever they are, they’re truly a savior in disguise.

| can’t understand why they decide to sponsor me instead of someone else, especially considering my recent actions.

But then again, when you're desperate, you can’t afford to be picky, can you?

Zeke’s bag is so large that | have to tighten the straps to prevent it from slipping off my shoulders. Just when | think | can turn around, Zeke’s groan sends a shiver down my spine, freezing me in my tracks. Fearing the worst, | hesitate to face the other direction, envisioning a scenario where he'll awaken and swiftly plunge a knife into my throat.

| glance behind me and feel a sense of relief wash over me when | realize

there’s none of that.

Zeke’s body remains slumped on the floor, his groans echoing through the silence. It takes a moment for me to register that the knife my sponsor hast

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Truce

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entrusted me with is still wedged in his ankle. Quietly muttering curses, | cautiously approach him, taking slow and deliberate steps to avoid making any noise that could wake him up.

| cautiously crouch down beside his ankle, my heart pounding. | tightly grip the knife, feeling the cold metal against my skin, while Zeke lets out another agonized groan, the sound echoing in the air. Bile rises to my throat, and | quickly cover my mouth, overwhelmed by a strong sense of disgust.

squeeze my eyes shut, | count to ten, determined to give it another try, this time with maximum speed. With a firm hold on the knife, | apply pressure and pull with all my might.

Like a zombie, Zeke pushes himself up with a groan and lets out a piercing scream. Scrambling back, | scream too, gripping my knife tightly in case he decides to do something foolish. As Zeke’s eyes meet mine, they appear distant and unseeing, quickly flickering down to his injured ankle. Then, as if he hadn't even stirred from his sleep, he unleashes a piercing scream and a guttural groan before collapsing unconscious, sprawling onto the ground.

“Holy s hit.”

And just like that, minutes later, | find myself in the oddest of places. As | kneel beside an unconscious Zeke, the man who has been my pursuer, | can feel the weight of my actions as | gaze upon the wound I’ve inflicted. The guilt sits heavily in my chest, like a weight made of lead. While | reluctantly bandage his ankle, my mind is overwhelmed with a tumultuous storm of emotions. “Seriously, Zeke.”

Through gritted teeth, | mutter curses under my breath, his name lingering on my lips.

“I'm seriously doing this, can’t believe it. Just ‘cause | stabbed you doesn’t mean | gotta save your sorry as s. Ugh, why couldn’t you have been a little less of an

as s?”

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Truce

Tending to the injury, my fingers move with both hesitation and expertise, carefully addressing the wound. According to one of the pamphlets we received, there might be a situation where we have to administer first aid. In my mind, | had only considered the possibility of administering first aid to myself, and not someone else.

Most especially not someone who just tried to kill me, their hands still stained

with blood.

“If you weren't such a massive jerk, you might've been somewhat tolerable. Your look kinda cute with that rugged look, the ladies in our pack must have thought so too. And then you had to go and ruin everything by opening your mouth and acting

like a fool.”

| mutter under my breath, unable to suppress the smirk that tugs at the corner

of my lips.

As | finish the bandaging, a mischievous grin spreads across my face. The urge is too strong for me to ignore.

| lightly pinch his nose, his eyes scrunching up in response, before | reach down. and grab a handful of dirt from the ground. With a mischievous smile, | smudge a

little dirt on his cheek.

“A little something to make you feel beautiful. You’re welcome.”

Amidst the chaos, a giggle bubbles up from within me, surprising even myself with its levity.

The absurdity of the situation strikes me-I’m in the bizarre position of patching up the guy who was once hunting me down, engaging in this strange conversation with an unconscious Hunter.

Glancing around, | half-expect someone to leap out from the bushes and witness this absurd spectacle. It’s ironic that I’m patching up someone who has been tirelessly pursuing me. In the midst of chaos and tension, a touch of humor emerges, almost comically.

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“Here’s hoping you wake up with a crick in your neck”

Thalf-heartedly gather my things, my murmured goodbye barely audible. This moment is so absurd, with a strange combination of resentment and an unexpected hint of care, that it leaves me feeling slightly dizzy.

“Don’t get me wrong, | don’t like you, okay?”

I say to the unconscious Zeke, my words hanging in the air, unanswered,

“| mean, it’s just the right thing to do.”

The forest feels hushed, the only sound being the occasional rustle of leaves and distant animal calls, adding to the surreal atmosphere of my dilemma.

Having accomplished my mission of sna tching Zeke’s bag, | begrudgingly tend to the injured ankle. But just as | turn to leave, ready to put distance between us, | hear another groan escape from him, even in his unconscious state,

As the sound reaches my ears, an unseen force compels me to stay rooted in place, as if my feet are shackled,

“Oh, come on! Seriously?”

As if the universe is playing some cosmic joke on me, | throw my hands up in exasperation, the room filled with a sense of disbelief. The weight of quilt tightens around my chest, making the thought of leaving him behind an insufferable burden.

| pace back and forth, my footsteps echoing in the silence, my exasperation pouring out through groans and curses. | gaze upwards, hoping the Moon Goddess. will reveal some answers.

“What do you want me to do? I’ve done what | had to dol”

But the only response is the gentle rustle of the trees and the echo of my own voice bouncing back at me.

And then, as if controlled by invisible strings, | find myself back by Zeke’s side,

Trock

questioning the insanity that has taken hold of me.

“You're not gonna wake up, are you?” | scoff, rolling my eyes at the sight of him lying there, oblivious. “Looks like I’m stuck here playing nurse for you.”

| take a deep breath, preparing myself for this ridiculous task ahead, Gripping the straps of his bag tightly around my shoulders, | make sure it’s secure and won't slip off. Then, | roll up the sleeves of my track suit before gently grasping his legs, mindful of his injured ankle.

“Man, you're like a ton of bricks, you know that?” | huff, feeling the strain as | try to pull him, but he remains uncooperative. “Great. Just great. Stop being an as shole and make this easier.

The hoodie around his waist dangles loosely, threatening to come undone, prompting a sigh to escape my lips before | approach him. | untangle the hoodie. from his waist and tenderly slip it over him, making sure each arm is in place. | make a m ental note of the bold number on his tracksuit, trying to commit it to memory.

99.

With a blend of frustration and determination, | muster the strength to continue dragging him along again.

“Why am | talking to you? You can’t hear me,” | mutter under my breath, the whole situation feeling like a scene from a ridiculous comedy. “If anyone sees this, I’ll never live it down.”

it.

Let me tell you, the forest floor is far from being a red carpet.

“They better give me a medal for this ‘cause | ain’t doing it again.”

| grumble, feeling like I’m trapped in a ridiculous comedy with no one to witness

And then, as if guided by fate, my eyes land on a mysterious cave. There is no time for contemplation, only swift, instinctual responses. Dragging him Inside is a struggle, and | huff with the effort, feeling my breath grow heavier.

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“Out of everything that could happen today, this... this takes the cake. Who the heck does this kind of thing? Yeah, it’s just me, the resident idiot.”

I

| lean back against the wall, feeling its rough texture against my back, as | take in the strange scene before me.

“You better make it up to me after this, you jerk. I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, just so we’re clear.”

scan the cave with my eyes, and as predicted, | discover a camera. Driven by adrenaline, | crawl towards Zeke, my hand waving and thumb pointing in his direction.

“I'm doing this for you all, so you have something fun to watch. | have a strong urge to sleep right now, so if he murders me, can you all take care of it? Sorry about everything, Miles. And | just want to say a huge thanks to my sponsor, you're a total lifesaver. | could’ve died, like seriously, out there, you know? And here | am, being a du mbas s, looking after the person who tried to kill me just because | thought they were attractive. Oh my g od, I’m going crazy.”

| chuckle, the sound echoing with weariness and incredulity. The absurdity of it all, the surreal twist of circumstances, fills me with a mixture of disbelief and reluctant amusement that leaves me shaking my head.

“Go d, | better have a good night’s sleep. Or an entire month to relax. Whatever

comes first.”

av eyes fl

The moment open, I’m welcomed by the gentle, filtered light that fills the cave. The rock beneath me feels jagged and unforgiving, making it difficult to find a comfortable position.

“Note to self: invest in a better camping setup.”

| mutter quietly, my voice barely audible as | attempt to alleviate the stiffness in my spine.

Ill

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Suddenly, a groan breaks the silence of the night, catching me off guard. Turning around, | hope to find a harmless creature or convince myself that it's just my mind playing tricks. But there it is again, the unmistakable groan, and it’s not coming from the forest outside.

It's Zeke.

Ablend of curiosity and concern propels me forward, urging me to get closer to

him.

“You better not be playing mind games to get me to make you a midnight

snack.”

As | crawl towards him, my movements are cautious and slow, not wanting to surprise him if he’s awake.

“Zeke?”

In a hushed tone, | call out, cautiously approaching. The absence of a reply hung in the air, leaving a void of sound. | reach out, hesitantly brushing my fingers against his forehead, feeling the warmth of his skin. It's warm, hotter than it should be. | feel panic welling up inside me, like bubbles in my chest.

“Oh, no. Seriously, don’t tell me you're sick, you idiot.”

As my mind races, | strain to recall any useful resources | may have.

“This is insane. | didn’t sign up to be a nurse!” | grumble, checking his pulse, unsure of what I’m actually looking for. “And here | am playing Florence Nightingale to my least favorite person on the planet.”

Sitting there, my face contorts with a blend of concern and annoyance, mirroring the storm brewing in my mind. While deaths caused by Hunters and Hiders are worth considering, the forest conceals the most lethal danger of all.

The majority of deaths occur due to natural causes.

And inside our survival bags, there won't be any medicine.