Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
There has to be a way.
A road somewhere?
They can’t own everything in sight, surely.
How many people have died out here?
Will I be another on their long list?
I reach for my cell phone, where I stashed it in the top of my dress, but when I pull it out, I see it has no reception and is down to its last ten percent battery. Why did I not charge it?
Sliding it back between my boobs, I hold my heels between my fingers as I start to walk again.
The Hunt.
And now I am the hunted.
Who would have thought this would be how I die?
I bet my father will not only be displeased about this, he’ll be angry and hurt.
And my aunt.
Shit, what will it do to her? Another loved one lost to the damn Hunt.
But then again, her partner was never heard from again. Only she and those who hunted him know he is dead.
He was declared a missing person.
Will that be what happens to me as well?
Will I just be another missing person who is never found?
Surely, someone would have to work it out. And then regret hits me: do I even have anyone who would truly miss me? My father, sure, my Aunty, yes, but anyone else?
A loud horn makes me jump, and I hug my arms around my chest.
This is where I die.
No, fuck that.
I’ll kill anyone who gets too close.
Soren thinks he can kill me…
Reon thinks he can kill me…
Well, that’s not going to happen.
I will not die tonight.
No matter the odds.
The leaves crunch under my bare feet, and I’m thankful snow isn’t covering the ground. If there were snow, I may very well lose my feet due to the frigidness of the night.
Walking in a straight line, I hope and pray it leads me to a road. I tread quietly and constantly check my surroundings as I go. I try to keep my breathing to a minimum, but as I think I may be getting farther away from those who are hunting me, a gunshot rings out. And it’s closer than I anticipated. I drop to the ground, curling myself into a ball as a second rings out, and I can hear loud cackles of laughter.
“It was a deer,” someone yells.
Do they declare when I’m dead?
I should have asked more questions.
How can I even get out of this?
Counting to three, I stand, with my shoes still in my hand, and I run. Again, I run as fast and as far as my legs can carry me. Another shot rings out, and my lungs burn even more. I’m not even sure I’m breathing right now because I’m running on pure adrenaline.
God, I’m so fucking stupid?
“In the shadows, we hunt. In the night, we kill.” It echoes through the forest, a chorus of voices all at once.
They sound closer…
Or is it my imagination?
“We hear you,” one sings out.
I stop and fall forward, bending over, trying to catch my breath.
I listen for footsteps, but I can’t hear anything over my heavy breathing and pounding heart.
“I think she’s stopped. How stupid can one be?”
That voice sounds like Arlo’s. I contemplate calling out to him, telling him it’s me, but what if he knew all along it was me who they would be hunting tonight? What if he was just there to get close to me to watch my downfall.
It’s risky to call out his name.
But what other choice do I have?
Just keep on running and hope and pray they never find me. Will I freeze to death if I manage to do that? Or will one of them find me and kill me before then?
The rustle of leaves gets closer, and I hold my breath as I hear the footsteps. Sliding down the tree into a crouched position, I unstrap the knife and grip it with cold hands.
If I’m going down, I’m taking at least some of them with me.
“I’ve always wanted to play with my prey.”
I’m ninety percent sure that’s Arlo. But I don’t want to risk that he’s here to actually kill me because I’m ninety-five percent sure he is.
I hold my breath for a moment before I breathe through my nose as he steps closer. He doesn’t know I’m here, but I know where he is. As soon as he steps close enough, I jump out and stab my knife straight into his arm. His eyes behind the mask go wide, and he drops his gun. It’s not like the night in the alley; this is different. This one, I don’t get to relish in it. This time, I am the one running for my life.
“Lilith?” he says, surprised, his voice echoing with disbelief. I quickly crouch down and snatch the gun before I turn and bolt. “Lilith!” he screams out after me, his voice filled with shock and desperation.