Chapter 2I race through the trees with heart pounding and feet bouncing. Lion told me about this spindly pathway made by forest animals which leads to the circle. It’s unkempt and wild, with tall green things invading the track and ripping up my skin. The pain is freeing. Sizzles cradle and ignite me. If I could get this in my own country and not have to climb the wall or do Bite Club, I would. I absolutely would.
When almost at the meeting circle, I manage an extra spurt, and it’s too much, even for me. I trip headlong down a steep slope and lose awareness. Bile, breath, and nausea spin me in a horrible sickening circle. It lasts only seconds, though it seems much longer. Once my head stops spinning, my heart beats faster than ever.
After a few minutes I start to get up and am pushed ba
