Chapter 18 – The Night Run
226 Words
1:00 a.m. The dorm lights went out.
The loudspeaker blared: “Night run starts now. Fail to reach the finish line, you die.”
The red string on my wrist burned, like someone pressing a cigarette into my skin.
How to Survive
From the dorm to the teaching building—it’s one straight road.
But the road is full of shadow vampires. They bite anyone they see.
Rules:
• Get bitten → eliminated (dead).
• Red string breaks → eliminated (dead).
• Reach the finish in 10 minutes → alive.
My Plan
I grabbed the dorm flashlight and ran like hell.
The shadows feared light—one flash and they backed off.
But the battery was dying. My speed slowed.
My Savior
Riven suddenly appeared from the side, throwing a reflective jacket over me.
“Stay with me. Don’t stop,” he said.
He led me through back paths, avoiding most shadows.
Last Ten Meters
A giant vampire blocked the finish line.
Riven stepped in front of me. “Run.”
I aimed the last beam of light at the vampire’s face. It screamed and moved.
We dashed past together.
The Result
The loudspeaker announced: “Isolde, Riven—clear.”
The red string cooled, turning into a normal thread.
Panting, I told Riven, “Thanks.”
He grinned. “Next time, you save me.”
- Writer
