Camp Mortala

Day One

Aliya

                I lost track of time. My head was suddenly covered in thick, heavy fabric and rough, large hands were slowly dragging me to a different place. Everyone else seemed to be scattered away from each other as they cried for help. I tried to get away and scream, but it was pointless. Their loud pleads for mercy was soon fading away into faint whispers. I felt my feet no longer scraping against the pavement of that building, doors were slamming and more murmurs between different people.

But soon, it was completely quiet.

As my feet were being dragged outside the building, regret was eating me from the inside out. I should’ve listened to her. I already felt something was fishy from the start of the camp, and I didn’t listen to it. I still freaking went here. Instead of being safe back in my classroom, here I was in a game of murder, pride, and survival. I didn’t want to die…but I didn’t want to become popular for being a murderer. It wasn’t worth it.

My thoughts halted when the movement turned to a complete stop. My feet felt the soft earth underneath and the quiet sounds of the trees. For once, the fear and regret built up in me loosened, only to rise again. I flinched when the voice of the Game master suddenly boomed through the area, her tone still joyful, yet vindictive.

"Children, you may now take off the cover of your eyes!"

My hands felt like I had no control of them, quivering at their spot on the sides of my jeans. I was too scared of what’s outside this dark, space that kept me oblivious of what’s happening around me. The very things I will see from that point will either lead me to survival or my death. To my fame, or my very doom.

Shakily, I raised my right hand and held the end of the thick material, and finally gained the courage to take the whole thing off. I blinked my eyes a few times and looked up to see tall, thick concrete walls on each of my sides. A small path was between them and led to different directions. In short, this place was an entire maze.

“Welcome to the first activity in Camp Mortala. You are in my little maze of surprises and excitement! Now all you have to do is try and make your way out to any of the designed exits. But! You must come out alone.

Anyone you meet while inside my maze, you have to battle. Either one of you remains and manages to continue the game. Good luck everyone!!”

After she lets out a soft, yet terrifying chuckle, the speakers go off. I didn’t have any weapons on me, so I guess as much as possible I’ll take a flight choice. Or possibly I’ll try to snatch an item out of them… If they have one, that is.

Taking a deep breath, I walked forward, the still-damp ground making small sounds with each of my steps. I looked at the different directions, biting my lip and turning to the right. The walls were too high for me to look at the other things, so I don’t know how big this maze was…or even how many of us are in here.

I took another turn, then another, then another….then soon I lost track of which directions I have been taking on. But that didn’t matter. My head was still in a daze as I felt like spinning in circles around this game, but I jolted back into my senses when birds flew above and leaves were loudly rustling in the trees.

A girl screams. A sound of heavy grunting and shrieks was from another part of this maze.

I don’t know why but now I was running, I was panicking. My feet were dragging me away; I was mindlessly taking path by path without even thinking if it was safe. My heart pumping furiously, filling up the void in my head and it was the only thing I can hear other than my shallow gasps for air. Cold air blew against my skin, shivers ran down my spine.

“Gah!”

I kept running until I felt something hit me from behind, my body making an impact on the ground and knocking out the air in me. Gasping, I got up and my back hurts; making me let out a small hiss in pain before turning around.

Behind me was a male student probably from the Academy, holding a large rock so hard that his knuckles were white.  My eyes widen when he groans and charges at me again, which I was able to dodge by moving aside and ran. It wasn’t very smart but I don’t have any other good action in mind but to try to getaway.

But I stopped when I met a dead-end; I was mortified to see there was no other way out. My hands went up to my head and gripped my hair in frustration…and I looked around to see him there again, his eyes glaring down at me like some bloodthirsty predator.

“You’re not getting anywhere!!” He blurted out. I wanted to run off his side but I couldn’t. It was too risky and almost impossible.

The area for me to move wasn’t so big as the maze walls were only around a yard apart. I yelped as the guy hit my shoulder, making a small crack before I fell on my back. He immediately hovered above me to hit me again but I kicked him in the head, the bottom of my boot making harsh contact with his face and he fell on his back. My shoulder hurts a lot when I stood up and looked at him hissing in pain. My Timberlands were the only thing that can make damage for now…might as well use it.

He struggled to sit up but my foot kicks him down on the chest, making him yell. I tried to get away when his hand grabs my ankle and I almost tripped, fortunately, my free foot was able to prevent that and I still stood up. I kicked him from behind repeatedly and he still doesn’t let go of me. He hits my leg with the rock, but it wasn’t that harsh as he was being in pain.

“Ahh! y…y-you little-“

I stomped on his wrist the moment he lets go of my foot, he screams in pain and his grip of the stone loosens. I lightly kicked the stone away from him, he tried to grab it but I stomp down on his face and he falls back on the ground. I rushed away and picked it up when I felt him tackle me from behind. I slammed him forcefully against the wall; while my grip of the stone was so hard my hands hurt.

He gasps for air when he lets me go again and falls on the ground. I hovered over him, my throat hoarse from all the screaming. His now blood-stained figure tried to scoot away, looking at me with eyes of some poor animal begging for the hunter’s mercy.

“D-Don’t kill me…p-please…”

That was when I could no longer control myself; I held up the rock and struck his head. My mind was in a state of insanity, my breath unsteady and shaky. I screamed as I continued to hit him, repeatedly and every blow stronger than the last. Fear and Panic took the last of my conscience, and I turned into a monster.

As I groaned to release another blow, I stopped to look at his cold and lifeless body. His head was a wreck, crimson blood trickled down his forehead and to the ground. His eyes wide and mouth gaped open. My hands were shaking as I drop the rock and I ran away. Running away from the murder I had just committed. I knew it was part of this game, but I still killed someone. I killed someone.

I didn’t think about where I was going. I continued to run away, tears were in my eyes. Dread and terror were eating me alive. My feet hurt from the previous battle and my shoulder hurts like hell, but I didn’t care. My hands were shaking and my jacket was stained with soil and blood.

Suddenly my body fell to the ground, I whimpered at the contact. My feet were sore from all those running, I was panting heavily and I looked at the ground to see someone else’s feet. White, high-cut sneakers splatted over with red. My heartbeat that was recovering from the exhausting run was accelerating in speed again. Another person was here. I gulped and bit my lip, my hands were still shaking.

“Hey. Look up.”

I looked up to see the familiar black-haired guy; his caramel skin was marked with blood. My eyes widen as he put his hands in his pockets, his midnight eyes narrowed and were glaring down at me.