Kadota (Love Trilogy)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

...

Once more, the specter of Max surfaced in my erratic dreams. The ethereal scene was set in a familiar backdrop, the tall, faded tree-house looming overhead. We were seated on the grass that shimmered in the phantasmic light.

Max was holding his 'Survival Handbook', his finger tracing the lines of wisdom as he read.

"When sleeping in the wilderness, choose your location wisely - thoughtless can smell your scent on earth," Max declared without looking up from his book.

Barely managing to suppress a shudder, I nodded solemnly. Despite the paradox of the dream where I was a mere listener yet fully aware, I grasp the importance of these words.

"You know, Dee," he continued, punctuating the message with his piercing gaze, "Your scent embedded in the earth can be a death sentence. Any predator, man or beast can track you down."

"But..." I tried to argue, "I know how to stay out of sight, Max. And I can run..."

"Dee," he said, cutting me off, "In the world we live in, staying out of sight isn't enough. Running isn't always an option. It's not always about how resilient you are, it's more about how smart you are."

I looked at him puzzled, my young face probably a shade of innocent confusion. Gently, as was typical of Max, he explained, "What I mean is, you could stay hidden all day, run stealthily, unseen and unheard. But the moment you lay down to sleep, your scent might betray you. Suddenly, all your stealth amounts to nothing and you're killed in your sleep... That is, if you're lucky."

...

I raced through the forest alone, my heart pounding in my chest. I'd spent the afternoon training with my section, under the watchful eyes of our stern leaders. My partners Liv and Fin had long ago outstripped me and were probably back at the camp. The trees whipped past me, dark forms blurring against the clear sky.

Suddenly, from the quiet hum of the woods, I heard a distinct sound. A mix of terror and desperation echoed through the silence. Immediately, I swerved, following the dreadful sound. The light thinned, trees fell away, and I burst out into a clearing.

At the other end of the meadow was a girl, her chest heaving, skin pale as she ran towards me. Her clothes were ripped and muddied, terror etched in her eyes and sweat trailing down her face. She fell to her knees, a pitiful sight.

Just as I took a step towards her, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees – the russet-haired guy. He was the one I'd seen arguing with Red during their training earlier this week. The guy stopped casually, shoving his hands in his pockets, seemingly amused at the girl's predicament.

"'What did you even expect signing up for a fighters section?" He taunted, spitting the blade of grass he'd been chewing onto the ground. He chuckled and kicked her, sending her sprawling into the mud.

The young girl whimpered, trying to crawl away from him. "Please! Stop! I already told you that I'm not gonna be a fighter! Stop beating me!" She pleaded, her voice cracking with fear. Ignoring her pleas, the russet-haired guy followed her, each step heavier than the last.

The girl's cries echoed in my ears and anger rose in me. I picked up a stone and in a swift motion, flung it towards him. It landed close to his feet, causing him to freeze. He turned, scanning the clearing, and spotted me.

"Let her go!" I shouted, stepping out from the trees. "She told you to leave her alone!"

"...And who the hell are you?" Despite his question, he wore a twisted grin on his face. I didn't respond, I didn't bother introducing myself either.