The Games

Unrest in the Shadows

Most of the players made it out of the last game, but those who didn't are trapped in their own nightmares, locked in their fear forever. When the survivors finally arrived back in the arena, the night sky was dark, casting an eerie stillness over the grounds. Without warning, the guards began shoving us out of the arena, herding us back to our rooms. The abruptness of it all caused an uproar, confused voices rising as everyone tried to understand what was happening.

When we reached our room, an envelope was slid under the door. I ripped it open, and it revealed that we wouldn't be required to attend practice tomorrow. After the nightmare we had just lived through, we were apparently being given a day to 'rest.' Max groaned with relief, collapsing onto a nearby couch.

"Thank goodness. I don't think I would have made it without a day to sleep in," he whined. His comment earned a laugh from both me and Izzy, while Atticus just nodded in agreement, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.

I moved to stand beside Izzy, who was leaning against the wall, her eyes still focused on Max as he rambled on. "Do you want to practice tomorrow, or would you rather sleep in?" I asked. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, but determination soon filled her expression.

"I'd like to practice," she answered with a firm nod. I smiled in return.

"Alright then. Max, Atticus-I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow afternoon," I said, heading to my bedroom. I wasted no time, stripping out of my clothes and jumping into the shower. After the day's madness, the hot water felt like a balm against my aching muscles. I barely had time to dry off before collapsing onto my bed, sleep taking me almost instantly.

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

The shrill noise of my alarm ripped me from the depths of sleep. I slapped my hand down on it, silencing the infernal noise, and rubbed my eyes. 5:30. Great. Stumbling out of bed, I dragged myself to the bathroom. A quick brush of my teeth, done some necessary business, and got dressed in a-tight black shirt, shorts, and my hair in two French braids. I knocked on Izzy's door, sticking my head inside when I heard her call out. She was already dressed, her ponytail pulled tight and ready for training.

"Ready?" she asked, and we made our way to the gym. It was empty, as expected at this early hour. The stillness was a blessing-it meant we could focus, no distractions, and no need to hold back.

"Okay, let's start with stretching, then hit the treadmill until we can't feel our legs. After that, hand-to-hand combat," I said. Izzy took a deep breath and nodded, determination etched into her features.

We powered through the treadmill run, our legs burning with each step, but we didn't stop. Now it was time to see how far Izzy had come in her training. I smirked as I got into my fighting stance. "Alright, Izzy. Show me what you've got."

Izzy mirrored my stance, her form much improved from when we first started. "Good form," I told her, and she gave a slight nod of thanks before launching at me, thinking she caught me off guard. But I side-stepped her easily, giving her a light tap on the back. "Don't rush your attack. Make sure it counts if you do."

She took my advice to heart, resetting her stance. This time, I made the first move, faking a punch before sweeping her legs out from under her. "Always expect a feint. Watch your opponent closely," I instructed, offering her a hand to get up. But just as I extended my hand, she quickly swiped her leg out, knocking me to the ground instead. "Well played," I said with a grin.

We went back and forth for a while, trading blows and takedowns, but overall, Izzy was improving. I was proud of how far she'd come.

In one swift move, I swept her legs out again, and this time I straddled her, pinning her to the ground. She squirmed beneath me, trying to buck me off, but it wasn't enough. "I give, I give!" she finally relented, breathing heavily.

"Look, if you're ever in this position, thrust your hips up quickly and flip your opponent backward. Then, pin them. Give it a try," I instructed. She did as I said, flipping me off her and pinning me to the mat with ease.

"That's my girl," I said, laughing. Izzy smiled proudly, but we both froze when we heard clapping. Jumping up and spinning toward the source, we saw our trainer, Mr. Tanner, standing with a guard beside him, the guard's sneer permanently etched into his face.

"Great work, girls. Putting in the hard work when you could be resting," Tanner said, smirking as he stepped closer. Instinctively, I moved in front of Izzy, my posture defensive.

"I mean no harm, Kennedy," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"How am I supposed to know that when we're constantly on edge, never knowing what might happen next?" I shot back, my gaze locked on him, muscles tense.

"Fair point," Tanner conceded, stepping back toward the door. "I'm counting on you, Kennedy. Don't let me down," he added before leaving with his guard.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I yelled after him, but he was already gone. Izzy stepped beside me, just as confused.

"Should we head back to our room?" she asked. I nodded, and we quietly made our way down the hall.

"This doesn't make any sense," someone hissed from around the corner. I stopped, holding out a hand to signal Izzy to stop. She bumped into me, but I motioned for her to listen.

"Do you know what'll happen if the boss finds out about this? The rebels are getting too close to the wall. If they get any closer, we're all dead," one guard whispered, pacing back and forth.

The other guard seemed clueless. "Why don't we just shoot them all down?" he asked. The first guard stopped, glaring at him like he was an idiot.

"No, we can't just shoot them all down! That would raise too many questions. We need to handle this quietly," he snapped.

Just then, Izzy knocked over something by accident, and the guards froze. "Who's there?" one of them called out, footsteps drawing closer.

Without hesitation, I grabbed Izzy's hand, and we bolted down the hall, heading toward the restricted part of the building-the area we were never supposed to go.

"Hey! Get back here!" the guards shouted, chasing after us. We rounded another corner, far ahead of them now, we ducked into a room, hiding as they ran past. I slumped against the wall, trying to catch my breath.

"Kennedy... you might want to look at this," Izzy's voice was filled with disbelief. My eyes snapped open, and I stood up, walking over to where she stood.

"What the fu-" I whispered, my heart racing at the sight before me.

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