Game of Life

Chapter 4

When I came to it was dark, I shot to my feet, feeling a lot better. The hunters had finally returned and the fire users were heating up some meat for us while the others handed out berries and roots.

"Are you okay?" I turned at the voice and noticed one of my not quite close enough to be considered a friend but closer than an acquaintance, Sara.

"Yeah, what happened?"

She shrugged. "You passed out, it's been at least an hour, but you're not hurt so... I don't know."

"Well thanks for watching over me."

"No problem." She stood up, brushing non-existent dirt off her jeans and strolling over to the hunters for food.

I sat back down and waited. Eventually Darren brought me some of the food and I took it graciously. "Thanks," I mumbled around a mouthful.

He put a hand over my mouth. "Finish eating before you talk, that's gross."

I swallowed my bite. "Fine, food is more important than you anyway."

He rolled his eyes and we ate in silence. Scarfing down the meager portions.

"Think he'll give us the night?" Darren asked.

"Doubt it."

I leaned back and looked at the night sky. At least there was stars here, wherever we were.

"We should probably try to sleep, never know what he might throw at us tonight," Darren said as he slowly got to his feet.

"Yeah you're right," I yawned. He offered his hand and pulled me up.

"Why do you think this is happening? I mean, why us?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

I shrugged. "I don't know." I chewed on the inside of my cheeks nervously, what would they do if they knew I had caused this? I shuddered as I imagined what they would do to me. Teenagers were pretty creative, I mean it could be anything.

With my luck it wouldn't be a quick jolt with lightning. They would draw it out, I remembered a old torture method, where they tied a victim to two boxes and slowly dragged them apart, stretching the poor person until their limbs got dislocated and then some. The earth users here could mimic that easily, and the fire users could melt my flesh and...I shook my head, don't think about that.

"Calla?" Darren tapped my shoulder and I jumped out of my skin.

"What?" I snapped and immediately felt guilty at the look on his face.

"You okay?" he asked, warily.

"I'm fine, sorry, just zoned out."

"Okay.."

"Anyhow what were you saying?"

"I was just wondering which erm... tent you were going to sleep in?" he gestured at the little rock caves that lined the clearing, courtesy of our friendly neighbour hood earth magicians.

"Whichever one has room," I grumbled, stalking off. I left him standing there with a confused expression on his face while I ducked into one of the caves. The fire users had, thankfully, warmed them all up so it was a nice temperature inside and I fell asleep quickly beside some of my classmates.

~

I woke up to screaming and scrambled up, running out of the cave and smashing my head in the process. "Motherfu- that fucking hurt," I spat, rubbing my forehead as I tried to find out what the commotion was about.

It was still dark outside, we had certainly called it with Severin not giving us the night. I flinched at a sudden loud noise, it sounded like a trumpet and I struggled to remember what I recognised it from.