Love Thy Shadow, Satan (LTSS) [#Wattys2018]

Chapter 24 - Incomplete Transformation

Faith's POV

FLASHBACK

I woke up to the sound of the cell gate opening. For me, who had been slowly recuperating during the night, it was like sweet music to my overly-sensitive ears. Although I was still not fully healed, I needed some exercise.

"Get your lazy asses up and running, dogs." The relatively aged human gruffed as he let his gun clash along the rows of silver bars, "Grub time!"

And with that, everyone hoisted their rested bodies off their respective beds - with me pulling myself off the cold floor, that I had been respectively resting on for the past 7 hours.

Jessie was the first to pull himself out of bed and get in line - followed by Blake, George and Lenn. I took my position at the end of the line, knowing I'm still yet unranked and, therefore, I have the lowest position of them all by default.

That was going to change soon.

They were now moving in single-files behind the hunters, being led towards the large hall called the Canteen. Although it was originally used as a place for all the prisoners to queue and eat their sloppy daily's, now it functions with the most important purpose of giving a large clear area for battles and combat. Food is an extra, a treat for the spectators.

3rd Persons POV

This is the place I am going to get initiated. She breathed in calmly, and then released. I had to either show my worth, or die trying.

She took the chance to glance at the people around her, as she entered.

I'm not sure who will be my opponent, but it'll be someone from my cell the first time round.
She clenched and I clenched her fists, a bad habit that exposed her anxiety.

If I lose, I'll be killed. If I win, I'll survive another day - until the next time someone chooses to fight me.

"It's a constant fight for survival down here, so your guard should never be down. One slip up could cost your life." Jessie explained, whispering on a level that went unnoticed by the Hunter who was walking directly in front of him - but all of us werewolves heard loud and clear, and absorbed every word.

.................

Everyone took their places, crowding the sides of the Main Hall, ready to watch the frenzy of initiation battles set for the "newbies" by their inmates.

The harder the initiation, the less likely the chance of a newbie winning... Meaning they will die and be replaced by a new one from the latest batch of the hunters' "useless" captives.

Maybe someone worthy enough to join their group, who knows? If not, there's always the option of killing the weak link to be given a chance to find a stronger ally.

Survival of the fittest... And to Faith, survival was her only option.

I cannot die here, she thought. I cannot let myself die before I have have had my revenge.

As she neared the makeshift arena, she realised that everyone was sticking to a set seating arrangement. The cell leaders at front - closest to the action - and their inmates sitting directly behind them. Jessie took position at front, leaving the rest to take seats behind him. Faith was to stand at back with the other newbies until she had passed her initiation.