Based on Stephen King's 'The Running Man.'- the idea of a character fighting for freedom and running from someone trying to kill them. I envisioned the character to be from a relatively run down family and as a result of that, an app called Darwin's Game appeared and offered money for duels- however, duels were much more dangerous than they envisioned...
Darwin's Game.
She's been in a coma,unconscious for three months now. She loves the danger associated with being chased but she would say it's different after what happened. Currently, her breath hitches when she even thinks of being pursued.
A game promising money for duels was the attraction; 17 years old, an avid gamer, download complete! 16th November - a duel pinged on the screen, a familiar location near her usual walking route: the canal. She had walked by that still, frosty water many times; she understood the precautions, pulled on worn-out walking boots and grabbed a coat on the way out. She waved a casual farewell towards her parents.
When she passed the canal, she could hear the wind whistling through lifeless leaves of the great oak tree above; the silhouettes of the languorous trees danced cautiously in the winter sun, almost mocking the frozen water's restraint. The world indeed seemed empty, yet within the hour, her breathing fell, sharp and shallow, as she felt a presence behind her. Footsteps crushed fallen leaves on the side-walk – their violence unmistakeable. As she peered behind her shoulder, she was met with an intense gaze that burnt a hole through her chest. Instinctively, she ran. Within yards the world seemed a conspirator against her, the route obstructed by fallen trees, all victims of recent severe weather.She cursed under her breath as she made towards the next safest place- the warehouse.
Alone in the vastness of the building, she instinctively looked for a place to hide. A storage closet near the entrance seemed a rather convincing place to conceal herself. Too obvious?His footsteps echoed softly, invoking a trace of suspense in every breath.
"Come out Rachel"- Isaac exclaimed slowly.
"No...I won't..." Rachel muttered, almost inaudible, gathering dust in the silence of the day.
"Come on, it's a part of Darwin's game right?!"
This game, Darwin's Game, to be exact, is hell. What had she gotten into? She signed up in order to gain money for her family but instead she was met with something so incredibly evil. She wanted the money, but fighting to the death, risking it all for a glimpse of freedom. Even now there is no escape from its clutches.
It seemed like reality had faded and time had stood still. She swallowed hard as the emptiness of the darkness confined her. The faint sound of the footsteps soon developed into loud, hard, fast paced ones. Rachel was never one to be afraid of the dark, but this time it was different.
Even though she could only just see through the darkness, shel still felt the presence of someone. Not just anyone, it was him. Out of all the people in the world, why did it have to be him? Isaac Foster. Though she couldn't see much through the hinges of the closet, Rachel didn't have to see anything to know he was smirking at her. It suddenly hit her. He knew where she was. In a frenzy, Rachel rushed out of the closet.
"This is what a duel is?! This is absurd, what the hell have I gotten myself into!" Rachel said, silently cursing underneath her breath.
The air seemed to have turned black all around her, Rachel's vision was blinded by the darkness that consumed her. She bolted out of the door.
Icy fingers gripped her arm in the darkness. Rachel's shrill cries echoed in the mist as the chilling wind slashed at her face and the rain danced its evil dance upon her head as she attempted to gather her bearings. She felt like Death lurked in every doorway with hell at one dark window. Rachel's hair stood on end, a shiver raced down her spine and a lump came to her throat- he was the hunter, and Rachel was the prey. Isaac pounced towards her, catching her off guard. His hand soon seized control over Rachel's frail arm, demonstrating that the odds were against her. Like a shadow, he was always there. Looming over her, as if to prove the hierarchy between them was reality. Rachel attempted to writhe out of the vice-like grasp but instead of being met with freedom, she was instead met with gelid water that consumed her body as she fell silently into the abyss below.
The sound of her heartbeat vigorously pounding her chest lasted only two or three minutes, though it felt incredibly longer. Being enveloped in the darkness, Rachel's senses only grew duller. Mind racing, heart throbbing, senses eliminated, was this it for her? The wind let out a deafening roar, slashing everything within its path with its claws. She looked into Isaac's eyes as she fell, which were lit by the shimmering moon. Danger was replaced with a sense of calmness due to the dim lit scenery. Whilst that moment lasted a lifetime, her lifetime lasted a mere moment.
Then, Rachel's fate became intertwined with D-game.
So many questions lay unanswered.
So many questions that needed to be answered
