"I am Unnamed. My title is dead."
In the World, the Planet, and the Base, it's either be number one or die.
The alternative to dying, however, is to become an Unnamed. Turning eighteen means that you will compete for your name. Come out on top, you...
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The Runner stumbles as the man shoves him out the door. He stops himself, grabbing on to a pillar for balance just before he tumbles down the stairs. The Elite Leader steps into the doorway and nods to the Runner, no emotions present on his stone-cold face nor in his momentarily blank eyes.
"We have a deal, Runner. Don't break it. I'll be watching you."
The Runner nods in response. With a loud bang, the Runner is cut offfrom their intimidating glares. Adrenaline pumps through his veins, making his limbs shake. He needs to run; he doesn't care about how sore his body is, how tired his brain is. He starts to sprint. The walls of the World flash by him as he makes his way around, shoving everything down inside of him as he tries to work out the tangles in his brain. The Runner blocks out all sounds and all sights. He tries to clear his mind, to do away with the growing guilt inside of him, this sudden desperation clawing up his esophagus to help the enemy. He knows these people now. The girl, One, Two, Three... there are children in the Unnamed. Surely the government won't punish everyone involved, right? They wouldn't—would they?
The Runner shuts his eyes. He needs to calm down. These things can be thought about later. If anything comes up, maybe he can negotiate.
Or not.
Don't speak unless spoken to... he reminds himself.
"Hey," the Runner hears. He shakes his head and moves faster, his body crying out for him to stop. He tries to shut out the voice that follows him along the wall, not wanting any part of anything after the Elite Leader's deal. Sleep is all he wants.
"Hey."
The voice is right beside him, angry, confused. He turns to look at where it's coming from. It's the girl he had saved.
"What?" he growls, wishing she would just go away and leave him alone. He doesn't want to talk.
"What was that about back there?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," the Runner says quietly, trying to run faster than her. It's working, and she's struggling to keep up with him. He can hear the exasperation in her voice.
"That man. He seemed to know you. Who is he?"
"That's the first time I've ever seen him," the Runner admits.
"You're a sweatin' liar," she spits between breaths. "He was so casual to you... he would have shot your head off for talking to him like that if you weren't important or something. If the Unnamed finds out you're in cahoots with—"
"I'm not!" The Runner shouts in frustration. He pulls forward and leaves her in the dust, letting the lie settle upon her shoulders as she breathes in the air around her.
"I'm going to find out your secret, Runner," she says aloud, but the Runner is too far gone to hear. "The time for lies is over."
