Human Date

Part 4

Rayna tests the weight of the gun in her hand. It’s bigger than all of Rachel’s guns, which fit in one hand. This one requires the use of both hands to aim it and shoot it. “Rachel always said not to point the gun at Toraf—er, anyone. And now you’re telling me to shoot at humans?”

“It’s a paintball gun,” Emma reminds her. “If you shoot someone with it, all it does is splatter them with paint.”

Oh. Right. They talked about this. She can shoot anyone she wants, she just can’t aim for their head. “So if I shoot them, they lose?”

“Yes,” Emma says, putting on a black vest. She hands one to Rayna. “The goal is to be the only person left who hasn’t been shot.”

“What are the rules?” Toraf asks, sliding a bowl-looking thing onto his head. He flips up the front of it to wink at Rayna. She gives him a small smile, but nothing overly noticeable.

“There are no rules,” Galen says. The he looks at Rayna. “Except no. Shooting. In. The. Head.”

She rolls her eyes. “I know that already!”

“I just want you to acknowledge in front of witnesses,” he says.

“Acknowledged,” she huffs. It’s a shame too, because it would be a great way to practice her aim. Rachel taught her how to shoot the little guns, but she’s never handled something this big before.

A loud whistle blows from behind them. “The game has started,” Galen says. “Get your helmet on.”

“If there’s no shooting in the head then why do we need helmets?” she says. Do humans do anything that makes sense?

“In case of accidents,” Emma calls over her shoulder as she runs into the wood.

“What, I’m supposed to chase them?” Rayna mutters after everyone has dispersed. With all their black gear on, they easily disappear among the trees and brush. “How exhausting.”

She inches her way toward the enclosed battlefield. Rachel taught her to walk with her gun pointed ahead, and to look in all directions before she proceeds forward. She moves along the outer rim of the enclosure, figuring that staying in the middle would only get her shot. Besides, from here she has a view of what’s going on inside. She hears the sound of a gunshot and of someone crying out in surprise. She thinks Emma might have just lost the game.

Quietly, Rayna moves toward the sound of the scream. Sure enough, Emma’s back is covered in bright orange paint, and she’s making her way out of the woods, helmet dangling in her hand. Rayna thinks it was probably Toraf, because she doubts her brother could ever raise a weapon to Emma—game or not.

There are no rules, Rayna reminds herself. With as much stealth as she can muster, she sneaks up behind Emma, grabbing at her mouth to stifle her scream. Emma is hardly a match for Rayna’s tenacity. With more ease than she’d expected, she drags Emma back into the woods.

Tearing down a sizable piece of netting from the boundary of the enclosure, she stuffs a wad of it into Emma’s mouth, then binds her hands and feet with it. Emma is clearly enraged, but Rayna shakes her head at her. “What do you care?” Rayna hisses. “You already lost. You want these boys to beat us both?”

Some of the fury leaves Emma’s face while she considers. Slowly, she shakes her head.

“Good,” Rayna says. “Now, you’re my bait. I’m taking you to the middle. Stay there and look helpless.”
Emma does a good job of looking like a victim, Rayna decides. Or she’s trying to actually escape, which isn’t going to happen. No one can loosen her bindings except Rayna; she’d used her own special knot for the occasion. On the floor of the enclosed woods, Emma squirms and wriggles like a hooked fish. Perfect.