Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 298

“My name is Ivy.”
“I’m Fern.”
“I’m Feather.” Then the rest “My name is Fox.”
“My name is Jay.” Then everyone waited for me to speak. “Holly.” I grumbled.
The next morning, four imperials barged in, blindfolding me and dragged me somewhere out in the middle of the forest,
assuming it’s where I’ll be fighting for my life. I was dumped on the floor, the grass felt damp. Taking off my blindfold I saw
stretches of vast tall trees towering over me. Weirdly, it gave me a familiar welcoming atmosphere, then it came to me. It’s
my hunting forest.
Tagging me like a dog, they injected me with a small microchip on my arm, then they walked away and disappeared
through the foliage. Suddenly there were piercing screams of pain and fear. I turned around horrified to find a grizzly in
front of me, I ran as the bear scampered after me, I reached the tree where I had kept my bow and arrows yesterday. As the
bear drew closer, I sent my arrow soaring towards it’s eye. The arrow struck the creature’s left eye and it roared in pain,
fleeing away into the forest. I sighed in relief and began to scavenge for yesterday’s catch. I soon found my snares and prey;
two rabbits and a squirrel. I proceeded to set up my camp under a tree and cook the snared rabbit over a warm fire.
Exhaustion soon took over me and I drifted off to a deep sleep next to the comforting flames.
The morning birdsong awoke me, as I wondered where I was … the games. Instantly, it struck me; How would mother
and Briar feed themselves without me to hunt for them? I setup my snares, took my bow and arrows, then set off to find
prey. I saw a pigeon resting on a tree and as I prepared my arrow, I heard a crunch of a twig as if a foot crushed it. Alerted,
I turned around readying my arrow; it was Feather, another player in the games.
“What are you doing here?” I snapped.
“I’m sorry!” Feather responded, alarmed. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“You’re not going to know where everyone else is if you trample around like that.” I replied. Feather’s frightened blue
eyes began to water and soon tears streamed down her face, “I’m really sorry, I just miss my family and my brother Storm.”
She looked straight into my green eyes, I looked away from her gaze for I too started to get teary. “Allies?” She asked.
“Yes.” I replied.
I resumed my hunt whilst Feather collected various herbs and set up camp. We continued to assist each other until five days
later. When I was out hunting, when suddenly there was a horrifying shriek behind me. I recognised Snow’s scream. I
sprinted towards the noise, to find a large pack of wolves viciously snapping at her and seven other players; Maple, Fern,
Ivy, Dove, Jay, Fox and Lion. Instantly, I started firing at the wolves and soon they redirected towards me, I scrambled up
the nearest tree and continued to shoot from there. I sent a stream of arrows flying towards the wolves until the largest wolf
leaped up at me, scratching my leg. Yelling in pain, I stabbed an arrow deep into the wolf ’s throat. It’s body became limp
and I dropped it before it dragged me down too. The remaining wolves began to howl and fled as I continued my counter
attack. I fumbled back down the tree and retrieved my arrows before sprinting to Feather’s side. Her body laid lifeless on
the damp bloodsoaked grass along with the surviving players; Dove, Jay, Lion and Fern. “She saved us, but we couldn’t
save her, there were too many.” Lion growled quietly, his amber eyes burning in anger. “And Maple abandoned us, we
should join forces, Holly.”