Chapter 7

     Jade had never felt bolder and sexier than she ever did, except now, for she finally decided to let out her real sexual identity. And yes, Jade identified as a she from now on. She sashayed her way into the entrance of the forest where everyone was gathered for the next game tonight, wearing their uniform that she had specifically customize into a black short hoodie, gothic, punk pullover crop top, hooded sweatshirt long sleeves with alloy chain connected to the neckline that goes around her hips and backside, then she paired it with the women’s leggings uniform instead of the jogging pants assigned for the men.

     That wasn't supposed to be her uniform. Men were given black jogging pants and black hooded sweatshirt while the women were given the same black hooded sweatshirt with black leggings.

     She heard the loud cheers from the crowd as well as the taunts from homophobic males in other groups which she responded with her middle finger raised towards them.

     “Wow! You look lost. The runway for fashion week is in Paris.” Someone shouted from crowd.

     Hearing that, she posed like a real supermodel before continuing her sashay towards her group. She heard more compliments, disapproval and criticisms from others but she ignored it this time.

     “You look amazing.” Yekaterina said when Jade reached them.

     “I knew it. You’re obviously a woman at heart.” Blaize remarked, recalling that one-time that she laid her head on his chest when they fell from that hole for the first challenge.

     “Are you sure about wearing that though?” Zayden voiced out his concern while looking at Jade’s exposed stomach.

     “Why? Do I distract you?” Jade teased him and winked playfully.

     “Yes. You’re a pain in the eye. Keep a distance from me.” Zayden retorted with warning in his voice.

     “Your exposed stomach will be the arrow’s aim.” Ahrio said while making a gesture as if to shot her with an arrow straight into her belly button.

     Andrik on the other hand just ignored all of them and focused his attention into the forest. He turned to Yekaterina when she said to him, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

     “No, you are.” He absent-mindedly replied making Yekaterina blush and looked away immediately. He wasn’t supposed to say that out loud but he did.

     The sound of an arrow pierced through the wind, aimed towards Jade’s direction. In a split second, she fell into the ground when Zayden pushed him with force to dodge it. She cursed, wide-eyed then they all ducked down when a series of arrows came flying from every direction.

     “The game has started. Run into the forest!” Yekaterina shouted.

     Zayden looked around and saw people running into the forest and he watched as people fell on their knees when the arrow hit them.

     “We can’t run! It’s too dangerous. We have to dodge the arrows, might as well crawl!” Ahrio suggested, seeing that most people didn’t make it inside the forest before they were shot with an arrow, dead.

     Ahrio began to grovel to enter the forest and the others followed.

     “Jade! Watch out!” Yekaterina yelled. Jade instantly rolled over to her side and the arrow struck the ground where she was before. More arrows were shot at them but they were able to look out for each other and avoided it.

     Ahrio groaned in pain when a person’s body fell on his back, covering him, probably shot and is now dead. Another arrow was aimed at him and it hit the person’s dead body again. He was about to shove it off of him but he saw another arrow flying towards him, so he grabbed the body again and use it as a shield to cover himself.

     “Sorry, I’ll make good use of your body.” He mumbled, referring to the dead person.

     “Make sure to bury that after, Ahrio!” Blaize taunted him, he was close behind Ahrio.

     Ahrio finally entered the forest, he stood up and quickly hid behind a tree, right in time when an arrow flew past the tree.

     “Do you want to use that, Blaize? I think you need it.” Ahrio taunted him back. He heard Blaize cursed him before he made her way deeper into the forest, hiding behind trees, ducking and dodging arrows.

     Yekaterina was almost inside the forest when an arrow came flying towards her, aimed at the back of her head but Andrik immediately covered her body.

     “F*ck!” He swore when the arrow grazed his upper arm. Yekaterina looked up at him and Andrik pushed her, making her hurry.

     “Go! I’ll protect you.” He instructed her.

     Yekaterina didn’t have the chance to argue so she immediately run into the woods, and hid behind a tree.  Soon enough, the six of them had gathered deep into the forest, arrows still flying past them but the trees provided shield and protection.

     Jade suddenly shrieked in disgust and revulsion when she stepped on something mushy and soft.

     “Ewww! Yuck!” She gagged and covered her mouth when she looked down and saw what she had stepped on. It was a dead animal’s decaying body, worms eating its flesh.

     Everyone gathered around her. It wasn’t the only one, bodies of dead animals were scattered around the forest grounds like deers and boars. Some of it were unrecognizable because of the decay. The smell is horrid. They covered their noses but the horrible smell is too strong to ignore.

     Andrik ripped off his sleeves and used it as a mask to cover his nose, then he handed the other one to Yekaterina. Her brows furrowed when she noticed the red stain on it and glanced at Andrik’s arm.

      She then ripped her own sleeves and went closer to him to wrap it around his wound. Jade can’t help but roll her eyes as she watches the scene unfold, her shoulder covering her nose.

     “It will ruin my outfit!” Jade complained, not wanting to rip her sleeve off just like the two.

     “There’s nothing to ruin when it’s already ruined.” Zayden replied as he scanned Jade’s outfit covered with dirt.

     Ahrio ripped both his sleeves and silently handed the other one to Jade causing the latter to squeal in joy.

     “Thanks, lover boy.” She flirtatiously said, making Ahrio annoyed.

     Blaize also ripped his sleeves and handed the other one to Zayden who accepted it reluctantly, weirded out at the sweet gesture.