Page 36 of Run of Ruin

I filled my canteen and splashed a bit more water on my arms and neck, letting the cold soothe the ache in my muscles. Then I stood, adjusted my pack, and kept going.

Most people would follow the river if they found it. Praxis rested near a body of water, and all rivers eventually led somewhere, so people without a compass or a map would cling tothe edge of this river and ride it all the way to the finish line. But I knew better. I’d seen it with my own eyes as I fell. This river would wind and twist for miles through The Wilds before ever leading near Praxis. Following it would guarantee arrival, sure... but far too late.

I needed to cut through if I wanted to make it home before I starved to death, to hell with winning.

Now that I had my bearings again, the mental map I’d crafted during the fall reoriented itself in my mind. I could see it clearly. I started walking with something unfamiliar blooming in my chest, something that felt a lot like confidence.

But after the first hour, that bloom began to wither. My ribs were screaming with every step. After a few more, my feet throbbed in protest, my head pulsed with a dull ache, and the emptiness in my stomach became impossible to ignore.

Still, I kept going.

I was no stranger to hunger. I’d gone without plenty of times, always making sure Jax had enough first. I knew I could push through until at least midday tomorrow before it started affecting my focus, though that was without bruised ribs and physical exertion.

And worse, I had no idea how to hunt. With or without a weapon. The woods were still and unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or chirp of a distant bird. A few squirrels had darted past earlier, but nothing big enough to give me a fighting chance at food.

The sun was dipping low, and with it, the forest changed. What had been pretty and peaceful during the day now felt… wrong. Twisted shadows stretched through the trees, and every innocent rustle of leaves made my skin crawl. It was like the woods were holding their breath, waiting for something.

I glanced around, trying to find somewhere safe enoughto hunker down for the night. It took a few minutes, but I found a small alcove, barely big enough for a person, but the entrance had a natural overhang. If I used that as my back wall and stretched the chute over it, maybe I could feel safe enough to close my eyes.

I worked carefully, weighing down the edges of the chute with rocks and fallen branches. It was full of holes, sure, but it was something. I sat back and stared at it for a long moment, debating. Fire would give me light. Warmth. Comfort. But I only had seven matches. And if I could get through tonight without using one, I would. No matter how cold it got. No matter how loud the forest became once it was fully swallowed by night.

I reached for the camera and flipped the switch, watching the little red light fade to black. And even though it left me in near-complete darkness, I felt lighter. Like I could finally breathe.

So I did.

I let it all come out.

Tears, silent but steady, slipped down my face as I curled in on myself beneath the torn chute. With no one watching, I didn’t have to pretend to be fine. I didn’t have to hold it together for the audience, or for Jax. I didn’t have to keep up the act.

For the first time since the drop, I let myself feel it all.

Only once the weight started to lift did my thoughts shift to the others, the rest of the lottery picks. The older woman. The little boy. Just eight years old. Somewhere out here in the dark, trying to do the same thing I was. Survive. That is, if they even made it to the ground in the first place.

I swallowed hard, forcing that thought down.

There was nothing I could do for them. Not tonight. Right now, surviving was all I had space for.

I flicked the camera back on, the red light blinking softly in the dark. Then I curled tighter beneath the chute and let myself drift off into a restless, uneasy sleep.

Morning broughta sharp pain in my side and a breath of relief that I was still in one piece. My ribs were furious about what I’d put them through yesterday. I couldn’t really blame them. I felt the same way.

I packed up quickly, drank a few sips of water, and set out again. I didn’t know exactly how far I’d traveled, but when I reached the base of a large cliff, one I’d seen from above yesterday, I knew I was making good time. There was still a long way to go, though.

I wondered, just for a moment, if Ezra was nearby.

He’d said he’d find me. Maybe I should’ve tried to find him, too. But I didn’t want to waste what little resources I had on backtracking or guessing. I was lucky enough to have the map burned into my brain. Maybe Briar had been right about the kinds of muscles it takes to survive these trials. Even the physical ones. My mental map was already proving invaluable.

I kept a steady pace for most of the morning, but by midday, my body started to cave beneath me. My head was light, my legs heavy. Hunger was hitting harder than I’d expected.

I found a spot on a fallen log and dropped my pack, rummaging through it until I pulled out the jerky. If I could make it last, eat it in thirds, it might be enough to keep me moving without blacking out.

The first bite was heavenly. Dried jerky had never been my favorite, but right now, it tasted like magic. I moaned around the mouthful, letting the flavor linger on my tonguebefore I took another bite. When I’d eaten about a third, I forced myself to stop. My stomach protested, loud and angry, but I wrapped it back up and tucked it into my pack.

That’s when I heard the rustling.

I froze, heart skipping, head on a swivel.

It was louder than the squirrels I’d seen yesterday. Heavier. My heart leapt with a flicker of hope, maybe it was Ezra pushing through the trees.

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