The Mating Run

Chapter 8

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Five hours.

Hiders are given a generous five-hour window to scout for the perfect hiding place.

The speakers blare the announcement of the commencement of the Mating Run, accompanied by a resounding blast from a horn. Then, a flurry of movement. ensues as everyone sc atters, desperately seeking hiding spots for the duration of

the run.

Beside me, Victor stands with a gleeful expression, his laughter echoing through the air as the other Hiders frantically scramble, occasionally stumbling over their own feet. | stare intently at him, weighing the options of either running alongside the crowd or pausing until they dissipate momentarily, sensing the

imminent rush.

“Any ideas on where to hide?” Victor wraps his arms around my shoulder, his chin gently pressing against the top of my head as he asks. As we stand at the starting line, our eyes follow the swift movements of the other Hiders. “We've got five hours to brainstorm hiding spots. Apparently, they’re betting this Mating Run

will last a whole week.”

In surprise, my eyes grow wide. | briefly look up at him, my eyes meeting his. “A week, seriously? The previous Mating Run only lasted a few days, do they honestly think we can go longer than that?”

“| hear there’s some tough competition this year.” Victor explains, his grip on me. tightening as he pulls me closer to him. “Well, there’s me, obviously. Then there’s this jerk who’s totally obsessed with my dad. And then there are a few kids of politicians who decided to join too. Just a bunch of famous people, | guess. But of course, you're also here.”

The eye roll comes naturally as | recognize that Victor added me to the group. as an afterthought. | brush off comments like that because | know he didn’t have

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any ill intentions. He’s being straightforward and saying it exactly as it is.

Ignoring his comment, | reach out and grip his arm tightly.

Having prepared for this, my first instinct would be to seek refuge among the towering branches of the trees. However, it’s worth considering that others might also have their thoughts on the matter. It’s a popular hiding spot, often ranked as the number one choice in magazines and interviews.

No one would want or sponsor a Hider who didn’t even bother to scout for a perfect hiding spot.

Then, the thought of damp, musty caves crosses my mind. It would be easier, but since we took too long, most of the caves would probably already be claimed by other Hiders. And there’s no guarantee that everyone would simply open their doors to us or welcome us into their hiding spots.

Certain Hiders are known to be quite possessive of their hiding spots, unwilling to disclose them to others.

We also need to take into account the importance of being close to a water or food source. The food ration we were provided with is enough to keep us going for a couple of days, and maybe a little longer if we’re extremely frugal.

With all that in mind, | firmly grasp Victor’s wrist and begin walking.

“Where are we going, exactly?” Victor asks, his footsteps echoing behind me.

“To a spot where no one will find us.”

“Uh...” Victor chuckles, his voice laced with amusement, as he regards me with skepticism. “We want them to find us, Alina.” “And they will,” | say, stealing a quick glance at Victor, my lips curling into a smile. “We're just gonna have fun making them work to find us.”

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At least, that is my initial intention.

When | made the plans for the Mating Run, | always took into account the expectation that my companion won't voice any complaints. Prior to Ettie becoming a Hunter, | carefully selected hiding spots that | know will provide us both with comfort.

On the other hand, Victor Craft is a completely different breed.

“There’s no way | can hide there.”

Victor says, his stare fixated on the mossy rock with a hole in the middle that can fit two people. He keeps his arms tightly crossed over his chest, careful not to brush against any of the moss surrounding us.

| scowl at him, my brows furrowed in frustration. “Why not? This spot is perfect for hiding. The moss will help the rock blend with its surroundings. So, if anyone finds us, it’s all because of our scent. That means we're totally compatible.”

“Alina.” Victor stares at me, his eyes filled with intense anger, as he glares at the moss-covered rock. “The place is all wet, and there are worms hanging from the ceiling. The smell alone would make me wanna puke.”

| can’t help but stare at Victor, my eyes widening in disbelief, as if he grew at

second head.

“You won't believe this, but we're in a forest.” | start to speak, my words echoing through the forest as | pace back and forth, animatedly pointing at the leaves and dirt. “There’s gonna be bugs, the place will be damp for sure. If it's damp, that’s a good sign ‘cause it means there’s water nearby. We gotta have that; it’s crucial for survival.”

“Can't we just go to a cave that’s not damp or maybe find a dry underground passage?” Victor suggests, his face twisted in disgust as he continues to stare at the moss-covered rock. “These worms are seriously freaking me out, Alina. I’m sorry, | can’t hide in there.”

“The caves are totally full now; we’ve already hiked for an hour to reach this

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rock.” With a frustrated click of my tongue, | proceed to explain. With the rising temperature, a trickle of sweat begins to form in the middle of my back. If we settle ourselves quickly, adjusting will be much easier. Victor can’t grasp the meaning behind it. “We can just hit the road again after crashing here.”

Victor shrugs nonchalantly, his body remaining perfectly still. “That's way too much work, Alina. Isn’t it smarter to find a hiding spot and stick with it for the whole

run?”

“Yeah, but that’s not gonna happen in real life.” My grip on the strap tightens as | passionately argue my stance. “It’s normal for Hiders to change hiding spots at least four times. It’s all there in the articles and surveys. Did you not go through

them?”

Victor's shoulders lift ina shrug as he hastily wipes away the sweat on his forehead. There are cameras strategically positioned on the trees, all pointed directly at him, likely capturing him for the audience seated in the bleachers.

“| just skimmed it, Alina. Who reads a textbook for these freaking things. anyway?”

Ido. | read them.

| don’t say it aloud.

| just groan, the sound of frustration escaping my lips, and nod in resignation, knowing that arguing with Victor would only be futile.

| thought everything would be smooth sailing after that, but | soon discovered how mistaken | was.

Since there were no Hunters yet, we mostly encounter other Hiders as we cross paths. The Hiders we come across on our walks have made us abandon the idea of covering long distances since they consistently inform us that the hiding spots we are considering are already taken. Despite my urging to walk faster, Victor continues to stroll leisurely.

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With only three hours left, he stubbornly argues that it’s still an excessive amount of time, failing to acknowledge our need to gather supplies. With each passing moment, my silence grows as we scour for a hiding spot that meets his standards. The question of whether Victor can sense that remains unanswered.

I've taken him to a large branch leaning against a tree, where the rustling leaves. provide us with perfect concealment. The thought of staying there fills Victor with unease, envisioning the pitch-black surroundings where snakes could easily be mistaken for harmless vines. | try to calm his fears by assuring him that the forest is free from snakes or any potential harm, but my words fall on deaf ears.

I've brought him to a location where enormous logs are sca ttered, ready to be rearranged into a small labyrinth. If we had interlocked the logs, we could have created a central open space for us to enjoy during the run. Nevertheless, Victor voices his complaints once again, emphasizing the overwhelming amount of work. involved and his apprehension of becoming exhausted. He reasons that his arms. lack strength and are unfamiliar with the demands of lifting heavy loads.

I've even taken him to a hidden spot nestled beneath a thicket of shrubs. He

tries to tolerate being there, but the shrubs trigger constant sneezing and itching. | know he’s lying because if he was truly allergic, he wouldn’t have been able to register for the Mating Run in the first place. Entrance into the forest is prohibited for individuals with allergies due to the presence of unremovable allergens.

It is when | discover a hidden cave behind the waterfall that everything takes a

dramatic turn.

“This is so cool!” As the waterfall crashes down, | scream with all my might, my voice struggling to compete with the overpowering noise. “We can stay here for a while since there’s plenty of food and water. We won't smell because we can take quick showers whenever we feel like it. This is gonna be the sickest hiding spot ever, Victor!”

Victor is quiet, and | can sense the tension building, so | cautiously shift my gaze towards him, bracing myself for the words | know will only bring discontent. When | finally turn to look at him, my smile instantly disappears.

Victor stands with his arms crossed tightly against his chest, clearly expressing

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his reluctance to be there.

D

6B:

“What's the matter with it now?” | demand, letting out a frustrated groan. “Victor, this place is perfect! You see that, don’t you? We can stay put and kick back here, just like you wanted. No need to go anywhere else.”

“Sure, but have you considered how cold it’s gonna be after dark?” Victor reasons, his fingers absentmindedly scratching the back of his neck. “We're stuck. with just one blanket and this track suit. We don’t have anything else to wear. If they all get wet, we'll end up getting sick.”

This particular reason he gives me seems the most rational and reasonable out of all the others. However, my exhaustion prevents me from searching for an alternative hiding spot that would accommodate his absurd and unjust preferences.

“We've only got a few minutes left before the Hunters go after us!”

I let out a piercing scream, releasing all the pent-up anger that | have been desperately trying to suppress. | catch Victor off guard, and his gaze locks onto me with a mix of confusion and... amazement?

“If you don’t wanna stick around, then suggest something else! It’s been me finding the hiding spot this whole time. You only did one thing — you followed me and complained like a little bit ch.”

“Oh. Wow.” Victor snickers, his eyes scanning me from head to toe as if | had just cracked a joke. “I never knew you had it in you to be so feisty, honey. Do those textbooks of yours say if Hiders can get together?”

A flush of anger spreads across my face, the redness creeping up from my neck. But judging from the mischievous twin kle in Victor's eyes, he completely misinterprets it. With each step, he closes the distance between us, his arms enveloping my waist, pressing our bodies together.

“How about we go back to the starting line and give the staff the good news that we found each other, sweetheart?”

Just as I’m about to respond, the speakers trumpet with another blaring horn.

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Like a mirror image, | freeze simultaneously with Victor.

“Hiders, please make your preparations as the Hunters are about to commence!”

“Sh it.” | push Victor away from me, and he stumbles backward, his arms flailing for balance. | urgently grab for his wrist, my fingers tightening around it as | pull him towards the thundering waterfalls. “Come on already! We have to hide.”

| always knew that Victor Craft was the type of person who would laugh at the most inappropriate times. But | had no idea how much of an as shole he really was.

The forest is abruptly filled with the blaring sound of a horn, its reverberations accompanied by the eerie howls of the Hunters. Taking advantage of my distraction, Victor forcefully yanks his arm away from me. He then laughs, his eyes sparkling with tears of amusement, as if my confusion is the most hilarious thing he has ever witnessed.

He quickly turns back, his laughter echoing through the air as he runs away

from me.

“Catch up with you whenever, Alina!”

From his tracksuit pocket, he retrieves a small whistle and gives it a sharp blow.

“Someone’s hiding in the waterfalls!”