Kai
Retired Staff
She hit the ground with a loud, gravelly thud. What was left of her tattered, bloody clothes not providing any protection against the hard, gravel-covered surface. Scraped and dirty, this latest treatment was just another injury added to countless others, as well as numerous insults to her pride, and to her decency. She ached all over, and so just a little more wasn't that bad, though the busted, bleeding lip did sting a bit. Still the injuries were nothing compared to the other things they had done to her, things that would have made her shudder if she dared to think about them.
Now, however, she looked up, looked into the bright, open space she had been so rudely introduced to. It was a wide open field, covered in gravel, and lit from above by hundreds of floodlights. Dimly, she became aware of the incredibly loud noise pressing in on her from every direction. Cheering, jeering, roaring, and bellowing. It was the outrageous excitement of a crowd, like one heard at a professional sports event. Except instead of being comfortably seated in the stands, this time, She was in the middle of it all. But why were they cheering?
Suddenly, as if a switch became turned on, she realized where she was. She'd seen it in movies, read about them in history books, but she had thought that they had gone just as extinct as the civilizations which had enjoyed them eons ago. She was in an Arena, a Coliseum, and the fact she was in the ring meant one thing. She was a contestant. Or rather, a victim.
Gritting her teeth, she raised herself off the ground, ignoring the added noise from the nearby crowd, and looked to see what else was in the ring. it didn't take long to find out. There were more- More people like her, people whom looked savagely beaten, probably violated, and otherwise demeaned. Torn clothes and blood were the norm, and more than a few couldn't even get up, such bad shape they were in. She looked over the arena itself one more time, and realized it wasn't just an open field. There were trenches in the middle, starting just a few yards in front of her. She guessed there were entrances near each of the other victims, and realized that this was going to be more than just a game or test.
Doing what she could with her torn clothes to cover herself better, the girl tore off a bit of bloody sleeve from her shirt, and used it to tie back her hair. Her hair had once been snow-white, but currently it was matted and covered in blood, dirt, and other substances, and so the least she could do was keep it up, and out of her way. A light flashed near the center of the ring, and then a volumetric arrow pointed toward a circular trench in the middle of what was probably a maze. It read 'Exit, By any means necessary. Maximum of five contestants'
She realized, at that moment, that she had to make it to the center, soon, or she would die. Grimacing, she walked forward and entered the maze, just as the others around her, but, as soon as she was on the bottom of the trench, she broke into a run. She had to win. She had to live.
Now, however, she looked up, looked into the bright, open space she had been so rudely introduced to. It was a wide open field, covered in gravel, and lit from above by hundreds of floodlights. Dimly, she became aware of the incredibly loud noise pressing in on her from every direction. Cheering, jeering, roaring, and bellowing. It was the outrageous excitement of a crowd, like one heard at a professional sports event. Except instead of being comfortably seated in the stands, this time, She was in the middle of it all. But why were they cheering?
Suddenly, as if a switch became turned on, she realized where she was. She'd seen it in movies, read about them in history books, but she had thought that they had gone just as extinct as the civilizations which had enjoyed them eons ago. She was in an Arena, a Coliseum, and the fact she was in the ring meant one thing. She was a contestant. Or rather, a victim.
Gritting her teeth, she raised herself off the ground, ignoring the added noise from the nearby crowd, and looked to see what else was in the ring. it didn't take long to find out. There were more- More people like her, people whom looked savagely beaten, probably violated, and otherwise demeaned. Torn clothes and blood were the norm, and more than a few couldn't even get up, such bad shape they were in. She looked over the arena itself one more time, and realized it wasn't just an open field. There were trenches in the middle, starting just a few yards in front of her. She guessed there were entrances near each of the other victims, and realized that this was going to be more than just a game or test.
Doing what she could with her torn clothes to cover herself better, the girl tore off a bit of bloody sleeve from her shirt, and used it to tie back her hair. Her hair had once been snow-white, but currently it was matted and covered in blood, dirt, and other substances, and so the least she could do was keep it up, and out of her way. A light flashed near the center of the ring, and then a volumetric arrow pointed toward a circular trench in the middle of what was probably a maze. It read 'Exit, By any means necessary. Maximum of five contestants'
She realized, at that moment, that she had to make it to the center, soon, or she would die. Grimacing, she walked forward and entered the maze, just as the others around her, but, as soon as she was on the bottom of the trench, she broke into a run. She had to win. She had to live.