I ran down the dark path. The cat-like wind wrapped around me, almost begging me to just fall into a deep sleep. I knew that no matter how much I wanted to lie down I couldn’t. He would find me. Knowing what would happen if he found me I ran. The howls of his wolves nearly behind me. I heard a scream as he found another. Almost half of us gone. I stumbled over a log. When I fell my hand grasped a clump of string. Wait this is way too fine to be thread… and here of all places, in the middle of The Chase. I thought to myself. My hand followed it up and my hand hit a stone. Wait is this…? I got on my knees and shifted over so I was on the other side of the rock. My eyes quickly readjusted to the dark. I could just barely see the silver two glinting on her neck. My hand flew up to the cold, hard, silver, one pressed against my neck. Amanda, the girl who came not long after me. I wiped tears from my eyes and shakily stood. I kept running as cold tears flew from my eyes.

I saw pure white moonlight. I sprinted towards it thinking that I might have found the exit he told us about. I ran even faster than just as I was about to drink up the moonlight I froze as a rust-red silver flashed by me barely cutting my cheek as it passed. The blade thunked on the tree as another blade flew past me. This time it was marked with a one. Me, my blade, the one meant to kill me. I whirled around and yanked the knives out of the tree. Without thinking of the consequences I whipped the first blade into the milky light. The blade hit a solid object and it crumpled to the ground. I ran forward to see what I hit. It was like the world flipped over when I saw who I hit. I collapsed onto my knees. He is dead… finally… dead. The man who kidnapped us, killed Amanda, was finally dead. I yanked out the cold knife out of his chest as he murmured shakily “coat..tracker...map...supplies... House” his arm flapped as he pointed north. I grabbed the coat that was draped over his shoulders and put it on. My hands instantly went to the pockets as I was running towards the ‘house’ he pointed to. My hand hit a solid, rectangle object. The thing was vibrating like crazy. I shrugged it off. After a few minutes of walking, a house shone brightly ahead of me.

As I approached the door quietly creaked open. The sweet aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pie lured me inside. I was too immersed in following the sweet scent to notice the door slam behind me. The strong scent of sweet nutmeg brought me to the dark kitchen. The only thing giving off light was one lit candle, almost burnt out. A plate sat delicately in front of a chair. A generous slice of pumpkin pie sat on the plate. I fell into the chair. Someone said shakily “O...one? Is that you?’’ I spun around in the chair. A young girl stood there staring at me. My eyes almost instantly went to her neck. The rusty five hanging off a thin chain must mean she’s a survivor. Her face fell when she saw my face. “O-oh you aren’t Jennifer. Are you the new generation?” I stared in shock and nodded slowly. “ Wh-why?” I stuttered nervously. She darted forward and grabbed my hand pulling me up and out of my chair with otherworldly strength. She darted into the shadows dragging me along behind her. The wall rushed toward us. I tried to pull the girl to a stop but her strength outmatched mine by long shot. She hit the wall and just phased through it. I braced for the impact that never came.

I slowly opened my eyes. The sudden bright lights surrounded me. My eyes slowly focused. I saw a tremendous crowd muttering stood before me. I looked around confused. I...I’m on a stage? Why? The talking ceased when someone saw me standing. A woman in a navy dress walked up from the crowd. She smiled gently, “You are Jennifer Aarein, correct?” she asked me. I nodded my head slowly. She giggled sweetly, “Oh Jennifer, you’ll need to talk for the interview.” I slowly processed what she said. Interview...interview...wait, when did I get an interview… and why? “Wait why do I have an interview?” My voice shook as I asked her. She stared at me in amazement “ You don’t remember? You agreed to one when you escaped from the Chase a month ago.” I just ignored it and told the group what happened there. They all were amazed at what happened. The questions made my head hurt. I was escorted out.