Lucia had never been this scared in her entire life. She was going to fight someone she didn’t even know, and she would probably lose. Although she wasn’t this bad at fighting, her fists couldn’t defeat her opponent. There were so many options for people she would fight against, as Ginny told her that there would potentially be some monsters there. The camp had all the resources they wanted, but not her. She didn’t have a single chance of winning, and she knew it. Her fists wouldn’t handle it. But now, the girl had to live with it, whether she wanted it or not. 

She was very mad at Isabel, but she was also grateful; she saved her from further harassment. Yet the situation wasn’t to her advantage, and the eldest didn’t plan that this would happen. An unknown opponent, chosen from her very own hands, when she would draw her fate? Unexpected. Troubling. 

That one morning, the blue-eyed girl woke up in a haze, nothing on her brain. She was full of empty smiles, and she was all dizzy, trying to compose herself in front of reality. She took deep breaths, looking at herself straight in the mirror, biting her lower lip nervously as her negative thoughts took over. I can’t do it. I’ll get beaten in front of Isa and everyone. Others will laugh at me, and I’ll end up in the nurse’s office. I might not even cure and die from blood pressure. Lucia stopped herself, adjusting her hair as she kept on staring at herself in the mirror. No. I won’t end up getting hurt. I’ll be fine. Completely fine. I’ll get embarrassed, but at least I’m going to be fine. 

Imagine being a vulnerable teenager who's stuck in an apocalyptic world, who lost her mother-killed by the hands of her very own sister- and that must deal with the thought of fighting a stranger that has ninety-nine percents of winning. And for someone like Lucia. Vulnerable, who relied on Isabel for support, who doesn’t have a clue where to go in life. Hard, ridiculously hard. 

That’s with those thoughts that the girl started to prepare herself, brushing her hair as she gazed at herself in the mirror sheepishly. The other boys and girls were watching her and snickering in her face to see her this weak again, this troubled, but she didn’t even think about it. She wasn’t even conscious that she was being watched, she was in her trance, making sure she would look presentable. 

I’m not good enough. I’m not good enough. I can’t fight off whoever is going to stand above me. I don’t have the capacities. I can’t do this. The teen thought as if she was on the verge of tears, tilting her head back. It was difficult. She felt like she couldn't breathe, and that she was overwhelmed with the feeling. She shook her head and stood up, clenching her jaw. 

“I can’t let them see me like this” Lucia muttered to herself quietly, looking down as her eyes flickering in anticipation. “I’m such a wimp. I need to get a hold of myself. I can’t believe I’m overreacting to such a situation. Isabel is handling it so perfectly.” 

So, she wiped her tears and inhaled sharply, praying to God that she would survive. The only way that she could handle it was to try, yet if she didn’t even dare to die, it would be way worse. 

*** 

People were chanting Lucia’s name, inviting her into the arena. She felt all small and pathetic in her Outer Banks tee shirt, being a teen in the middle of all of this. She tried to ignore how hard it was, but she kept on slamming her hands on her ears, annoyed. When she entered, she noticed it looked like a roman amphitheater. People were hovering over her in rows that got higher and higher, as she stood in the middle, not knowing what she had to do. 

Lucia searched for Isabel around the place. Yet everywhere her eyes wandered, a new face, but no Isabel in sight. Her heart throbbed. Maybe she wasn’t too important for her sister, after all. She couldn’t believe Isabel would miss such an important event. Well, that’s what she thought. 

Nobody spoke, yet everyone was cheerful, yelling her name, throwing either roses or rotten tomatoes. Fortunately, she dodged the tomatoes each time they went at her, and she’d drop the roses down with a shy smile. They didn’t know why the people of the camp were acting this way, but she didn’t find it very endearing. A gravelly voice caught her off guard. A masculine voice, from a microphone, hesitant. 

“Today is an important day, ladies, and gentlemen. Today, Lucia Fletcher had decided to fight one of us, in exchange for respect. Her legal tutor, Isabel Fletcher, was the one who wanted to prove her worth, so it’s time we see if the sisters were right about her abilities! What a courageous act for such a young girl!” 

The girl stood there silently, feeling like a beast would lunge at her, or that she’d be randomly attacked. She was walking through the lion’s den, and she knew it. But she couldn’t change a single thing at all, since she was there, and she could not step back. Lucia wanted to run off and bury her face down to the ground, but she stood there, as if she was frozen in time. She felt like she would throw up, say something, but something stopped her. 

As everyone remained silent, the man with the microphone walked over, holding a jar with multiple papers in it. More than a hundred, Lucia thought as she bit her lip, watching the man. Scrutinizing his face, the teen noticed he looked quite amused to see her in such a state, and the corner of his lips twitched, as if he was about to break a smile. Lucia hated that man already, but she decided not to let it show. 

“Lucia Fletcher...” The man stated as he handed her the jar, “You may choose the name of your opponent...” 

“No.” The girl said as she shook her head, “You can do it yourself, thank you very much. I don’t know why I should be the one picking the paper, because that’s a cruel wait.” 

The man laughed, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. He joined his hands together and cracked his knuckles in an awful sound, clicking his tongue in disapproval. Lucia shuddered and looked away; this man was a real creep. 

“Someone’s acting all mad, I see. All feisty. Keep that feistiness for later, young girl, I like that attitude, but you won’t last long. I don’t know if you’re fighting by choice or because your pride has been hurt, but I think you’re a little too stupid for your own good. The world is at its end! Do you really think things are going to be the way you want them to be? No chance. Now stop being stubborn and pick a paper already.” 

Lucia hesitated for a moment. Do I have a choice? The youngest thought, then she shook her head. No, I obviously don’t. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and picked a random name. She didn’t even look at it. She just held it there, chewing on her lower lip. 

“Say the name. Come on, don't be scared.” The man whispered in her ear, nudging her as everyone remained silent, all eyes on her. Including Isabel’s. 

The teen didn’t want to. Not at all. Reluctant, she opened her eyes and read the name, not knowing who it was. It looked feminine, but she couldn’t really know. Noticing how much the silence weighted on the place, Lucia looked up at the crowd and spoke the loudest she could, so that everyone could hear:  

“Morrigan Jones.” She claimed. 

Everyone gasped. Visibly, Morrigan Jones was someone especially important. Yet Lucia didn’t get it until the girl came over. Her face went white when she saw her. She had such a muscular physique. Her arms were twice her size, and she had masculine traits. She gulped. Now it was certain she would be losing. The youngest didn’t let it show, though. As Morrigan stepped closer, hovering over her, she didn’t even flinch. It would be a weakness, after all. 

“Break a leg.” Her opponent told her as her lips curled in an arrogant smile. 

“What? Why do you want me to break my leg?” Lucia asked, in shock. 

“Good luck.” Morrigan sighed as she rolled her eyes, extending her hand, “It’s an idiom, I don’t actually want you to break your leg...” 

Lucia laughed nervously, her cheeks flushing red as sweat dripped along her forehead. That was so stupid, she thought as she sighed and nodded her hand, extending her hand. Morrigan’s grip was firm, and she felt like her hand was crushing against the pressure. Her knuckles were growing white as she winced. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be easy on you.” The muscular woman told her in a honeyed voice, “Consider yourself lucky I don’t beat children, it wouldn’t be an example to follow for the camp’s generations to come, don’t you think?” 

The youngest ignored it. Well, she tried, at least. She forced a smile and nodded vigorously, swallowing hard. She was acting all strong, but in fact, she was terrified at the thought ot fighting this girl. What if she beats me up? What if I faint and lose consciousness? What if I die? Relax, Lucia.... 

Lucia was on the verge of hyperventilating, and she felt like she was about to die. She had never been this scared in her entire life. All she had was a pathetic dagger and her weak fists, and she was supposed to beat a woman of six-foot two, who was trained for that, and that whose only weapon was her arms. It wasn’t good news. If Morrigan was confident enough to fight with just her fists, it meant she was incredibly strong.  

*** 

Isabel didn’t believe her eyes. Lucia was an incredibly good fighter. She dodged Morrigan’s fists easily, as if she did this a million times. From time to time, her fist would reach the woman’s arm, who would stumble back. If she had to be honest, she thought it looked quite fake. The eldest didn’t want to look mean or disrespectful, but she knew her sister good enough to know that these weren’t her usual skills. Morrigan seemed to go easy on her, yet everyone believed she sucked. 

Morrigan didn’t suck, though. If she’d look closely, her dodges had technics, the way she balled her fists and the manner she had to jump when she fought, how she moved. It was easy, way too easy for someone like Lucia. Ginny next to her was mesmerized by what she saw, and even though she had an “Anti-Fletcher” shirt, she was cheering for her. She didn’t even bother Isabel. Which was quite surprising, naturally. 

Normally, she would’ve mumbled in her ear, squealing about how miserable she was. But not now. Isabel didn’t know that Ginny could’ve had a thing for fighting, but she didn’t complain, since she wasn't bothered. Well, that wasn’t what mattered. Lucia was winning this, easily. And yet nobody seemed to notice it except Isabel, who grew alongside her through all those years. 

She was dead worried. Indeed, her sister was winning, but what about Morrigan. She seemed to enjoy teasing Lucia, and her expression was mocking. Yet Lucia was stuck in her daze, fighting off the best she could, throwing a few punches from time to time. It was a slow and hesitant fight. Mostly because Morrigan didn’t do anything. Lucia was miserably trying to make this work. 

Isabel’s expression grew worried as Lucia started to get hit more and more. She stumbled back, and Morrigan was starting to show off her strength. The girl’s nose was bleeding, so she raised a hand on it, using her other hand to try and punch back Morrigan. Isabel’s face went white as she understood how cruel the woman was. 

She was making Lucia think that she was strong when she was weak. The crowd around her became shocked, and they gasped, worried about what was going to happen. Morrigan began tackling Lucia to the ground, punching her as she was restless. Isabel couldn’t bear to see her sister like this, all helpless and hurt. Morrigan was way too intense. 

“I-I give in, you won...” Lucia spoke in a deep voice, but loud enough for the crowd to hear. 

Yet either Morrigan didn’t hear it or ignored it, she kept on punching her. Lucia started coughing blood, and the authorities were stepping over hurriedly. Everyone was flabbergasted to see how violent their feminine champion was, and how the tables turned. 

“Morrigan Jones, please step back. The fight is over, and you have won it. We would appreciate if you stepped away.” 

But Morrigan didn’t respond. Her eyes were as red as a burning flame, her breathing growing heavier. More came over as the crowd remained silent, and they took her away, grabbing her waist. Lucia struggled to sit up, catching her breath. Isabel wanted to rush to her and plead with her to let her help her, but she knew she couldn’t. It was no use. 

Ginny and her friends were silent, too. They couldn’t believe how bad Lucia was hurting. They didn’t feel good that she was hurt anymore. They started to feel guilty that they even started to speak with her in the first place. Not very subtly, the main girl-Ginny- shifted to Isabel, her eyes filled with guilt, before she looked away. 

In front of them, Lucia stood up and looked at something in front of her, her eyes white with fear. She stepped back, but people snickered at her because they thought this was simply acting all sore from the fight. Even Isabel couldn’t believe why Lucia was acting that way. But then, she understood. Lucia met Isabel’s gaze, and her gaze was saying Please believe me, look right there. 

Reluctantly, and just because it was her sister who told her that, the eldest looked over and gasped. There were about thirty zombies standing there, arriving closer and closer to the amphitheater. She was in the first to see it, but probably the one with the best reaction. 

Soon, it became crazy. Women yelled and men panicked, but the guard simply held their guns. This is it. The teen thought as she watched the scene, that’s what they mean by the end of the world in those movies.