10 Do or Die

Hair in the usual topknot. I wore the bodysuit and helmet to protect me, then was teleported away, along with all the other new students.

"Dear god, please let me live," I whispered. Then, when the blue signal flare was shot up, illuminating the sky even during sun up, I sidestepped and moved forward.

I am still struggling to understand how I ended up here from the comfortable bed.

The school had slots for two hundred new students. In a year, the older students will be sent out, and we will replace them as a new batch.

The students here were totaled at one thousand.  Many will die, everyone was aware of that, but they still tried. What choice did they have?

From the time they had enrolled, they had signed over their lives.

Those who had cried – or struggled to return home – failed.

It was no wonder this was the top school for our year; the system was you either survived and lived.

Or perish and die.

My gaze scanned my surroundings. Various stages of the struggles could be seen, from disbelief, despair, to longing – surprisingly, there was even joy.

Well, it looks like some psychopaths are present.

I took quick note of those types so I can stay far away from them.

All the information was sent via wristband. Thankfully, my system had quietly read it out for me and explained all I needed to know.

I felt lucky but fear still ate at me.

Just yesterday I was basking in the glory of having a comfortable life, then boom, I was dragged from my bed by some random student and told to suit up and meet by the main entrance to be teleported.

Didn't survival movies show how instructors stood out once bringing out the people explain how everything works?

What the hell is this?

"We the people" were just woken, herded and left here after a message and some basic supplies.

Oi!

I complained in my head, ranting about how unfair everything was and wishing I would not be eaten.

<host vitality affected. Vitality dropped by 1% present status 39%>

I paused how is this possible?

"System, can you just give me some positive news as well?"

No answer.

I sighed sadly. Reaching a nearby tree I began to climb; this was an obvious thing to do. When in a foreign place try to head to higher ground and hope something isn't waiting to eat you via that "higher ground."

I climbed high into a tree to scope out my surroundings, dodging the sharp teeth of the six-armed little monkeys; they were extremely agile, but I was just as agile so...

From both training and dancing in my other life, since the suit was extremely sturdy, I haven't been injured as yet, but it will take time.

I had a year to survive here, anyway. With a total of twelve suites, emergency vials to last three months, kits for six months and around fifteen helmets, to protect my head and neck.

Everyone had the same amount but looting will occur – like now.

Below, those who were slow to get away were plundered. Some died immediately, while others had their storage rings stolen, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Looking away while I dodged another six-arm, I lept and ran through the trees grabbing the blue vines and broad grey leaves, shoving all I could into my ring.

I was positive I'd need them later.

A day passed. Two... Four... Ten.

From one thousand, checking my wrist band, we were down to nine hundred.

I was still near the edge walking around to collect materials, sure my suit was self-cleaned, resistant to cold and heat but not all temperatures.

This island will enter an ice age in about three months; the suits will not be able to keep us safe then.

Thankfully, the school allowed us to learn about the island a week before enrolment.

Some students formed groups while I decided to stay alone. There was no way I would chance a mutiny, I've seemed to many movies or read too many books where-

"Steve, how could you?"

An aggrieved voice suddenly sounded.

Look at this, right as I was thinking it, it happened.

"Wincu, I like you but this is survival, Mariam had been of more use than you are. You can't do anything right without crying. It's not like our families hadn't trained us before, but you are still so pathetic." 

Wow, the boy was a savage, really a total savage. So, this is how people treat the ones they like?

*Note to self: like no one* with that noted in my mind I continued to look down at the two below.

"I haven't been trained like this!" 

She sounded teary now. Oho! I wish I had popcorn and some sort of drink to watch this show.

The boy stepped closer but stopped suddenly half the length of an arm away.

He sounded so sincere, looked that way too, but his words… ah.

"We know our world is dangerous, being pampered is a death sentence!" 

"But Steve…"

"Enough, leave us! You are out of the group." 

"What of my supplies?"

"It is compensation – for protecting a useless woman like you!" 

I felt her pain; her heart probably hurt then and there.

Betrayed by the one you like …sigh, for another woman who seems to be of more use.

The girl is probably prettier.

"I've left two suits as a reminder that I like you and three helmets,"

She sobbed, from high up I watched, the six arms by now had learned their lesson that I was not to be messed with since I had killed their leader and about forty of their troops.