Chapter 4: Four is a lil’ Bothersome

"Are you serious about this?"

I looked back at Iavan and Miisa who were both struggling not to trip over the large branches of trees and rocks.

"It's the best bet we can gamble"

Outside the forest's perimeter is a river that separates this city from the next one. I want to know. I want to know if there's something we can do besides killing to get out of here.

"So when you said to the heart of the forest, do you mean to say like we're gonna find a heart-shaped tree?"

"Stupid she meant the center of the forest"

"I didn't know okay? That's why I'm asking. Who knows maybe she was just saying it to look cool"

Actually, I did say it to look cool but I'll never tell them that.

"It's like a metaphor for the phrase going deeper into the woods"

I smiled at them before continuing to walk forward. I was about to step forward when we heard two consecutive canon shots.

"It's only the morning and two were already dead?"

"Who knows, that could've been us if we didn't move

"Does this mean there's only 20 of us left?"

"Then half of us are safe and the other half needs to die?"

Shivers ran up in my spine as the realization hit me. We're down to 20 people and half of them are destined to die. I scanned Miisa and Iavan's faces, they need to be within those 10 spots. I need to do something to get rid of the other 10 students.

I could manipulate the remaining students into killing each other but I also need to keep these two safe. I need to make a choice right now.

"Hey, would you two..."

"Maia behind you!!"

I turned around just in time a knife lands on my right shoulder blade. I gasped as I felt an unfamiliar sting in my right arm along with the hot liquid that flowed from it.

"Hello"

"William"

He grinned at us before raising another knife.

"The next one's going inside that pretty little head of yours"

"Run!!"

I instructed them both but before we can even make a run for it, one of the few big boys in our class blocked the other path.

"Hey Girls"

"Winston"

"Who knew that the three of you would be here? Well we always knew how much of a scaredy-cat you guys were"

"Maybe we can let you guys off if Iavan can strip in front of us right now"

I pulled out the knife from my shoulder and waved it in front of Winston.

"Over my dead body"

Winston grinned at me before signaling William. I looked behind us, William was about to throw the knife he was holding when an arrow shot straight to his skull. My eyes widened and I knew the same thing happened with Iavan and Miisa. But it went especially wider when we saw who shot the arrow.

"The next one will be for you Winston"

Winston was taken aback by Damian's sudden appearance and the death of his brethren but that was only for a short moment, after a while, he took out a flare gun and raised it to the sky

"Maybe I'll die in here, but I won't go down knowing I won't be able to drag you all to death with me"

Before he can even fire the flare gun, I threw the knife I was holding straight to his wrist. He groaned in pain but immediately shifted the gun to his other hand. I hurriedly searched for another knife but before I can even find one, Damian already pulled his quiver and an arrow landed straight to his skull.

Not a moment later, two cannon shots were heard. Damian walked past us to retrieved Winston's flare gun. Wait, what if Damian has his own comrades? He can signal them right now. My instincts took over me as I tackled Damian and grabbed the flare gun first. My wound throbbed a lot because of my sudden movement.

"What the hell!?"

Damian pinned me to the ground and grabbed my collar. He shifted slightly so that his whole weight was above me like he was crushing me to the ground.

"Maia!!"

"Don't move."

Damian aimed a knife in Iavan and Miisa's direction.

"Don't"

I grabbed onto his hand which made him look at me. His face was inches away from mine.

"What the hell is your problem?"

I glanced at the flare gun I was holding, he followed the direction where my sight went. He stared at the flare gun before giving me the second look, after a moment he laughed disappointingly.

"You're impossible"

He let go of my collar and stood up, I was just eyeing him as he frustratingly brushes his fingers in his hair. After a few heavy sighs, he stared at me.

"I already saved you twice and you still can't trust me?"

Trust? Does he even know what he's saying?

"You never spoke to me during high school, and we never had a close relationship, to begin with, so of course I'll question your motives. And when it comes down to this what makes you think that saving me twice will suddenly put up my trust in you?"

"Because I also saved your dear friends from dying"

I was taken aback by what he said. I looked at Iavan and Miisa and they were just standing there like any minute now they'll blend right in with the trees.

"So if you want to survive with your friends, It'll be best to come with me"

"Again.."

"I don't have any allies in here so I don't have anyone to signal. You can keep all my knives, all weapons, and even that flare gun"

I gawked at him. If you say it so suddenly and confidently like that, of course, anybody would question your motives.

"Maia"

I glanced at Iavan who called out to me.

"I want to go with him"

"What!?"

"Hey it's much better than walking around in circles here in the forest, also having a guy who can actually kill by our side is kind of reassuring"

Does she even hear herself? Reassuring? Reassuring how? This guy has already killed three of our classmates, what makes us special that will make him not kill us?

"I want to go with Damian too"

Damian looked at me like he was actually waiting for my response. I sighed, I was about to answer him when I felt my head spinning. My wound was throbbing painfully and the images before me were becoming blurry.

"Maia!? Maia!!"