Author Games: The City of Gold

Quarterfinals: Alejandra Verle

I could still hear their cries even though they had stopped. I could feel some of their eyes burning holes into my back when I ran. I was the one who led them away and now I was alone.I couldn't remember what it was called, maybe self-preservation, or maybe it was not trusting anyone enough to go back. I guessed that hiding in the jungle had seemed like a good option for everyone until the long trunks separated us from humanity. My ragged breaths were loud in my ears. Inhale, exhale and then repeat. My skin was warm and sticky under my robe and my breaths seemed to echo in my head with the eerie silence that had settled inside the jungle.

"Ailenia?" my voice was raspy and trembled ever so slightly in the silence.

I didn't remember when I lost her - if I did in the first place. One moment she was holding my hand and then as soon as I felt the ferns and small branches whipping at my body her hand disappeared from mine. For all I knew she had been one of the screams that had joined the leaders but the screams had long stopped by now.

The long wooden trunks created a prison cell around me. They looked harmless from the camp but now the towered above me dauntingly. I felt miniscule in comparison and there was little I could do but to keep walking and hope that the golden machine didn't catch up to me. All the trees in the jungle looked identical in the night but I knew it was impossible. In zoology we learnt that every tree is different and I was beginning to wish I had paid more attention.

I gazed up to the navy curtain that glimmered with small balls of light. It was the only escape from the greenery of the jungle. A small gust of wind blew my robes and all I could smell was soil from the jungle.

I took a few paces forward clutching my wand in my hand - it was my lifeline. It buzzed nervously in my hand as though it was drawing in all my fear to fuel itself and I willed it to calm down but my mind was racing and my heart skipped a beat every time a shadow glided around me. I longed to hear the sound of another person - a voice, cough or a footstep.

I shivered even though it wasn't cold and sweat dripped down my forehead. I threw my robe off and left in on the tainted soil - the golden being would have walked there. I picked up my pace deeper into the jungle and noticed that it began to get louder. Clicks and animal noises began to create some background noise - a small chirp of a bird or croaking of a frog barely gave me any comfort. Every time I tried to count the remaining people left at camp the number barely scraped up to six.

"Ailenia?" my voice ventured out into the dark night again but it lacked the hope that I wanted it to have. She wasn't on the list of people.

Suddenly a whirring noise sounded behind me, like metal spinning around really fast until it eventually swings off. At the thought, I flattened my body to the coarse dirt and covered my face as I heard a huge crack followed my the crunching of wood. I daringly peeked out from my elbow and the flash of gold was enough for my thoughts to wash away. I cussed under my breath even though no one was around to hear me. I met the golden woman's gaze and the metal head tilted slightly and I swear I could see it smirk.

"Fiendfyre!" I shouted drawing my wand and the glow of fire erupted from the tip and shot towards the golden machine until it encased the body. She moved down before picking up the trunk that I had heard crack earlier and let it catch fire. I started running, already knowing its intention. I dodged the trees and dived under shrubs feeling every single twigs and branch scrape at my skin like a thousand small knives tearing at my body. I was thrown from my feet before I heard the explosion. My body rolled back onto the ground and I felt an spike of pain on my shoulder as I went over a rock. I didn't let it slow me down, not like the others, if I wanted to survive - like any prey would want to - I had to outrun or hide from the predator. I got to my feet ensuring my wand was still clutched in my hand and pushed my body through the jungle without a care of where I was going.