The Stray and The Radio Demon

Ch 37: Survival Skills

Olivia pressed herself against the wall as soon as the siren rang, indicating the start of the Death Arena. She took a deep breath and pressed her forehead against the cool metal of the dagger in her hand. She steeled her nerves and stood slowly, peeking over the dilapidated wall to surveillance her surroundings. Seeing the coast clear, she looked around to the other collapsed buildings and saw a two story house still well intact, but it was four houses away.

"Dammit." She cursed under her breath.

She needed to get higher to get a better idea of where she was. She mentally went over the map in her head that she had memorized but she was to low to notice any landmarks. She took a deep breath and held her dagger close to her. She stood slowly, still gazing around cautiously before sprinting to the next building, flattening herself against the wall. She did this for the other two houses, cautiously looking out into the deserted street before making a b-line to the next house. As she reached the intact house, she heard a scream in the distance. It seemed like some of the contestants had found either each other or the first Event of the day, whatever it was.

Olivia approached the house and peeked in the open window. The house had been completely ransacked as all the furniture had been upturned, rusted silverware and dinnerware lay scattered and shattered across the rooms. She saw no one was there so she climbed into the window, quietly placed her feet onto the ground and crouched again. When she saw that she was alone, she breathed out a sigh and stood slowly. She adjusted the bag on her back and walked around the glass and debris that littered the floor. She made her way up the creaky staircase to the second floor and saw that the room looked dusty but relatively in place. The bed was still upright and half made and the drawers were intact as she inspected the silent room. She made her way to the window, pressing herself beside it as she peeked out to the abandoned city.

Olivia sighed as she saw she had been deposited in the far left lower corner of the city, near the market place. The open space in front of the house held a few damaged carts and broken baskets that laid strewn across the cracked stone. As she went over the map in her head, this meant that she was 40-50 blocks away from the central plaza, just over an hour walk to see what weapon had been picked for her. Olivia debated on whether it was worth it or not, knowing that almost everyone would be headed that way and be at each others throats in an instant. She shook her head, knowing her best chance to survive was to stay as far from the others and concentrate on the Events that had been planned. Another scream pierced the air, causing Olivia to jump in surprise.

Olivia sighed and took a moment, sliding down the wall to sit with her knees drawn up. She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Her nose was filled with the smell of dry wood and sweat. She calmed her mind and nerves, taking in several deep breaths before she opened her eyes again. She was scared. Her hands shook and her heart began to race. Her imagination kept throwing the worse case scenarios to the front of her mind, frightening her further. She closed her eyes again as she took another deep breath. She hadn't felt fear like this during a fight in a long time. The pulse of panic agitating her nerves drastically as she breathed in deeply and her shakes began to worsen.

Olivia cursed herself and this fear that ravaged her humanize soul. Now that the possibility of dying permanently was one swipe of a blade away, her mortality seemed to crash around her. Though, would it really be such a terrible thing to die again and not be reborn? To not feel the pain of her past or the hated stares of the denizens of Hell as they gazed upon her visage, similar to that of her family? She leaned her head forward to rest her forehead against her knees, wrapping her arms tighter around them. True death would be such a peaceful end, right? No more worries, no more pain and no more despair. She closed her eyes as her thoughts continued to swim in her head.