Page 71 of The Hunt

“Yes. I haven’t seen her since she left four years ago. The police think she just ran off somewhere. Barely even investigated it,” she said. “So I’ve spent the last few years trying to find out exactly where she went and what happened to her. I know I’m risking my life by being here if either one of my theories is correct, but I’m willing to do that if it means finally getting some answers. If it means I can find her.”

I could hear the raw pain in her voice, and it made my chest tighten. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I really hope you can find her.”

“Me too.” Cheryl’s eyes flicked to the backpacks next to us, and she let out a breath. “I’ve been training for the last few years. Learning everything I can about survival, hunting, and fighting techniques. So at least I know I’ve got a real chance.”

I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the sand, hesitating. Then I looked back up at her. “Could I join you?”

“You mean when the game starts?”

“Yeah. We could try to survive together.”

Cheryl’s eyes flickered with a mix of regret and guilt. “I really wish I could say yes. But everything I’ve learned to protect myself is for solo stuff, so I can’t risk teaming up with anyone else,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I know you didn’t sign up for this, and you’ve probably got no idea what to do out here, but—”

I waved a hand, cutting her off. “No, no. I understand. It’s fine,” I said, voice thick with emotion. Ididunderstand, but on the other hand, I was absolutely fucking terrified.

“I can give you some tips.”

I nodded. “I’ll take whatever I can get.”

Cheryl gave a soft sigh, her gaze turning to the horizon, as if considering the best place to start. “The most important thing is staying calm. Panicking will get you killed. It’ll cloud your judgment and make you an easy target. Don’t ever let them see that you’re scared.”

Her words hit me like a cold splash of water. I had no idea how I’d react when the game started. I wanted to say I’d keep my cool and fight, but I’d never been in this kind of situation before.

The worst scare I’d ever had was when Jake broke into my dorm in the middle of the night, and I hadn’t kept my cool in those moments. Instead, I’d panicked. Totally froze. In the end, Rhett had to save me… and he wasn’t coming to save me now. Hell, he was inThe Wild Hunt. He was probably going to be hunting me soon.

“Second,” Cheryl continued, “be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, because that’s probably where you’ll find the hidden safe zones. And trust no one—not even me. In a game like this, you can’t afford to have anyone get too close.”

“Got it.”

“Now, some self-defense basics. If someone’s coming at you, catch them off guard. Use the environment. Throw sand or dirt in their eyes, or use nearby objects like rocks or sticks as a weapon to defend yourself,” she said. “If you end up in close hand-to-hand combat, the eyes, throat, and groin are effective targets. No need to worry about playing fair in a situation like this.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Even if you don’t know how to fight at all, keeping your hands up and elbows close to your body can defend you from their strikes. So try to do that as much as possible.”

“Okay.”

“Distraction tactics can be a lifesaver,” she went on. “If you happen to find something colorful, like a flower, or even better, a bright shell from this beach—keep it in your front pocket. Then, if someone comes near you, you can toss it to the side to draw their attention over there. It would only be for a split-second or two, but that could be all the time you need to escape.”

“That’s a good one. I think I’ll go shell-hunting as soon as we’re done talking.”

“I’ll join you for that.” She gave me a tight smile. “We might even find one big and sharp enough to keep as a weapon.”

I swallowed, trying to shake off the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. "Thanks for all the advice, Cheryl. Really."

“It’s the least I can do.”

When Nikki returned, the three of us headed to the beach to look for anything useful we could add to our packs. Cheryl and I surreptitiously slipped a few colorful shells and smooth, shiny sea stones in our pockets, and Nikki found a few full water bottles that had been placed on the shore amongst the fake wreckage, along with a bag of muesli bars. We divided them amongst the three of us and headed back to the main group once we were done.

There were murmurs about the island’s possible location, but no one could agree on anything concrete. Some swore they recognized the terrain from a reality show they'd seen, while others speculated it was somewhere in the remote north based on the position of the sun.

I glanced around, still processing everything that had been said. My mind was a whirlwind of uncertainty—about the game,the people I was stuck with, and whatever the hell was coming next.

I’d learned a few names, and even more contestant numbers, but they were already blurring rapidly in my mind. Everyone seemed on edge, sizing each other up, trying to decide who might be an ally and who would be a threat… and they didn’t even think the hunt wasreal.They still thought it was a game.

I could only pray that they were right, and Cheryl was wrong.

I barely registered the passage of time until I heard the unmistakable sound of a horn in the distance. Then a familiar voice crackled through my earbud, cutting through the heavy silence.

---