As the robotic voice hushed, a heavy silence descended upon the room, its weight bearing down on everyone present.The sounds from behind the heavy metal door painted a scene in everyone's minds. The so-called "failures" scattered the ground as a sea of lead and blood covered the floor. "Recruits, left sector. Veterans, right sector. Right?" a stranger's voice broke the unbearable silence. Reminded of their current task and fueled by the fear of suffering the same fate as the "failures" outside, the crowd slowly separated into two crowds each going to their sectors.
"Hey kid! It's your first day, right?"
I nodded in response.
"Alrighty then, get your whiny ass going to the left sector. I'ma meet you outside, kid. Oh shit! Totally forgot. Haven't even introduced myself." She extended her hand, introducing herself with a grin. "The name's Zara. Zara the Arsonist. Nice to meet ya, kid!" Zara's freckled face filled with energy as she heads towards the right sector. Desire and I slowly made our way to the left sector, joining the crowd of fellow recruits. Entering the sector, the atmosphere changed. The heavy silence was replaced by a sense of anticipation and curiosity. Instructors in authoritative attire stood at the front of the room. It was a mix of humans and robotic figures. They were all armed.
"QUIET" one of the instructors barked, his voice cutting through the remaining murmurs and exchanges among the recruits. The room fell silent. Heavy pressure enveloped the room, suffocating any lingering conversation, leaving only the distant echoes of our collective anxiety.
"If you are standing here right now, Congratulations. You won our internal hunter lottery. From now on, you will be a hunter. As a hunter, you must now complete jobs. Completion of these jobs will result in being rewarded. Cash, food, housing, upgrades, slaves, sex, drugs, weapons, you name it. The higher the risk, the higher the reward. Sounds simple right?"
Whispers and murmurs of excitement filled the room.
"YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK."
The chatter quickly died down.
"There is only one type of job for all hunters. It's fairly easy and very simple to understand. As a hunter, you must hunt your prey. Each hunter will be assigned prey that they must terminate in order to receive their reward. The assigned hunter must be involved in the prey's death to be rewarded. If the prey dies by something not caused by the hunter, the job will be terminated, and the reward will no longer be available."
What?...I have to kill people to get food? I can't do that. No, no, no, no, please don't make me do that. I don't want to hurt anyone. The very thought of having to end another person's life to secure my basic needs sent a chilling shiver down my spine. My stomach churned in revulsion, and my eyes welled up with tears. The weight of this cruel reality pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. Hopelessness loomed over me as Desire looks at me in the eyes.
"Don't worry Mari. You won't be doing that. You are special. You can still get those rewards without having to hurt people!"
Hearing Desire say this eased my anxiety. The idea of being special puzzled me, however. As I started to calm down, the instructor continued his explanation.
"Don't get your hopes up yet. Even though the prey is meant to be hunted, the hunter can also be hunted. Assigned prey are allowed to protect themselves and even terminate the hunter itself. By doing this, the hunter title will be passed down and the prey will be rewarded."
Anxiety hung heavy in the air. I can be killed too? I don't want to die. I don't want to do this. Why is this happening to me? My vision blurred as tears started to form. I noticed the other recruits' excited faces also switched to faces of dread after hearing about their possible outcome. My mind just couldn't grasp this new and harsh reality.
"As a hunter, you must be ready to kill. You must hunt, Or be hunted. DISMISSED."
The heavy metal door swung open, its creaking hinges breaking the lingering silence. As Desire and I, accompanied by our fellow recruits, moved towards the exit, an oppressive sense of foreboding settled upon us, like a shadow descending on the condemned. The stench of sewage began to creep into the air, a grim reminder of the world outside.
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"Hey kid! I'm right here! Hey!" Zara's voice rang out, fulfilling her promise to meet us outside. However, my mind remained shrouded in the instructor's grim words. Zara's lively energy was in stark contrast to our heavy thoughts.
"Haha! Nice recruit face you've got there, kid. Now, snap out of it. We need to get you to a MedTech and get that hole of yours fixed."
With urgency, Zara's grip on my arm tightened, pulling us forward through the crowded corridor within the building. The crowd of people, a mix of humans and machines, were lining up, their collective purpose yet a mystery. Robotic figures stood their ground, their heavy weapons poised in standby, their mechanical forms a testament to the seriousness of the situation. With each step closer to the end of the line, my anxiety heightened. The anticipation was almost unbearable until, at last, it was my turn.
"NAME AND HUNTER STATUS, PLEASE," a robotic voice demanded.
"Marilyn Ridgewood, new recruit," Desire answered promptly before I could utter a word.
"MARILYN RIDGEWOOD, NEW RECRUIT, THROAT BULLET WOUND. PLEASE WAIT FOR THE MEDTECH TO ATTEND TO YOU."
A woman clad in nurse attire approached, carrying a tray that held both a scalpel and a gun. Behind her, a hospital chair moved autonomously, tailing the nurse's every step. My eyes widened in disbelief, and panic surged within me. As I attempted to flee, robotic arms emerged, forcefully pinning me to the chair.
"Kid, relax; you're going to be fine. This lady is one of the MedTechs I was talking 'bout. She's 'bout to fix your wound and get you all chipped up," Zara reassured me, attempting to provide comfort amid my growing unease.
The more I struggled, the tighter the grip of the robotic arms became. The nurse picked up her gun, resting its barrel against the side of my head. As my consciousness began to fade, she pulled the trigger. I flinched, but there was no resounding bang. Everything from my neck down turned numb. What had she done to me? Why couldn't I move?
"Anesthesia administered. Proceeding with the operation," the nurse announced calmly.
I couldn't feel anything. I watched in detached horror as she worked on my wound, performing procedures while I remained oblivious to the sensation. It was as if I were observing myself in the third person.
"Operation complete. Implanting chip," she declared.
The nurse then picked up the scalpel and proceeded to cut open my wrist. The sight of my own blood filled my heart with despair and panic. I longed to scream, to resist, but my attempts proved futile. The anesthesia overwhelmed me as she placed a chip in my open wrist, securing it with a metal bracelet containing a screen.
"Chip implantation successful. Terminating anesthesia from the patient's system. Releasing restraints," she stated.
As control over my body gradually returned, the nurse swiftly packed up and left, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
Zara helped me up from the chair, and I gently touched the bandage on my neck. Fulfilling its purpose, the chair autonomously headed towards the direction the nurse went. Zara gave me a reassuring smile, her freckled face still radiating energy despite the grim circumstances. As the anesthesia and shock began to wear off, a surge of questions flooded my mind.
"What... What did they do to me?" I managed to stammer out.
Desire explained, "That was a chip! It's like a tracker and ID combined. It's how they monitor us, assign us tasks, and keep track of our hunter status. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Zara chimed in, "Yeah, and it's not just for surveillance. The chip contains your records, available rewards, jobs, and other vital information. It's your lifeline in this messed-up world."
Still feeling disoriented, I touched the metal bracelet on my wrist, contemplating the harsh reality that this chip represented. The weight of my newfound identity as a hunter pressed on me like a heavy burden.
"Come on, kid, let's get you settled in. I'll show you the ropes and make sure you don't end up like those 'failures' outside," Zara said, offering a supportive nod.
As we went through the grim corridors of the building, I couldn't shake off the heaviness in my chest. The revelation of the brutal world I had entered was overwhelming. I glanced at my fellow recruits, their faces a mix of fear, determination, and resignation. We were all thrown into this dystopian reality, forced to become hunters in a sick game with dire consequences.
Zara continued to provide guidance, explaining the rules, sharing tips, and recounting her own experiences. Despite the gravity of our situation, her animated storytelling brought a spark of life to the bleak surroundings.
As we reached the living quarters, Zara pointed to a small, dimly lit room. "This is your space now, kid. Make it your own. You'll be spending a lot of time here when you're not out of work."
Desire and I entered the room, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of trepidation and curiosity about what lay ahead. The reality of being a hunter was sinking in, and the challenge of survival in this unforgiving world awaited.
The heavy metal door closed behind us, sealing us off from the outside world. The room felt cramped. All it had was a bed, a table, and a flickering light overhead. As I sat on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the journey ahead. The room may have been small, but the weight of my new life as a hunter loomed large. I settled into the darkness, listening to the noises of the city. I gently closed my eyes, but my bracelet lit up.
NEW JOB ASSIGNMENT
HUNT MARCUS FARHIDE
DURATION:15 DAYS
REWARD: MRE (6 BAGS)
NECA NE NECERIS