I slowly opened my eyes, the soft chirping of the birds slowly easing me into consciousness. The warmth of the sun was just beginning to filter through the thick canopy of leaves, casting a gentle glow on everything around me. I stretched my aching limbs, feeling the soreness from the previous day's events. Despite the discomfort, there was a sense of relief washing over me. I had managed to get away, and now, for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt save. I knew I wasn't truly safe, but the illusion gave me back a bit of hope.

I surveyed my surroundings, taking in the majesty of the forest. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and the sounds of rustling branches and chirping birds filled the air. I looked down at my makeshift bed, essentially just the stolen bag as a pillow with some leaves to try to cushion the hard branch.

Yep, I was once again on some giant treebranch deep inside the forest. I'd been pretty tired yesterday, and it just seemed like the safest option. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it had done the job. I scanned the area below, taking in the dense foliage and the sprawling network of branches that crisscrossed everywhere. I could see the groud, but it was easily 40 meters below me.

As I reached for my newly acquired bag, I felt a pang of hunger. I had barely eaten anything the day before, and my stomach was growling. I opened the bag, and found a few dry crackers inside. They weren't much, but they would have to do. I savored each bite, feeling the dry, flavorless crackers sticking to the roof of my mouth. But I didn't care - It was something.

Apart from that, the bag also contained two more half full flasks of water, and to my surprise, a small iron dagger.

'That might come in handy later.', I thought grimly. Although I had no intention of picking fights anytime soon, I had no illusions about my situation. Besides, a dagger could also be used as a knife, which is always nice to have in a survival situation.

With my hunger somewhat sated, I took a deep breath and tried to get my bearings. The lake was still a ways off, but I had to keep moving. I knew that those supplies wouldn't last forever. So, I took one last look at the peaceful scene around me and set off.

As I resumed my journey through the forest, I marveled at how much easier it was to move through the dense foliage compared to before I came here. Despite my fatigue and the bad night of sleep, I felt light on my feet, almost as if I had become one with the forest itself. It was a strange feeling, but one that I couldn't deny.

As the hours passed, the forest gradually thinned out, and the sun began to shine more brightly. Eventually, I caught sight of the shimmering blue waters of the lake in the distance. It was far bigger than I had anticipated, stretching out far to all sides.

I moved slowly and deliberately towards the water, scanning the area for any signs of movement. I didn't want to be caught off guard. As I reached the water's edge, I knelt down and dipped my hand in, testing the temperature. It was cool and refreshing. I filled my flask with the crystal clear water, making sure to take my time to avoid any unnecessary noise.

After finishing up at the lake, I cautiously retreated to a nearby thicket to contemplate my next moves. The thought of a more permanent shelter had crossed my mind earlier. I needed a safe and secure place to rest that was still within proximity to the lake, but far enough away to remain unseen by other contestants. I was thinking of a tree house. So far these giant trees had served me very well in keeping me save.

Scanning my surroundings, I noticed some intriguing tracks on the ground. They didn't look human - most likely animal tracks - but I couldn't quite make out what type of animal they belonged to. Making a mental note to investigate them later, I continued on my quest for shelter.

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After some searching, I came across a towering tree about a kilometer away from the lake. It was massive, with thick branches that extended far out. Also the forest was generally denser here, than close to the lake, which felt like an added layer of security. Although getting water would be a hassle, I felt that safety was paramount. This was a good tree to build a treehouse on - very tall and with plenty of leaves. It would be a nightmare for anyone to try to get to me up there, let alone spot me. I weighed my options carefully and decided that this was the best course of action.

I quickly scaled the tree, scanning for an ideal spot to build my treehouse. I needed to find a place that was high up and concealed from the ground below. As I climbed higher and higher, I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of movement or danger. Finally, after some time, I spotted an interesting location that seemed to be ideal. It was nestled between two massive branches that had grown too close together and almost fused. Despite its somewhat comical appearance, the position gave me almost two meters of diagonal width to work with, which was perfect for my needs.

I knew that the shelter had to be compact to avoid drawing unwanted attention, so I decided to gather smaller branches to construct a basic structure. Smaller meaning a bit taller than I was. I wanted to lean them against each other, and then fixate them with some sort of rope. I would need to make that too. Dangit. Surviving is hard. It also wouldn't be waterproof. Though I wasn't too worried about that since I figured the dense foliage above would offer some protection from the elements.

But before I started building I need a break. So I lowered myself down on the platform, my back leaning against the treetrunk.

As soon as I sat down, the full weight of yesterdays events hit me like a ton of bricks. It was as though a dark cloud had descended upon my mind, shrouding everything in a gloomy haze. The memories of the two people I had seen die earlier played over and over again in my mind, like a haunting melody that refused to fade away. Their screams echoed in my ears, and I felt my heart race with a sense of dread and panic.

Stop

You could't have done anything.

I buried my head between my hands.

Fuck Fuck Shit.

I tried to shake off the feelings of despair and trauma, but they clung to me like a heavy cloak. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I held back. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down and regain some sense of control over my emotions. Slowly the world returned into focus again.

What happened happened. Nothing I could do about it now. They were gone, and many more would follow them. I needed to be selfish this time. Look out for myself. make sure their fate doesn't happen to me. Learn from them. I felt awful, telling myself what I knew to be the truth. But it was no use. This was a deathgame. A battle royale of enormous proportions, with humans and aliens alike caught in its net. I just gotta get through it. Be one of the last ten.

I forcefully pushed away the dark thoughts.

Gotta keep myself busy.

Carefully, I descended from the tree, scanning my surroundings for any signs of danger as I collected the materials needed to build my shelter.

After rummaging through the forest, I finally managed to find some sticks that I deemed usable for the shelter. However, it was a daunting task as I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Every little rustle in the bushes or crack of a branch set me off, and I had to double-check every shadowed nook and cranny. But no contestants showed. As far as I could tell, I was alone.

With each stick I collected, I made multiple trips back up the tree, my muscles aching from the strain of climbing. The sun was slowly starting to dip below the horizon by the time I finally had enough materials to start constructing my shelter. My back was heavy with the weight of the sticks as I started the final climb up the tree, my breaths coming out in short, tired gasps. I was completely drained of energy, and the mere thought of having to build the shelter was almost overwhelming.

So I decided enough was enough. It had been a nice day, with the sun warming everything. The night wouldn't be too cold either, if yesterday was anything to go by. So I quickly ate some more of the crackers and laid down. I put down more leaves this time at least. It was still hard and uncomfortable, but better. I hoped my exhaustion would help me sleep. I wasn't optimistic. Shit was starting up again. Images of blood flashed in my inner vision.

I debated to stand up again. Do something, just to keep them away. But I was too tired. I hadn't allowed myself much rest today, suppressing everything. But my body asserted itself. Tiredness eventually took me.