CHAPTER 1

AMY PIERCE

I never liked hunting animals this way, but I have to do it to survive in a world dominated by wolves and vampires. I'm not like them; I'm a human girl who needs to hunt deer in the forest to keep us alive against hunger.

Furthermore, I don't like doing it, but I have no other choice. I sigh as I watch the deer slowly walk through the forest, while I hold my bow and arrow in the direction of the animal that hasn't seen my presence yet.

I keep watching it; it's an animal that doesn't need to worry about things in this world. Likewise, I live in a world where human beings are forced to work and serve supernatural creatures.

The deer looks so pure; I furrow my brow while still holding my bow and close my eyes when I hear and feel my arrow flying through the air, and seconds later, I hear the animal falling to the ground. I open my eyes, feeling guilt overwhelm me as I look at the now-dead deer. I stand up and approach the animal, realizing that I took its life this morning.

"I'm sorry for this...", I say this before pulling my arrow out of the animal's body and holding it in my arms. It's a very large and heavy animal, but I'm used to doing this. I start walking through the trees. I shouldn't be here because humans are not allowed to do this, but no one except my mother knows that I hunt animals here.

Furthermore, I hate the world we live in. I lift my head when the sunlight hits my face, and for a few seconds, I close my eyes, trying to imagine myself in a different world. I was born and raised in this different and cruel world, and every night I used to hear my mother telling stories about how the world was before the wolves, witches, and vampires.

Likewise, I hear a noise, and it makes me hide behind a tall tree. I look to the side and see many castle guards walking through the forest, searching for humans trying to escape from this place. If any of the vampire guards find me here, I will be punished in the worst possible way, or even killed. I look to the other side before starting to run quickly, carrying the heavy deer on my shoulders.

The way to our house is long, and when I'm in the human village, I try to hide again so that no one sees me bringing a forest animal. There are many vampire guards in the village watching the humans, and I always need to be very careful about it. I quickly climb the steps of the stairs leading to our house, opening the door with a smile because today I managed to hunt a big deer, which means we won't go hungry, and we can sell some of the meat in the village to other people.

"Mom...", I call, putting the animal on the table, still smiling and hoping she'll be proud of me.

But my smile quickly fades when I realize she's holding the papers I tried to hide from her. I blink my eyes quickly, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

"Amy, you're not going to do this; my daughter won't fight with others to try to give us a better life...", she says, shaking her head, and at this moment, I see many tears wetting her face. I also feel like crying, and I sigh, looking at her.

I feel a pain in my heart because I didn't want her to find out this way.

"I would have told you, Mom. I thought this way would be easier, and...", I stop talking when she runs towards me to hug me.

I close my eyes, hugging her tightly and letting the tears take over. Furthermore, I didn't want to do this because I knew it would leave her like this.

These are the papers confirming my enrollment in the great competition of this kingdom, where 12 young people fight each other to have a better life. There are various deadly and dangerous challenges, and only one person can win, and when that happens, the person is rewarded with a lot of money, an amount of money that would never let us live like this again.

"Amy, no!", she says, crying and hugging me tighter. I understand her pain; she saw my father being killed by vampires a few years ago, and she's afraid that will happen to me. But I need to try to do this for us. I can't bear to see my mother coming home late every night, exhausted from working for these monsters.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry. I'll be fine; Dad taught me many things, and I know I have a chance to win this competition. Then we can be free. I'm doing this for our freedom.", I say, touching her face gently.

Freedom.

That's the other reward for the sole winner of this deadly competition.

"They'll hurt you; they're cruel. I can't let this happen, Amy.", she says, and I shake my head.

"Trust me, Mom. There's no other way. I'm saving you from a life condemned to pain. Trust me, and I'll come back to you. I'll try to win this competition, Mom. I'm doing it for us.", I whisper, kissing her forehead.

Furthermore, I know I might have done something very wrong, and I might die in the first challenge, but I need to try this for us.

The sun has bid farewell to the sky, plunging the small village into the darkness of the night. The silence that envelops my modest home is broken only by the gentle sound of weeping echoing through the worn-out walls. I sit beside my mother, both lost in an ocean of tears.

The decision to enroll in the kingdom's deadly competition weighs on my shoulders like an anchor, dragging me to the depths of a sea of sorrow. My eyes reflect a mix of determination and despair, while my mother, unable to contain the anguish, sinks into a sea of worries.