Chapter 12

'You all will be grouped into 5 groups. Each batch will have 10 hunters'. 

'The first batch will move the day after tomorrow, I will call out the names of the ones to go tomorrow in the next two hours, till then you all should move to your various rooms. Dismiss'.

We all moved to our various rooms, Irena and I moving to the same room.

'Do you think She'll pick us to go for the first batch?'.

'What if she picks you for this batch and doesn't pick me?'.

'Or if she picks me and don't pick you?'. She asked panicking.

'It's alright, don't panic, either ways at the end we'll come back and be together'.

'But...if it is as dangerous as they say, what if one of us don't come back?'.

I could feel fear in my mouth but I swallowed it. If anyone should be strong then it should be me.

'No, stupid'.

'We'll all come back alive'.

'They Won't send us on a dangerous job that would take our lives'.

'Are you sure?'.

'Very'.

'OK'. She said relieved.

If only I believed what I said.

'Come on, let's go inside'. I said opening the door to our room.

We entered and I sat in the bed while she laid.

'I pray they pick the both of us to go together'.

'Me too'.

'Now, let's settle sleep and see what fate brings tomorrow'.

'Ok'.

We cuddled together tried to sing each other lullabies before one of us slept off and the other followed suit.

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'Seth'.

'Handel'.

'Arman'.

'Isabelle'.

'Orion'.

Stephanie'.

'Usher'.

'Maude'.

'Mimi'.

'Zofi'.

'Those are the 10 hunters taking off tomorrow'.

'They will be dropped at the west of the Carpathian mountains'.

'Alina?'.

'Ma'am?'.

Alina stood at attention and I wondered if she was a former soldier.

'Make sure to remind the cooks that the hunters who are going for the hunt tomorrow should be fed 'specially''.

'OK ma'am'.

'Good, that is settled then. Be off with you all'.

And with that we all turned and left her dark office.

The people selected for the first hunt were shipped off to another room and the rest of us were shipped into the garden where they asked us to interact.

'I guess we have to part ways here'.

'No, no Maya. Let's stay together'.

'We can't'.

'Why?'. She asked almost crying again.

Blimey, this girl has a lot of water in her tear duct.

'Look here, we may or may not end up together in the same batch. If we do, fine. But if we don't, you sure don't want to be alone and without friends wherever you are going to'.

'I do. I've been surviving without friends and will do that now'.

I made a baby face and it worked.

'Fine, fine. I'll do it'. She said and sneered at me while I chuckled.

She went towards a group of young ladies and left me on my own.

I was still looking for which group to join when I felt someone's eyes on me.

I looked back thinking it was Julia but came face to face with err....what was his name again?

Yes, Lucien.

Just as I expected he made his way towards me. 

I put in a fake smile and greeted him as he came closer.

'Hi, Lucien'.

'What?'. He looked confused.

'I greeted you. Hiiii'. I waved in his face.

He laughed and looked at me, amusement dancing in his eyes.

'I know, it's just that you--uhm-- said the wrong name. My name is  Lucas not Lucien'.

'Oops'. I said and covered my mouth.

'I'm so sorry, I'm so--'.

'It's fine. It really is'.

'OK then'.

We stared at each other in awkward silence.

'So...?'. I prompted.

'Yeah, I just-- I came here to--see if you'd like us to be friends'.

'Oh?'.

'Yeah'.

'Ok'.

'OK? We're friends?'. He asked smiling.

'No'. 

'Oh'. He looked like I just hunted his pride.

I almost bursted out laughing but reined it in.

'I mean, I'll think about it'.

'OK then, you definitely should'.

'Yeah bye'. I waved him away and turned.

Friends my foot.

Not 2 minutes later I heard the sound of heels at my back and knew who is was without turning.

'Hey'. She greeted rudely.

I turned to see my one and only enemy yet, well I can say she must have friends that'd hate my guts too.

'Hey'. I replied, if she thought she was going to get away with behaving like a fool this time then She was so wrong.

'What were you talking about?'.

'Nothing that concerns you'.

'Excuse me?'.

'Sure, you're excused. Just take care not to appear in front of me anymore or else you'll be excused in a way I'm sure you won't want. Bye'.

With that I turned and headed back to my room.

I decided I didn't need any friend, I was okay on my own, I don't need the burden of having a friend. Not that they were even trustworthy, they'll still end up stabbing your back So why stress at all?

I took off my dress and spent over one hour in the bathroom washing off the nothing in particular.

I wrapped a towel around me as I tried to blow dry my wet hair when I heard a soft knock on the door.

Thinking it was Irena I rushed to the door.

'Yes, yes baby'.

'I'm coming'.

I opened the door to see....Eleanor.

'Eleanor?'.

'What are you doing here?'.

'Can I come in?'. She asked looking around as if scared a demon is going to pop out from the walls.

'Sure'. I opened the door wider and she entered.

'I'm sorry to disturb you'.

'No, its fine, I was doing nothing anyways'.

'Blow drying your hair?'.

'Yes, exactly'.

'Can I help?'.

'Sure, if you want to'.

She collected the hair dryer from me and made me sit while she tried to dry my hair.

She worked like a professional and I was about to ask her if she was once an hairdresser when she talked.

'You really look like her'.

'Who?'.

She sighed.

'So, are you anxious for the hunt?'. She asked clearly changing the topic.

I shrugged it off. 'Yes, I am, kind of'.

'I understand. It's normal'. She  said.

I noticed her staring at the wall through the mirror like her thoughts were somewhere else.

'What's wrong?'.

'Nothing'.

'Are you sure, you can tell me any--'.

'Be careful where you're going OK?'.

'For me, and for your mother's sake'.

'But she's dead'.

She shook her head.

'I'm sorry, I'm probably scaring you. I don't mean to'.

'No, you're not. What's the matter?'.

'Nothing'. She smiled.

'I have to go now. It's time for my shift already'.

'Ok'.

She turned to go but stopped and turned back.

She took my hand and dropped something in it.

'Take it along with you on your hunt OK?'.

'Ok'.

'Promise?'.

'Promise'. 

She kissed my forehead and left.

I opened my hand to reveal a necklace with cross.

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