Game of DIcE

Incomplete

The sound of cracking of foliage being stepped onto had caught Riley's attention and alarmed her, freezing as she held her breath and moved her eyes around. It was a dawn of her second day, the surrounding was still dim and the moon was still full and bright which gives enough light for her to see the surroundings.

She was still on the third level, decided to spend the night around the area, and found a tree that she had climbed to settle on one huge branch that could support her weight, she didn't really sleep fine, she often stirred and abruptly woke up because of the fear on falling then would fix her position then she'd fall asleep again, despite the situation at least, she had regained her lost strength from the tiring day yesterday.

Someone was walking, though she was not sure if it was a person or another creature, but she was sure that someone was walking around the way. She put down the half-consumed egg that she was eating earlier when she woke up and held the bottle of water tightly, her heavy bag was on top of her thighs, and securely fastened in her arms, she was seated in an Indian seat position, her hair was tied into a ponytail with her bangs hindering her eyes, that she was thinking of might either cut it short again or just let it grow depending on her mood on the coming days.

The cracking of dried leaves became nearer, and she was starting to panic, by the slow movement, she thinks this someone was also being careful to make noise, it was also sure that it was alone since there was not too much noise, but she still made herself watchful, stuffing the rest of the egg in her mouth as she took her slingshot and a stone from its bag, and carefully placed it on it.

While she waited, she carefully moved up the other sturdy branch, higher than where she was and where it would be more hidden from anyone who would pass by the tree. She also took her bag and placed it on the branch just above her spot, she just left the spear there since it was not much obvious, then readied her slingshot,

After a couple of minutes, the steps halted, and Riley had to hitch her breath and instantly froze on her spot when she realized what that someone was not an ordinary one but a Zumbe lurking around the place. He was exactly in front of the tree where she was, and he was sniffing, his red eyes and bloodied face were making Riley scrunched her face because indeed, this sight was not the best sight to ever see while eating and munching an egg, she felt like what's inside her mouth was blood.

The zumbe looked up, and Riley was so thankful that she changed her spot because she didn't know what would happen if they came eye to eye. The zumbes certainly looked creepier especially their red bulging eyes and mouth painted with blood, she might have vomit on his face in disgust instead of getting scared.

She remained unmoving, her breathing was also controlled, she was chanting in her mind the words 'Go away, creep! Go away!' which seemed to be effective as he started growling and moving forward again, the crisp sound of cracking foliage was back again. She only managed to heave a sigh when the zumbe was finally out of sight.

"I hope no one shouts that could possibly attract more zumbes," She muttered to herself, opening the bottle of water and drank it until the last drop. She took her bag and placed it inside, she's sure there could at least clean water around so she's keeping them.

She slipped her bag on her back and secured the slingshot in the pocket of her jacket while its bag was knotted to her pants. She carefully shifted to her position earlier, took the spear on it, and looked from left to right first before completely jumping down, the crisp sound of the place foliage came to her ear.

She took the die from her pocket, looking up to look for a Flee but no one had been flying up the skies yet, instead, she saw the time and how many were still left inside— it was already five-thirty, the surrounding was already getting lighter, and thankfully, the death yesterday was not much than she expected and there were still a lot of them still alive.

She decided to just walk around first, pulling herself out of the back of the third level, and went to the vast field which seemed to not be a good idea because there she found a lot more zumbes lurking around, so she had to move back to the forestry slowly and carefully.

"Graaahhhh!"

The loud scream of one zumbe inside the woods pierced each of their ears, and Riley was sure that she felt her heart thumps rapidly when the zumbe's attention darted at the back, exactly to where she was.

"Of all the time to scream, why now!?" She cried out and started running into the woods, muttering curses through gritted teeth as she gripped the spear in her one hand tightly, and the strap of her bag on the other.

The loud howls of the zumbes and their heavy and fast steps echoed in the whole third level as if there was a race of horses happening, and Riley hoped, it would just be like that.

"Here! Here!"

She looked at the side and found a group of five people was also running for their lives, she realized that the woman was talking to her and gesticulating for her to come with them when her company started running to the side. She didn't hesitate on running to their side, and immediately reached over the hand lent to her.

She didn't really know where these people were taking her, but the path was by the riverbank, they were just following where the river led them and they were still running. When they were sure that the zumbes were nowhere in sight, they stopped running, Riley immediately collapsed on the ground as she heaved a deep, sharp breath as if she was inhaling all of the air.

"Your lungs are weak, that's bad. You have to run every day for your life." One man remarked straightforwardly, standing not too far from her along with the other three younger ones, the woman in front of her was blocking her sight to see them, or she just couldn't look up in tiredness.

"She's not your child, dad. Don't scold her." Another man spoke, he looked younger than the man, and by how he called him, and also the same facial features that they were almost looked alike, they were related, perhaps, a family.

Wait, a family?

She gawked at each of them, to the woman in front of her who looked younger than her mother but not as young as in the twenties or thirties, possibly she was in her early forties, she looked matured, well-shaped, and knowledgeable with a motherly smile on her as she watched her two companion bicker. The two who were bickering, one man and a woman, were younger than her, they were probably in their teenage years, while the youngest of the group was just silently playing with the water, she guessed, he was in between ten to twelve years old.

"Are you...a family?" She finally voiced out after her minutes of gawking at them.

The two who were bickering earlier stopped and looked at her, "Yes, we are. Do you wanna be part of us?"

"Are you asking her to marry you, i***t? You can't even protect yourself." The woman interrupted, and their bickering continued.

"Yes, we are a family. We're the Emingold. Those three are my children, and he is my husband." The woman in front of her introduced, "We're from the Upper Class."

Riley nodded, they're from Upper Class which explained their beautiful skin and elegant actions. The mother had a very straight back like those of ballerinas, and her daughter caught it, their hair was tied into a ponytail just like hers, but they far neater to look at, the three men also have this shining armor in their chest and their hair was cut tidily and no single strand of hair could cloud their eyes.

"But," She started, curious, "Can a whole family get into the game? I thought only one is allowed."

"There is no particular number of participants per family was instructed in the rules, actually, the parliament will be more over the moon if families decide to be like how we decided, the more people, the more exhilarating it is to them. That's how they are." The father explained, walking next to his wife and lend his hand to help her stand up.

Riley took it, having finally recovered her strength but she still put down her heavy bag for a moment, "But what drives you for this decision?"

"Originally, it should only be me." The father pointed to himself, "We have this agenda in the family that we should talk things out and decided everything, even the smallest thing, with everyone's decision matters and the majority wins. When we talked about the participants, the twins firmly contended, they do not want me to go, or go alone, my son had suggested that it should be the two of us, but my daughter squeezed herself in and said it should be the three of us. I was against the idea so and so my wife and it became two against two, and when we asked our youngest, and explained it thoroughly, instead of choosing which side he would take, he just said that he wanted to be with me, and so we ended up a whole family here."

"Isn't it dangerous?"

"It is, certainly. But we're family, we believe we could conquer all as long as we're together. We're each other's strength. And it is better than letting one of us die alone on television. If one of us dies, at least we're here, we're still together. We won't die yearning for our family and full of regrets." The son said, draping his arm over his father's shoulder who felt proud of him.

"You'll get separated once you roll your dice."

"Honestly, we were only given one. We are granted with one die since we are one family." The mother answered, showing the die that they got.

It was different from what she got, it was bigger than hers, and it had red smudged and looked dirtier while hers was clean and there was no even dirt when given to her. She guessed they took the other side of the cave where they were against the zumbes.

"I see." She said and looked around, "Either way, I wouldn't risk my whole family in this uncertain world. We all have different mindsets after all." She mumbled to herself.

She understood them, their value and acknowledgment in everyone's decision, but she believed it is more than that, If her family would even think of that setup, she would bluster to them for even thinking of that. She valued her family and dragging them with her into the uncertainty where death was lurking around the whole place, she couldn't do that, and wouldn't dare to do so. She should be alone, they get to live their life more, no matter how much she missed her family right now and how envious she felt of this family in front of her, she still thinks she did the better decision for her family.

"There is an open field there near here. We should get going and roll our dice so we could finish another level." The mother said, to her family and Riley.

Riley nodded and picked up her bag and spear, then their venture to the open field as silently as they could and with less conversation to not attract uninvited zumbes. When they reached the open field, there were a lot of Flees resting on the side, and there were barely any participants taking the Flees.

"Thank you for accompanying me and saving me from the danger, Emingold Family. I wish you all the success and your oneness for the rest of the game." Riley said and bowed, showing her gratitude to the family as they had to separate ways from each other now.

"It's nothing. We also wish you the triumph of getting through this game. We'll get going."

Riley nodded and smiled briefly before they turn their backs at her and walked towards the group of Flees on the other side. She sighed and looked up at the now fully shone sun.

"I missed you, mother, father, Servy, and Thirdy..." She muttered, her hand finding its way to the pocket where her die was, "Wait for me, I'll come back to you alive."

She breathed deeply and hurled the die to the air, then it hit the damp ground and rolled for a little more until it stopped.

"Five. Level Eight."