JADE COLLINS

I didn't realize I was looking at an empty space until I heard the noise from my gate getting opened.

"I don't have all day Red" I heard Sam's voice down the hall. Despite my sharp mouth, I'm actually scared of Sam, he beat the shit out of me after my first and only failed escape attempt. Sam is a damn good and cruel fighter despite his looks. I guess that's why he looks specifically for pretty people so victims wouldn't know who they're dealing with before they get killed.

I ran towards Sam's voice, packing my now long copper red hair away from my face. I caught up with him soon enough and we went back to the hall where we have our fights.

Apparently, another fight was taking place. I don't think we were allowed to watch these fights. We climbed up the stairs in the corner to the first floor where they record all the fights that take place. Basically the IT division I think.

I chanced a look through the glass again and I saw Black snapping another recruit's neck. I couldn't help the gasp that came out from my mouth. Black looked so cold and empty, like a robot.The recruit was dragged out and Black was named the winner. Sam was nodding his head like sick sick proud father. I looked at him in horror.

He looked at me and I tried averting my eyes, "You really are beautiful Red" he said squinting his eyes.

"Now, I know it may not seem that way but I would really like you to be one of the 3 chosen recruits tomorrow, I'm rooting for you" He said with a smile.

I'm having mixed emotions here actually so I don't reply him. Sam sighed and gestured me into the IT room. The room became silent immediately.

Sam walked in to meet the head of the IT division. "I need the footage of yesterday's fight. Orange and Silver's fight".

"Okay Boss" the head of the IT division replied. After some mouse clicks and keyboard clangs, he played the video. I watched how Silver fought bravely and was definitely winning when he got stabbed and fell.

Orange made it look like he punched Silver in the stomach but in the last minute, a knife appeared and Silver got stabbed. He must've hidden the blade in his fist. "Red, I don't see what Orange did wrong here. I don't see any knife. It looks like Silver was just punched" Sam said, turning towards me.

"No, it's right there Sam" I don't know how I got bold but I moved towards the system and replayed the video, slowly this time then paused it after Silver got stabbed. I had to rewind and pause it at the knife part again and looked at Sam.

"How did you see this?" He asked very calmly. "I just saw it, it's actually quite obvious". Sam gave me another of his rare genuine smiles.

"Red this is good work. You noticed what everyone failed to notice, I'm really rooting for you tomorrow". He gave me an affectionate pat on my head and motioned a guard to take me to my cell.

I really hope the video evidence gets Silver some form of justice. Knowing Sam, he might just make them have the fight again. On the other hand, Sam is very unpredictable and irrational. I turned in my bed thinking about the fight taking place the next day. I really hope I would scale through.

.

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I am obviously lost, running through the woods. I don't know what I'm running from but I'm visibly upset. All of a sudden, I hear growls and see large dogs or wolves? fighting. I was scared and I wanted to leave the scene immediately but then the dogs or wolves? heard when I stepped on a twig and ran away leaving behind an injured animal. I don't know what came over me but I just knew I couldn't leave the injured wolf ( yeah, I'm calling them wolves now) to die. It was stabbed. I moved closer and it was shaking. The wolf transformed into a guy that looked very familiar.

Surprisingly again, I wasn't scared or shocked about this development. "Jade, it's alright. Just help me remove this knife" He said. But my name is Red, I frowned and looked on in shock. "Jade" He gurgled because of the blood pouring from his mouth. With that, I immediately pulled out the knife and I saw the injury closing up before my very eyes. Before I could scream, the very naked man held my hands saying "Everything is going to be alright Jade, It's going to be fine". He hugged me in his arms and everything actually felt alright like he said. Pulling back from the stranger because

1. He was still naked and 2. He was a stranger even though he looked familiar, I asked "Who are you?"

"Errrr, don't you remember me Jade?" He looked amused shaking his head, his eyes darting into my soul. Holding a shoulder, he felt my temperature with the back of his other hand and cute frown on his face. He looked at me with his very striking very different coloured eyes and asked me "Jade, do you feel ill? It's me". And when I frowned shaking my head, "Jade, it's me, it's me Ha-" I heard a loud clang.

"Recruits to be, you have 10 minutes to get dressed" a guard said. Apparently, I was having a dream. I've been having this same dream for a while now. Every single night and I never get the guy's name.

I got down from my bed and sighed. I have my fights today and the outcome of said fights would determine my future in this place. I can confidently say I've worked hard to be among the top 3 recruits that get selected today. I just hope I win all my fights. Getting up, I prepared for the day in my cell. When I got back to my room after getting dressed, I was just in time for the guards to come pick us from our cells.

A weird thing happened when Silver was also instructed to get out from his cell. Silver looked resigned already while I looked on in horror, why would Sam make Silver fight again, our set at that. At this point, Sam is just very sadistic. And because of my nerves, I couldn't say anything to Silver when our eyes met. We got to the arena and Silver was taken to a secluded spot. Maybe he was going to fight for 3rd place, I thought to myself. I was paired with Grey, Lemon and Green. I had to beat each opponent to advance to the next stage to be a recruit. The fights went on and on and I got bored but I noticed Green might be a big contender, for one, she was very fast and sneaky. Why did I have to get paired with her?

My fights with Grey and Lemon came soon enough and I beat them. Green was the challenge here. After the fight with Blue and Purple, Blue had to get dragged off the fighting ring because Purple beat him badly. Purple was named a victor as he won all his fights. He was the first victor. Green and I were told to step into the ring.