Seven

'''It’s Bluejay with another story, this one set in a dystopian worl,d where children are hunted. Seven are forced to emark upon a mission. Hope you like it!'''

ONE
"Say yes or I'll kill you."

Leering eyes that fit the words.

"No! Dren, say no! Just-" 

''A gunshot. And then a word.''

"Yes."

Before

"Leo, we can't keep going. Look at Chel. She's going to pass out soon." I said tiredly.

"Better she pass out then they catch us. Here, Chel, want a ride?" He coaxed. Chel tiredly let herself be lifted, a look a fear in her eyes.

A look that was in all our eyes, and never left.

We plodded on, daring not to speak again. Our pursuers were gaining on us.

"Leo, there's no chance of escaping quietly. Run!" I screamed when the tip of a car came around the bend.

Leo responded in running. The rest of us, Sad, Mel, Lox, Mart, and Devel hurried after us.

My name is Dren. And this is everyday life for me.

I have no idea how I've survived to turn fifteen. How any of us survived. Especially when Leo and I were young- I can't remember to back then, but somehow we managed. The rest we found over the years, and now we have a clan of eight. We have no goal, except to survive. Because in a world where children are hunted and killed, that's your only option.

Leo and I have spoken about what to do when we turn eighteen. That's the legal age of adulthood- but since we weren't legal in the first place, joining society might be a bad idea. Especially since we'd have to abandon the rest of the clan.

Our footfalls crunch against the fall leaves. Chel is wide awake on Leo's back, but she stays there since her little nine-year old legs are no match against the cars.

And neither are ours. You'd think we would be caught, but Leo and I have developed an escape pattern over the years to fool the adults. It works pretty well. We've had a lot of close calls, but somehow, all of us have survived.

I ran faster. We zigzagged and swerved. Leo ducked us onto  another path. It didn't work.

On and on. My legs grew tired. The cars grew closer... and closer...and then

Arms suddenly pulled me away into a tree.

== TWO It happened to fast to react physically, but my mind was already running. ''Is this a trick? An ambush? Were the others dragged in? Is this the day we die? How can I escape?'' == The tree was dark and cramped. This forest had unusually large trees, but still, it was small. The first thing I noticed was the smell, of smoke and fire. Then I noticed a two figures. The first I quickly recognized as Leo, the second, I had no idea.

I quickly shot my leg out, trying to kick the strange figure.

"Stop! You will go free. Maybe." He said in a leering, ominous voice.

"Where are the rest? Who are you?" I yelped at the same moment Leo said,

"What are you doing? Why are you here?" In the blackness, the figure held up his hands.

"That is none of your business. You will go free if you agree to do one thing."

"And?" I asked. Through the hole, another figure struggled to get in.

"Oh, come on. The rest are trying to get in," the man muttered. Sure enough, one struggled in, and then the rest, one by one. Now it was really cramped, despite how thin we all were.

"Fine. Go to the Barren Lands. Bring back a girl, yes, a teenager, with red hair. You will know her. Bring her to me. Only her. No one else."

Okay, this guy was creeping me out.

"What if we don't want to?" I ask definately. No way was I going to the Barren Lands. That would be a death trap.

"Say yes or you die."

Leo spoke up.

"No- Dren, this will be a disaster. Better die here, easily."

The man glared, and raised what seemed to be a gun.

"It is up to the girl. Not you."

There was a gun crack, and I saw a bullet shoot from the gun through the top of the tree. A glimmer of sunlight shone through, and the bullet fell to the ground, inches from Chel. She shrieked.

"You heard me. And no tricks. I will be watching."

Taking chances is a death sentence. That was our motto.

What chance did we have to scramble out of here before he shot? Then again, what chance did we to make it out of the Barren Lands? What chance did we have to trick this man, who had an aura that made me think tricks really would never work?

"Don't-" Leo tried again, but I spoke before he could convince me.

"Yes."