“I told you once and I’m not going to tell you again,” I whispered. “We have to leave here right now!”

“But why?” Even when she asked this question, I didn’t really have an answer myself; all I knew was that I needed and so did she, needed to get out of here. The sky was gloomy and the fog was in, it was the perfect time to make our escape. My little cousin was about seven years old with honey colored eyes and soft brown hair. She didn’t know what was going on and who could blame her growing up in this life with few people to depend on. I was one of the very few and I was not going to let her down.

“Come now, Gracie,” I whispered again, “We’re going to be leaving now and we’re never going to look back.” I grabbed her hand and our bearings as we both slipped off into the wilderness. In this world that we live in now, it’s just like one big game, each child when they hit a certain age is assigned a hunter. The Higher Class are the hunters and orphans like us from the lower class are the hunted... The thing is I will never know who my hunter is, and the thing of this game is if I could find out his or her full name I am set free to do as I please. But if they find me they are able to do as they please, my birthright was giving to them whether I liked it or not. My hunter can be any age, but they are only able to set out to search when they are eighteen. I am assigned a hunter when I was fourteen, but now I am sixteen. And I’m running away from this game.

Deep in thought, I forgot where I was going and tripped over some branches.
“Phoebe, are you ok?” Gracie asked. I got back up and nodded my head and resumed walking in the woods, it was getting darker and harder to see.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, little girl?” At the sound of that voice, in the middle of the woods I was not expecting and immediately pushed Gracie behind me and prepared myself for the worst. I couldn’t see his face, because the light was dimming quickly now. But I made sure that Gracie was behind me and no one was going to hurt her.

“Who are you?” I growled.

“Who is it,” Gracie whispered, “Who is it?” I shushed her quietly and stared straight ahead in the direction he was in.

“I’m not going to hurt you and I’m not here to hunt you if that’s what your wondering,” he said. Even without words my posture told him I was skeptical to believe him, and he sighed.

“Tell you what, I’ll tell you my name,” he said, “How’s that sound?” That was uncalled for; telling someone your name let alone your full name is like blackmail being held at your fingertips, unless he was lying all this time.

“I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not going to work, you’re trying to gain trust and unless you’re like a god, those words or actions aren’t given so easily,” I said.

“Who is it?” Gracie asked tugging at my sleeve. He looked at me then looked at her and he must’ve heard what she said because in this dim lighting I could see his figure step forward.

“My name is Skye and I want to help you runaway from the hunters.