The overhead lights shone like the sun during golden hour, highlighting the yellow barrels of hay that were stacked next to the towering mountains of straw. The rustling inside the loose straw made me pause, but my curiosity overpowered it.

How dangerous were those massive rats and who were responsible for summoning them?

I instinctively intertwined my fingers with Jade's as we trailed the Jeffrey brothers, maintaining a respectable distance. "Stick with me, alright?" Our eyes met, and she nodded, the once-upturned corners of her lips now downturned. "I'm not letting anyone take you from me."

She squeezed my palm twice. "They're gonna have to pry you out of my cold, dead arms for that to happen."

Millie huffed, following us a few feet behind. "They'll love to do nothing more."

I successfully kept myself from rolling my eyes or reacting to her negativity and continued to move as far away from the well of murky water as possible.

"It'll be smart to find a safe zone before that beast comes sniffing around again," Millie whispered, mindful of our surroundings.

"Safe zone?" Jade glanced over her shoulder.

I nodded. "They built small, enclosed structures to protect us from the roaming threats and they sometimes contain a few necessities."

"That's perfect!" Jade suggested, her eyes wide with hope. "That's where I can hang out until all this is over."

"Safe zones aren't always harmless, despite what they call them," I said, a note of caution in my voice.

"I'll make it work." Her self-assurance was apparent.

"Sshh." My pace slowed to a halt and I shook my head. "They could hear everything. Even when you think they're not watching or filming, they are. They're observing every move and will use anything you do or say against you. Why do you think you're here?"

"It seems like your confidence pissed someone off while we were at headquarters, especially that Mother Holle woman." Jade lifted my arm to examine the blade and cuff attached to it. "Heard a lot about an aeroblade too. Now I see why they made sure you put it to good use."

"Where'd you even get that?" Millie asked.

"During a challenge to kill the Witch." I noted the terrified look in Jade's eyes. "We succeeded."

"Whoa." Her fingertips caressed my cuffed arm, sending care, love, and maybe a bit of admiration through her touch.

"I—" Trying to allow the words off my tongue without tears ruining it, I sighed. "I could've saved that man. Instead, I just let him drown." I bowed my head, unable to lift it. "And it just proved to everyone watching that I care nothing about our community."

"That's not true." Jade gently tugged my arm to pull me a bit closer. "They set that game up for you to fail but instead you bested them. You proved that you would do whatever it takes to prevent senseless death. Our deaths."

Millie stopped beside Jade. "They killed that man. Remember that."

With her acknowledgement, I couldn't hold back the hot stream of tears that rolled over my lids. I finally looked up and locked eyes with Millie, thankful that she truly didn't blame me for the predicament we found ourselves in. "You understand why I'm here, right? I entered the Games because I love you, Millie."

It was painfully silent for a second too long.

She finally opened up. "I just wish you would've shown your love outside of the Games, sis." Her soggy shoulders rose and fell with the weight she must've been carrying for so long. "But you're so busy showing up for the credit and the cameras, that you forgot what sisterhood is really about."

Jade turned to face her. "Millie," she started with calm and comfort in her delicate voice. "A good relationship requires both parties in order to be successful."

"She's right," I continued. "What about the stolen credit, the stolen identity, all the debt you racked up under my name? Was I meant to overlook those things to maintain our relationship? And then you pretend to be me to enter the Games? How am I supposed to feel?"

Jade grew silent as she observed, probably stunned by the depth of sisterly betrayal I never exposed.

"For all my twenty years, it was always 'be more like your sister,'" Millie started. "No matter what I did, I was supposed to look up to you as the shining example. So, what better way to do that than becoming you?"

"But you became me to steal from me." I searched her eyes to break through to her heart. "That's not what sisters do to each other. That's not how we treat each other, Millie. We always had each other's back until we became contributing members of society a couple years ago and you stole from me. Becoming a responsible adult is hard," I continued. "I get it, it's not easy for any of us, but we have to start somewhere, and we have to start off right."

"I was working on that," she started, but swiftly interrupted my eye roll. "No, listen. Why do you think I'm here?" When neither Jade nor I answered, she placed her hand over her heart. A sign of sincerity. "I shouldn't have opened credit lines under your name. That money I took, I'm planning on giving it back. What I did was wrong. It ruined your credit, your livelihood, and our relationship and I know it. But I couldn't just say sorry and go on with my life, I had to do one better and pay off what I stole. Doing that is the only way to really fix everything."

Jade cocked her head in shock. "You signed up for a deadly game show to pay back a ten-thousand-dollar debt?"

"Twelve thousand," Millie corrected.

"You put your life on the line," I clarified, saying it aloud so she could realize the gravity of her decision. "I would never want you to do that just to pay me back."

"But you would never let me live it down until I did." Her broad shoulders slumped. "Anyway, aren't you the one who says actions speak louder than words? Well, that's what I'm doing. Acting on the promises I made to myself."

I shrugged, not fully wrapping my head around her decision. "Signing up for this is not the best way to prove you're sorry."

"Not only that, but I also want a ticket out of here just like everyone else. I don't have skills to get a decent job that could let me out of the country on duty. The only way out other than death is winning the Games, and I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"You better not." I grabbed her by her bony shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, finally exhaling when her arms clasped around me. She was warm despite being damp, and I told myself I would never complain as long as I felt care in her embrace. When we finally separated, I looked into her eyes. "Outside of the country is probably no better. Why do you think I decided to stay and put my time to good use? No matter where you go, people like us will always have to fight."

Jade agreed with a nod. "Fight for food, proper healthcare, freedom, justice..."

"Pain exists everywhere." I huffed, keeping my eyes on Millie. "That's why I made it my duty to make change here in this country where I currently live with millions of others who are in the same situation. If we don't fight for change, things will remain the same."

"I respect that." Millie nodded. "But I do things my way."

"You never learn," I huffed.

"But you do?" Millie cocked her head and scrutinized me with narrowed eyes. "You let me push you to the ground how many times? If that's not proof you've hadn't learned, I don't know what is. If you didn't learn the first time, when will you? You always need to be on guard, even around people you think you should trust."

A rustling emerged from the mountain of straw a few feet away from us, bringing our attention to the stack. We stood in silence, and suddenly, a pair of beady eyes gleamed in the dim light. A vicious, large rat emerged, its dark brown fur matted, its sharp and elongated front teeth bared.

It scurried out with an unsettling determination, navigating the straw with surprising agility. The sight sent a shiver down my spine as we all instinctively took a step back, realizing that it wasn't an ordinary rodent.

For some reason it had remained behind from the pack.

The rat hesitated for a moment, its eyes fixed on us with a mix of curiosity and hostility. In that tense moment, it seemed to be assessing whether we posed a threat or not. But then, with a sudden burst of aggression, it lunged forward, sharp teeth gnashing.

Without a second thought, I grabbed my blade but also hesitated. I didn't want to kill the rodent, especially if it was doing what any scared and cornered animal would do to protect its life.

I tossed the blade, purposely missing the body of the creature and only wanting to frighten it away. Still, the rat dodged it with alarming speed. Millie, always quick on her feet, stepped toward it in the hopes it would scamper away in fright.

However, it refused to budge. The rat, now agitated and seemingly more determined, launched another attack. Before it could sink its sharp incisors into Millie's ankle, she kicked it in its hind leg near its scrawny belly.

Her swift kick sent the rat tumbling, and it landed a few feet away on its side. The rodent struggled, it's gaunt belly heaving with each breath as its rib cage rapidly swelled and shrunk.

Finally, after a moment of struggle, it got to its feet and scurried away and out of sight. We all took a collective breath, realizing the immediate danger had passed.

"What are those rats about?" Jade kept her eyes in the direction it darted off in.

I shrugged. "It's weird but the rats and the odd tune reminds me of a particular fairy tale."

Before I could finish my thought, the speakers sprang to life, echoing in the distance with a familiar artificial voice. "Thirty seconds."

Jade looked between Millie and I. "Thirty seconds till what?" The golden light enhanced the specks of variant browns in her wide eyes.

"We need to find a safe zone!" Millie sprinted in the direction of the Enchanted Forest. "Now!"