TW: Mentions of suicide (It's not super bad, since they'll respawn, but it's still a trigger for people)

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"I'm tired of this, Joe," Cleo said. It was the middle of the night and she was sitting atop a branch with her best friend. "Why are we here?"

"Well, Cleo, we may not know why we're here, but we can be thankful that we're alive," Joe answered from next to her.

"I'm not thankful I'm alive. I want out," Cleo decided. "I don't want to be in this silly game and I want to get back to my normal life."

Joe was silent.

"I'm gonna get out. You see any rivers around here?" Cleo asked.

"No, but Cleo, I'm sure self-harm is never the answe-" Joe began.

"I appreciate you, Joe, I really do, but I can't stay here. I don't wanna be trapped here," Cleo cut him off. 

Hopping down from the tree, she began walking in a random direction. After a while, she heard someone following her. 

"Come out, now," she demanded.

"It's me, Cleo. I don't want you to be alone," Joe emerged from the leaves.

"Alright. Come on, let's go," Cleo resumed walking, Joe by her side. Finally, about two hours later, they exited the woods to find a vast cliff.

"What an opportunity," came a voice from behind them.

"Stress? Hey! How are-" Cleo started.

"I don' really wanna do this, Cleo, but this is the Hunger Games," Stress looked down before moving towards them. Joe and Cleo backed up... right up to the edge of the cliff.

"S-Stress?" Cleo began to panic. Sure, she'd been thinking about doing this herself, but...

"Bye, luvs," Stress steadied herself before reaching out. Her hand made contact with Cleo's shoulder and then...

"STRESS!!" was Cleo's last cry before she hit the ground far below with a thud.

ZombieCleo fell from a high place trying to escape Stressmonster101.

Joehills fell from a high place trying to escape Stressmonster101.

Their yells echoed in Stress's head as she re-entered the forest, telling herself they were fine, they would respawn. Still, she felt guilty for murdering her friends.

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"Wake up," a voice whispered.

"Who is it?" the hermit asked quietly so as not to disturb their sleeping companions.

"I want to talk to you," the voice said.

"Oh, it's you. Sure." The hermit got up and pushed through the leaves. They found the source of the voice on the other side of them; another hermit.

"I want to form an alliance," the other hermit said.

"But I already have an alliance with them," said the hermit, gesturing towards the clearing where their companions were sleeping.

"Betray them," the other hermit said bluntly.

"Betray them? But-" the first hermit's eyes widened.

"Do you want to stay alive?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"No," the other hermit sighed. "But I want to help you. You'll do better with me than with them."

"Why would I join you, though? What do you have that they don't?"

"Look, they're going to try to attack. They aren't mad at you, but you'll be caught in the crossfire."

"They?"

After a brief explanation, the hermit made a decision.

"I'll join you when the time comes."

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Sorry for the short chapter :/