My Nihilism Got Me Laid?!

Turning my scared second hand anger, I look to Mercury. "What the hell is wrong with these things?! Why are they acting so predatory?"

Mercury's movements are slow, and carefree as he shifts. "...Lyssavirus rabies." He taps his head. "It attacks the central nervous system, causing inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Once symptoms appear, rabies is nearly always fatal."

He leans forward as I can see his maniacal wide eyes through the mask.

"So, let me ask you, what's scarier than a creature that knows it's going to die?"

They have injected the various animals with rabies?

Mercury giggles. "You know, I was wondering something, if I were taking part in this test, what would be the safest biome to be in? The woodland and the jungle are certainly a death sentence, land, water, trees, there was nowhere to flee to. So, that left, the bog, which is filled primarily with reptilian creatures, meaning they won't be affected by rabies... but..."

On one of the monitors, it tracks a girl as she desperately runs through the bog. The screams and roars making the experience surround sound, even from the safety of the stands. The girl runs along the shore, misplacing her footing, her leg suddenly sinks into the mud.

Her eyes widen, likely realizing that inactivity is a death sentence.

In a panic, she begins screaming as she attempts to yank her leg free; but she was just ringing the dinner bell, as moments later, she was surrounded by saltwater crocodiles.

The colossal reptilian measured at least 14 feet. They begin to hiss and nip at one another, yet they all had the same meal in mind, it was only a matter of who would get the first bite.

"Get back! Stay away!" She screamed.

Pulling a knife from her waist, she aimlessly attempts to slash at the creatures. One swing gets too close, as a croc lunges at her hand, biting down on it, knife and all.

"AAHHH!" she desperately screams, yet in the next moment the crocodile is spinning and twisting, now yanking her body down into the mud. As it spins, the muscle fibers of her arm, tediously tearing off her arm.

As all hope seems lost, her leg comes free. Her teary eyes widen with dismal excitement as she scrambles to her feet, her bloody dismembered arm presses against the sloshing mud.

Yet as she takes her first step of freedom... she slips on the mud, her face slamming down into the marsh.

With that, the light at the end of the tunnel has vanished, with a smaller croc biting down on her heel.

Hyperventilating, she looks down, slamming her other foot against its snout.

"LET GO! PLEASE! PLEASE!" her desperate kicks the creature on the snout, doing nothing to the lock jawed creature.

We may be smarter than all animals, we have become something beyond apex predators... yet animals still have one leg over us when it comes to combat... they lack empathy. It doesnt matter what you say, what you offer, once they decide you are the prey, there is no hope for an alliance.

From the bushes a monster, the closest thing to a living Deinosuchus; spanning at least 17 feet, the creature emerges from the brush, biting at another crocodile that gets in its way.

The girl's eyes violently flood with tears as she attempts to crawl away from the creature. The other crocodiles lunge at her various limbs.

"Nooo! PLEa- AHH!"

With their infamous death roll the reptilian tanks spin, tearing the limbs from her body. Her death was by no means painless, but as the largest of the group sinks its teeth into her face, it seems it was at least quick.

My breath hastens as I try not to vomit.

I'm going to be sick.

Meanwhile, Mercury is having the time of his life. "So, if the bog is not the safest, that left one last place... the bamboo forest. I mean, what could possible hurt someone there? A panda? Seems pretty innocent to me. But... why does it feel like there's something I'm forgetting about?"

Just then, a roar sounds on the trail cam in the bamboo forest. The low toned war cry is followed by a war drum of a beating noise.

A boy is caught out in the open of the field. His eyes shake as they look up to the colossal Hominidae mammal stares down at him.

"...Oh... that's right! The big monkie!" (∩˃o˂∩) Mercury exclaims with a giddy shout.

Yanking the boy off his feet, the gorilla grabs either end. With his arms and legs held in the gorilla's indomitable grip, his squirming is more of a wiggle.

Baring its fangs, the gorilla bites down on the boy's stomach like a chicken wing. The boy lets out a screech as he attempts to break free from the gorilla's grip, but his screams lack the oxygen needed to project as the gorilla sinks its teeth into his internal organs.

"AAHHHH! PLE- PLEAse! STOP! Help!" His words begin to slur as the gorilla pulls either side of his body in opposing directions, stretching his body out. "SOMEB- MOM! DAD! Hel-"

The boys screams turn into a shrill shriek as his skin begins to tear. With a deafening rip he's split in half, his organs explode out like a party popper.

The gorilla throws the boy's split corpse aside.

I don't want to watch, yet I can't take my eyes off the screen.

"Kugo!" One of the boys throws his kunai at the gorilla's skull with a tear eyed glare. The blade stabs the gorilla perfectly in the eye.

The rabies prevent the creature from feeling the normal fear, it simply turns it direction to the other boy.

Charging at him, the boy's eyes widen as he attempts to backtrack, fleeing from the booming steps behind him. His attempts are in vain, as the gorilla lunges up and slams down on the boy, nearly crushing him with the weight; perhaps that would have been the better outcome.

As the gorilla sits atop the boy, his ribs are slowly being crushed. Slamming down his fist the gorilla grabs the boys arms and folds them in ways the human body doesn't fold. With crackling splintering noises the boys limbs are poking out of his corpse.

These people, only nineteen to twenty. They just finished years of education, hardwork, diligently studying, their mornings consisting of grueling training. Families, loved ones, experiences, joys, struggles and triumphs. They had their entire life ahead of them

This is someone's son, someone's daughter, dead in a moment, their twenty years of life squashed, bitten, ripped apart in a single second. ...For what? A title? The right of freedom?

My breath begins to hasten.

This isn't a test, this is an execution of their own people.

My eyes widen as I realize the chaos distracted me.

Riven! Riven! Where is she?

My eyes frantically scan the monitors for something, just a hint of her. In the corner of one of the screens, I notice her purple hair as she jumps back.

She's alive, not only that, but she is working with a group of her classmates.

She's in the jungle of course, the most dangerous one.

That won't be good enough, I need to get in there.

Stepping towards mercury, I furrow my brow. "Let me in there!"

"Ho? But you aren't taking the test."

"People are being slaughtered in there! This isn't even fair."

"Fair? Life isn't fair... unless it is? Well, it hasn't been fair to me, then in that, it hasn't been fair. Therefore, life itself is not fair."

"Do you really think the shogun wants his daughter to be brutally killed out there?"

"He was the one who instructed us to give the animals rabies. If this isn't growth for his only remaining family, I dont know what is."

"How the fuck is this growth!? I don't have time for this. MOVE!"

He doesn't, in fact, move.

My eyes narrow.

Dissiri looks at me and nods, suddenly grabbing her gun, she aims it at him, firing two rounds he tilts his head, effortlessly dodging the bullets.

Taking the moment, I run for the entrance of the bio-dome. Jumping over the seats, I bolt towards the back door of the suit and make my way down the stairs.

Arriving, the steel gated door is locked shut.

Shit, shit.

Every second could be the end... I need to get in there.

Reeling my leg back, I spartan kick my leg forward.

The vibrating feeling sends a shiver through my body as the metal door trembles.

I ignore it, I have to. I continue reeling my leg back and slamming my foot against the door, each kick more desperate than the last.

It gets to the point where my tibia begins stabbing out through my knee, the bone sticking out in a splintered mess. Biting my lip, I manage to repair the damage by focusing my strength.

Stepping back, I calm my breathing, focusing my strength into one charged up kick, I slam into the door. Finally, the barred metal door goes flying off its hinges, landing on the ground with a thud.

The moment the door is open, I bolt through.

My eyes scan the surrounding area in a panic. Jungle, jungle, jungle, where was it? Fortunately, I trained with speed as the focus, meaning I can run at least 65 miles per hour for long distances.

But, before I can take a step forward, I hear an ominous thudding behind me.

Whipping around, I barely have time to react as a fist flies towards my face.

A fucking kangaroo!?