Amanda did not answer. But with the question, a distant image emerged in her head automatically.

"Dad, can I go to the school dance?"

His dad looked at the girl with hopeful brown eyes with the corner of his eyes and frowned.

"Pah! You gonna run around and twirl and whirl like some whore?"

Amanda’s stomach hardened and she looked at the floor.

"Clean the rooms and make dinner. We’re already as poor as we are without you draining all the money as well."

She snapped out of the surge of memory and noticed that Mikhail was keenly observing her.

“Stop looking at me like that…weirdo”

Saying that snobbishly Amanda quickly turned around and headed upstairs towards the bedroom. She did not want to answer the question. The memory made it obvious who got the idea into her head but it’s not like his father was wrong. It was foolish to simply prance around, doing nonsense while danger was lurking around every corner.

I’m not like them. I’m different. They’re the ones who are gonna lose their lives out of their patheticness. I’m gonna fight and survive in this horrible game. And I’ll definitely get everything I want. Nobody can stop me. I have to be strong. Even if my father was an asshole, he still knew the truth. That this world is cruel and merciless.

The next morning, after everyone ate breakfast, Amanda placed the map on the table and ordered everyone to keep attention to what she says as she was not going to repeat word for word for the absent-minded ones.

“Listen up. There are 8 spawn points for the water gems. Today we’re gonna split into two teams and search two areas. One area is northwest from here. Mikhail, me, Gabi are one team, we'll check that place out. The other area is southeast from here. Bold, Emma, Thompson and Diego are one team. They will check that place. Is that fine?”

“What? The hell no. I’m teaming up with Gabi. There is no way I’m going to leave her side again” retorted Diego with furiousness in his voice.

“Fine, fine. You get into our team. Anyone else?” Amanda asked with irritation.

The silence was an indication of agreement.

“Okay. My team will go to the forest and search for the water gem there. Bold’s team will go in the opposite direction and check the ruins”.

“Hold it” cried Thompson and slammed the table with his knuckles.

“Why is our team named Bold’s team? It should be I, Thompson Watson’s team. I am the eldest and a far remarkable warrior than this piglet”

Bold rolled his eyes and Amanda frowned.

“Get your high and mighty talk somewhere else. We’re here to find the gem and survive. Take your bravado contest somewhere else” yelled Amanda at him with anger.

Thompson disheartedly sat back onto his chair. The look on his face was that of a clown who failed to put a smile on everyone else’s face. But Amanda did not care to show concern for him. She bit her lips and looked at Mikhail and asked: