The Three Day Survival Game

I awoke, my back aching from the cool wooden bench where I had been placed to rest. The benches were arranged in a circle around the buildings, providing a spot for respite amidst the dense forest. As I sat up, the sun's rays pierced through the foliage, momentarily blinding me. Instinctively, I shielded my eyes with my hand to ease the discomfort of the sudden brightness.

Surrounded by concerned faces, it took me a moment to realize that I wasn't in the comfort of my own bed at home, but rather on a perilous mission on a remote island, deep within the forest where I had fainted earlier due to my childhood trauma. My mind raced to piece together the details, recognizing familiar faces. Astrid sat nearby, with my brother and Damian on the other side. Despite feeling embarrassed by my own vulnerability, I managed a helpless smile, silently assuring them that I was alright.

Astrid spoke up, breaking the silence. "Karun explained to us that you have a phobia of hospital environments."

I replied, "I'm sorry for worrying you all."

Liam, who came out with some lab equipment in his hand, spoke, "Oh no, princess, you don't have to be sorry. You'll be taking the tests right here. After all, you are our esteemed guest." As he spoke, I saw people carrying the required equipment out of the building.

Damian asked, "Are you okay? You worried us there for a moment. Karun almost lost it. You should have told us in the first place so we could arrange something like this."

I replied, "I'm okay, really. Sorry, it's just that I haven't had these triggers in a very long time, so I didn't think it would happen now. Trust me, this is a shock for me too."

I looked at Karun, who had been silent since I woke up. It seemed like it was his turn to talk. He sat beside me, looking down, his hair obscuring his face. The tension was palpable; he must be mad at me, as he always was when I messed up. Karun always blamed me for everything, from when I tripped to when I cut myself. But I thought it was better to get scolded than endure this awkward silence, so I mustered up my courage and said, "Karun?"

As I spoke, he turned to me, and for the first time in my life, I saw a teary-eyed Karun. Not that he didn't cry in childhood, but as grown-ups, he hadn't shed a tear since middle school. I, on the other hand, cried now and then. He hugged me tightly, whispering, "Kathy."

I was taken aback initially, unsure of what to do. "It's okay... it's okay. I'm f-fine," I stammered, tears streaming down my cheeks.

I wept as I assured him. Hugging Karun felt like coming home. All those homesick feelings, anxiety, tension, and excitement flowed out of me in a torrent of tears. My crying outburst took the others by surprise. They didn't know what to do or how to console a pair of grown-up siblings crying and hugging each other like little kids who had just been found after being lost.

Karun calmed down quickly, but my outburst was heavy. All those pent-up feelings I had been holding in finally burst out, and I wept, clinging to him and snorting all over his shirt. It took a while for me to calm down, and the tests got postponed for an hour.

Meanwhile, Astrid brought us some ice cream, saying it was a guild special flavor that tasted really good. I sat there, regaining my strength, while Karun started taking his tests.

Astrid spoke, "I didn't know you guys loved each other that much."

I replied, "I didn't know either. We lost connection somewhere during middle school... We were busy growing up and since then, we never had those loving sister-brother talks."

Karun started growing up first, which I obviously didn't see coming. I often got scolded to "grow up" whenever I fooled around him. I tried to grow up in my own way, and he did it in his. I often felt he had gotten too far away, as we almost never spoke. But when I bickered or argued with him, it was the only way I could get over the feeling that I wasn't alone.

Astrid smiled warmly, "He treasures you, Kathy. I can vouch for that." I smiled back at her, feeling a little more reassured. Just then, I noticed a guy approaching us. He was tall and fair, exuding the confidence typical of a guild member. Handsome and muscular, he was clearly focused on Astrid from a distance.

As he got closer, he called out to Kaile, "Hey, sweetheart."

Astrid rolled her eyes and sighed, "Ah, here comes my headache."

I nearly choked on my ice cream, startled by their banter. He introduced himself as Aiden—Astrid's self-proclaimed sweetheart. Despite Astrid's protests, it was obvious she wasn't entirely against the label. Aiden explained that he was supposed to be with us yesterday but had been caught up with other responsibilities. His friendly demeanor made it easy to strike up a conversation.

This was my first time making friends with people I had just met. Back in our town, I was often labeled a sociopath because I wasn't outgoing much. Meeting new people and making friends was always uncomfortable for me. But here, everything felt different. Everyone was so welcoming, and we all clicked perfectly. Honestly, I felt more at home here than with my old friends.

Aiden couldn't stop talking about Kaile—how he fell for her when she beat him in a guild match (no offense, that's exactly how he put it) and how he pursued her relentlessly. It was clear he was head over heels for her, and he wasn't shy about it. Astrid kept telling him to stop babbling, but he just ignored her and continued. Talking to Aiden felt refreshing, like I had found a long-lost friend.

Soon, it was my turn for the tests. Astrid got up and insisted on accompanying me to make sure I didn't pass out again.