There's a city in another world. It's not like the cities you know. It's bigger. The size of a country. In this city, a mixed anthropomorphic populace lives together in relative harmony. To ease tensions, the city is divided into a number of 'Wards'. These sections of the city separate the populace, some designed for predators and others for prey. Not having to live together helps predators control their impulses and dine on synthetic meat.

But predatorial urges aren't so easily sated. It's taught that there was great unrest in the past. Predators suffered and grew rebellious because they couldn't follow their instincts. The great city risked its people turning against one another. And so it was decided. Predators had to hunt.

'The Hunt' was created. Once a year, a prey ward is chosen. The ward and the date of The Hunt are completely random. It can be anywhere at any time. With hundreds of prey wards, many go their whole life without being chosen. The Hunt is just thought of as a natural disaster, something that might happen, but probably won't. But if it does...

The chosen Ward is alerted by a siren blaring from loudspeakers around the area. They're told their Ward has been selected and sealed. No one is allowed to leave. They're given thirty minutes to prepare. They can hide, they can fortify, they can ready themselves however they choose. But ready themselves they must. Once those thirty minutes are up, predators are allowed in. And they'll come. Every predator who can afford a high speed rail ticket will be racing to participate.

For eight hours, all acts of predation are legal. The chosen Ward is turned into a hunting ground. For prey, there's only one way out. They have to survive eight hours in their predator-infested Ward until The Hunt ends. No warning. No escape. Thirty minutes to prepare. Eight hours to survive, however you can.

For one day, society breaks down. The concrete jungle abides by the law of the jungle. Survival of the fittest. This is The Hunt.

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Milo's Story, Part 4

There was no safety to be found in the mall. There was no safety to be found in the subway. There may not be any safety to be found at all. But even in the hell of The Hunt, there's one rule that learned very quickly. Anywhere is safer than outside.

Unfortunately, that's exactly where Milo and his group are headed. Not because they want to. But because every other door is leading straight to danger. Outside, terrible as it is, offers hope. Better to take a chance on the dangerous unknown than linger in the shadow of feasting predators, right?

Milo's about to enter into the feeding grounds of The Hunt. No doors, no walls and few places to hide. He knows it's going to be hell, but the plan is to just slip outside and quickly find somewhere new to hunker down.

In the next fifteen minutes, Milo's going to learn exactly how fast he can run...