The raeiki trials were coming up, and all the teens were afraid that they might be next; in the end, the winners would be Gods, but the losers would be dead. And possibly there would be family and friends against you, of course, it was killed or be killed.

It was going to begin in five days from now, so that was the countdown, and no one could prepare for it. Yusra Ahmad and her cousin Karrar Bachir sat on the back door steps thinking that their lives might change soon, and hoping that it wouldn't. The raeiki trials for most were their way out of poverty, but it meant that your bond with your family was broken. It also meant that there would be no turning back..

"If you keep staring at the ground like that, you're going to start a fire," Karrar said, leaning back on his elbows.

"That's not a real thing," she replied, rolling her eyes.

Yusra didn't look up from the ground, watching the ants move a piece of bread was better than thinking of what might come.

"They are really trying with that bread crumb, maybe the Gods for the raeiki trials should choose them, and not us mortals," Karrar sighed, before laying his head down on his arms.

"Why us?" She questioned out loud.

"It's probably just a game for them; they pick us off for their amusement." Karrar looked up from his knees and arms.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Yusra answered. "I wish we didn't have to deal with them; it's not fair."

"We don't know if we are included yet Yusra. Let's not speak like we are."

"I just have a bad feeling," she frowned, thinking about the possible future.

Yusra felt the foreboding as if a storm was coming that they would not be able to avoid, and she wished that she didn't. Especially, since most of her feelings seemed to come true.