I agree with Squunch that battles are not my favorite stories, for me a murder must be unbalanced: difference of intention, means and experience. You are here for a normal day at the office, I'm here to cut your throat. Fortunately in the first story the battle is uneven, little girls pitted against well-trained adult men. I like how Julie comes one step away from victory before losing everything. I'm not sure anyway, I don't remember reading this story but I remember reading the beginning. Is it the same beginning as the one with the deadly games?

The second is wonderful , exactly what I was talking about. She tries to help them and they think about how to kill her, too stupid to understand what they are doing to her. I love the idiotic questions they ask. For her it is the last day of her life, for them it is a Wednesday

Reading the third I almost hoped that she would win, the poor girl suffered too much, she was so close this time ...

Unfortunate Julie, we are horrible fans