One Week Trip To Nowhere With Mr. Stranger

Hard on, ahemm, I meant rock on!...

"I'd like to play." I announced at the game booth official. He looked at me as if I had uttered a joke or maybe seeing me as a joke but then took me in the game as I wagged the tad of cash in front of his face.

The game started and the booth official, a thin man with beard below his chin, instructed us about the game, calling me out especially for my benefit according to him even though I'm not the only girl who had joined the game. He treats me like a wimp. I scoff, I'll show him, what a Lee can do.

Mumblety-peg which is also known as Mumbley Peg, mumblepeg, mumble-the-peg, mumbledepeg or mumble-de-peg is a knife throwing pastime that was once popular among ninetieth century schoolboys, Wild West cowboys, and World War II soldiers. This game requires an opponent, a couple of pocket knives and a bit of skill. Well, I knew this much since I played this with my grandfather, who taught me this game.

This version of Mumblety-peg we're playing is not that complicated yet still exciting because instead of trying to get the knife to stick as close to your foot as possible, the aim is simply to get the knife to stick in the ground but what makes this game tricky is that you need to perform impressively difficult trick tosses within time limits. We need to complete each tricks within two minutes and if you’ll go beyond that, you’ll be out of the game. He also announced that the loser has to pull the winner’s knife out of the ground with his/her teeth and that there are twenty-four different tricks tosses that must be performed correctly in order to win.

"Okay, start." the game official announces and we commenced to perform the tricks. We are paired in two’s first and there are a total four pairs playing.

"You're so going down." my opponent growled. She's a lesbian, I must say a competitive lesbian. I just simply laugh at her eagerness to win, glad that we’re on the same page since losing is not in my vocabulary.

All participants proceeded to perform the first trick wherein you need to hold your right fist with the back of your hand to the ground, the blade of the knife pointing right, resting on your top closed fingers. You need to swing your hand to the right, up and over, in a semi-circle, so the knife point falls downward, stick upright in the ground.

I performed it without breaking an eye contact with Christian as the knife’s blade stuck to the ground. He chuckled, mentally praising me.

We then performed the second, then the third, fourth up to the twenty-fourth throw. I expertly executed all the throws accurately remembering how my grandfather used to show and teach me the easiest way on how to do the tricks with just using minimal strength and the technique on how you flick your wrist and the right speed on how to perform each tricks.

Time passed by as we dwindled into two participants only, me and the lesbian. I hurriedly and expertly performed the twenty-second throw and now down to the last two throws, the difficult and most challenging amongst all the tricks. I’m at my twenty-third throw called behind the back throw while my opponent performs the twentieth-second throw. The twenty-third throw is basically, doing a behind the back toss, very tricky since you need estimate the knife blade to be able to stick it to the ground with the right strength.

Holy macaroni, I'm beginning to sweat. I'm not really that good at the last two tricks but I can't chew on a stick in front of Christian. I need to impress him, that's why losing isn't in my option. I performed it but it didn't stick. The lesbian smirk viciously as the game official stated I still have time left to perform the trick again since part of their rules is that we’ll all get another chance to perform the trick as long as it’s within the time limit.

I looked up at Christian, needing a mental push and I'm glad as he gave it to me; him nodding at me smiling broadly confident that I can do it. I again perform the trick and I finally got it to stick.

Now, my opponent and I are in the twenty-fourth throw. She caught up to me. This is bad. Since, the first one to complete all twenty-four tricks will won the game.

The twenty-fourth throw is called ploughing the field. After the twenty-third throw, you'll leave the knife stuck in the ground. Then with the palm of your hand, you'll strike the knife’s handle with a smart blow that will send the knife revolving over the ground for a yard (more or less) and cause it to stick in the ground where it stops. If you failed this twenty-fourth throw, basically you'll have to perform again the twenty-third throw—the main reason, why I suck at the last two tricks since they’re two connecting tricks.

I furrowed my brows together concentrating and performed it feeling as if the whole world turned in slow motion building up the thrill and nervousness in me, making me doubtful if it'll stick or not and then it happened all too fast as I saw it finally stuck in the ground revolving across the dirt ground as my opponent redid the twenty-third throw as she failed to make her knife stick onto the ground.

The game booth official announces that I, whom he thought a wimpy kid, won the game. I jumped in glee. I won.

The winner gets the mumblety-peg bragging rights but the price is actually a Swiss army knife and a cool metal badge looking like you’re part of some military squad and I’m surprised that I actually am delighted with it while the loser gets to chew on my stick which is pulling my knife out of the ground with her teeth.

***

"That's impressive." he greeted me a seductive smile his eyes glistening with pride.

"Thank you." I grinned widely.

He slid his arm around my shoulder and led me to the gigantic Ferris Wheel taking me out of the cheering crowd for my victory and we then rode the ride—the first ride he had chosen.

As we slowly rises up, I can overlook the whole city shimmering like it had been covered in a blanket of twinkling stars and the fresh night cold breeze blowing my hair is just so relaxing. I've never been so contented and full of life like this before.

"I could go on forever in here as long as it’s with you." I sighed dreamily and shifted my eyes to meet his.

"Aphrodite, what are you doing to me." he held my hand and kissed it not breaking an eye contact. He gently pulled me closer to his body and I leaned my head on his muscled chest. He then wraps his arm around me brushing my arm making me feel warm.

"I'm making you hard-on." I responded laughing mockingly. He just chuckled planting a playful kisses all over my face as I laugh heartily trying hard to avoid his attacks. After fooling around, we then take the whole ride in silence enjoying the view and each other’s company.

"Let's go home now. I know you're hungry." he held my hand once again as we got off the Ferris Wheel and head to the parking lot. We immediately hit the road.