BackBone

Scavenger Hunt

Falling. Deeply. Fearfully. Big wide eyes, hands grasping on in front of her, fighting her fall, her muted screams. Then she stops struggling, stops fighting, stops screaming, rather I hear her whisper "don't fight it".

**

I had a dream again this morning, I thought it was gone, thought it had stopped, but once again this morning, I see her and not just that, she spoke, I don't know what she meant, but she spoke to me. I'm done asking who she is, now I want to know what she wants.

I'm currently at the place I came to the last time I was for the game. I'm still giddy, and still contemplating why I'm here, I bet it's all over the place that I'm here, well, that we are here.

On reaching here, I noticed the number of players had reduced, they were still many but not as many as they were, also, after getting my tag and ear pod I was directed to the door at the front, the one Ian and Michelle came through on my first day. When I got in, I saw other people, Ian and Michelle were here too.

Michelle sat in a chair behind the table, while Ian sat on the table, everyone escorting me as I took my place beside someone in the horizontal line.

Guess they were waiting for me.

I swallow the lump that forms in my throat and try to stay as calm as possible.

Ian gets off the table and walks to the first person on the line as he begins to talk "Good Morning Everyone".

"Good Morning Sir" we all chorus.

I don't know why I'm shaken, but maybe it's just how I'm meant to feel.

"I'm sure you all want to know why we called you back. So, I'm going to make it quick" he smiles, taking his time as he walks "the number in the game decreased quickly, faster than anticipated, so we had to call back a few nearly scaling eliminated people. If you're here, know that you were part of the first people who got eliminated, and we wanted to give you a chance to try this again, out of more than a hundred of you, of which fourthy quit and sixty got eliminated, we've called back ten of you that showed a little vigour" he stops in front of me "with you being the least option"

I swallow again as his eyes bores into mine. He's putting me in the spotlight for something embarrassing, which should make me feel agitated, normally, but, it's not what makes her heart stop for a moment, or what makes my head spin with emotions. It's the way our eyes connect, it's the familiarity in the gaze, the sudden surge in me. I can't explain it or begin to fathom the cause, but the ardor is strong.

He turns away, walking back to the table. "Now, go and play, people are watching, and you can as well get eliminated again".

At that the door opened, and the line started to file out of the room. I spares at glance at Ian's back as I shuffled after. Something's wrong, twisting my head-confusing me wrong.

As soon as I step out the door shuts behind me, I throw a look over my shoulder as the voice in my ear begins to speak.

"Welcome back again Kaecy, your next mission is a scavenger hunt, please exit the building and meet with a personal to take you to your destination".

Scavenger hunt? I hope it nothing I freeze up on.

**

I don't know where I am with this sack over my head, but I know that I got into a car with one of the personal and had a sack immediately push over my head, then a drive and assistance to get out of the car and that was it. I'm standing here, totally clueless.

But familiar voice puts my curiosity out.

"Take of the sack".

I gingerly do, the light making me squint as I pull the sack off my head. I'm in the city, not what I was expecting, but still manageable, expect for the many places to hide things, the many places to check and the probably not enough time. It's takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight.

I don't even notice the girl beside me until she speaks.

"Guess we're paired together".

I sharply look to my side at her, brows creasing as I squint at her "Paired?"

She nods then smiles "Hi, I'm M-" she stops abruptly, cathing herself "I'm Zena" she outstretches a hand and I tentatively take it "sorry about Ian, we're all least chosen".

At first I don't get it, but then my brows shoot up in understanding "Oh. Sure it's okay. I'm Kaecy".

A familiar robotic voice cuts through our conversation, and then I see a drone fly up ahead, getting as close as possible, staring right as us.

"In this game of scavenger hunt, nothing is different from the usual game, except winning a cash price of ten dollars each by the first team to find all or the most flags in thirty minutes. There are only five clues, at each stop, there are flags, all marked with the game symbol, the last stop will lead you to your final flag, but this flag has a different colour. Your objective is to collect all flags or at least, four flags and return immediately to the headquarters. Note, you can only get the final flag if you wish to collect all five flags. This is a team work, so make sure to work together to win or work together to fail".

On instincts, Zena and I glance at each other as the stream of orders pours in.

"No team of two people are at the same location, so don't worry about bumping into each other. Ensure to switch off cellphones, if caught, which you will if your cellphone is still on or is being used by you, will lead to immediate elimination. Your first clue is in your pocket or in your shoes, for those without any pockets. Remember we are watching. Your time starts now".