Flowers and Pop Rocks

04

p o p p y

The blocks were all found before lunch time. The voice from the speakers said so.

I was pretty convinced that I was living with hawks because all of the eighty-ish blocks were found in probably two hours. And of course, Blake found the most in total for the day.

"All please gather in the kitchen for lunch. Thank you."

Well, that was new.

"Where's the ding?" Olivia wondered, voicing out what everyone was probably thinking. Where was the ding?

The voice spoke from the speakers again. "Nobody is allowed to show anyone or look at the back of their cards. Proceed to the living room after eating and bring your cards. Thank you and enjoy your lunch."

Everyone looked at each other with confused looks, wondering what that announcement was all about.

Like clockwork, the 12:00 ding came and the food rolled out on the conveyor belt.

I watched as everyone picked up their trays and took them to wherever they were going to eat. This time, everyone's food was the same.

A lot of random boiled vegetables mixed together, four small pieces of boiled shrimp, an apple and an empty glass for water. How appetizing.

"Blake, why aren't you eating your shrimp?" I noticed as we ate side by side on the kitchen island as always.

"Can't," was his reply, stabbing a piece of broccoli.

I tilted my head sideways, hinting at him that I was confused. "Can't?"

"I'm allergic to shrimp," he clarified. "So I can't eat it."

"Oh," I looked down at my plate. "Do you like vegetables?"

I hadn't gotten to touching the vegetables on my plate because of how sad they looked. Maybe he wanted them.

"Wanna trade?" Blake smiled like a little kid, extending his hand out for a handshake. It reminded me of those times in kindergarten when everyone traded their snacks.

"Deal," I shook his hand firmly. "I've been avoiding those vegetables. It's a win-win."

"I knew you'd be useful," he joked before scooping up the vegetables on my plate and motioning for me to take the shrimp on his.

We ate silently for a while before I spoke up again. "Why do you think we can't look at the cards? What's on them?"

"Another one of their games, I'm sure," he chewed on a carrot. "What else would it be if it wasn't that?"

"Oh, yeah," I nodded. "Probably."

"I have something in the room that I wanna give you. Come with me after all this, 'kay?" he requested. I agreed.

Blake finished eating before I did, waiting up for me before we went to the living room together and sat on the couch, waiting for instructions on what to do next.

I was itching to peek at my card, but I knew there was probably a reason why they told us not to look. Didn't want to endure some sort of punishment, right?

Soon, my sister and her friends finally finished eating, making their way to the living room where everyone was waiting, cards in hand.

"Everyone please form a circle around the coffee table in any order," the voice came back, instructing us.

We followed silently. I didn't know about everyone else, but I was starting to feel a little nervous.

Who knew what we were gonna do?