Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 33: Waking up on the cold hard ground (a reaction) (very emotional)

Teddy

Not a fan. Not a fan. I suppose some people like to wake up with every joint in their body screaming in pain, feeling as though they haven't actually slept. That is not for me personally. I don't judge other people on their own choices. That's fine. It's fine if you LIKE to be in pain. We all have our kinks. You know what my kink is? Waking up well rested in a soft warm bed with a well charged cell phone on the night stand next to me.

"You okay?"

"Yep, I'm fine," I say, stretching painfully and trying to stand despite my aching legs. I put on the VR headset. The green pathway glows reassuringly before us.

"You might want to eat something first," Ariadne says, holding out a snack bar.

"I just wanted to make sure it was still there," I say, accepting the meal bar. It tastes almost like the wrapper it came in. But it's not like I have other food.

"If we're lucky, we'll reach the center by sundown, that's where Metion's compound is," she says, standing as well and checking her thick hair with a hand. "After that, the walls get wider, my father will try to send a helicopter for me."

"Right, weird that we haven't seen anyone else.'

"Yes. You know when they take me back, you should probably come with," she says.

"Are you kidding? Never," I say, resolutely, "I'm finishing this."

"Teddy---you saw the falling rocks. It's dangerous—"

"I can take care of myself," I inform her, curtly, despite never having been capable of taking care of myself in the past. "This path works, right? I'm finding my way through."

"There might be---unforeseen hazards," she says.

"Like what?"

"I don't know! The falling rocks. Whatever, just think about it. The contest won't mean anything anyway once Metion gets out he's going to discredit my father and ruin his business at the very least."

"Well, I'm still going to win," I say, haughtily.

She sighs, "Has it occurred to you may not want whatever it is you're going to find?"

"I always want the truth."

Muttering something about 'impossible', as she walks ahead.

"How are you planning on meeting Metion anyway?" I ask.

"Oh he knows exactly where we are," she says, tapping her headset, "There's no way he DOESN'T have a link to these to track us."

"Really?" I ask, frowning. A closed wifi network or something? I mean I wouldn't be surprised. But why would he care where we are that much?

"He'll find us long before we find him," she reassures me, "Come on, let's get going."

"This is me walking fast."