The Adaptive Game

"HANG IN BALANCE"

- Emilia

"We are toast. I knew it was going to be another physical challenge."

"Let's hope we get a weaker team then."

"You realize - we're the weakest team here right?"

"True - but we're the smartest team here too."

"No we aren't, Conner."

"This isn't all about strength. We have to know exactly how to beat them."

Kimmy - Kimmy Coizz, the pregnant girl speaks up.

"You'd better have a good idea. From here, it looks like we're screwed."

Square Guard walks right in front of me.

"It's your turn, team 4. Against Team 7."

All of the guys on Team 7 look stronger than us. We need to have a serious advantage if we want to win.

Vector's on the other team.

"Hey, Emilia."

He doesn't look at me with any hopefulness.

Cause one of us is going down.

"Conner! Hurry up and tell us what to do." Emilia pulls at my sleeve.

"Alright, alright. First, you want to be standing on alternate sides, left, right, left, right."

I step into the elevator and put my hands into my pockets, looking at Conner.

"We want the heaviest player to be in the back, to act as an anchor. You, what's your name?"

"Timothy Tempest. Just Tim."

"Okay you're out in the back. I'll be in the front, watching the other team."

"What do we do when we pull?" asks Shaun, for once.

"Grab on, don't let go. Lean as far back as you can when you're trying to resist the pull."

"And then?"

"When they start to wear down, I'll give you the signal. Lean back up, and give the rope hard tugs to throw them off. And then we pull them off."

"Ok, I'm ready."

"Let's go. Tim, right in the back. Get ready, guys."

With my hands gripping the rope, a gunshot rings out and everyone immediately starts pulling. We already start to slide towards the edge.

"GUYS, GIVE IT YOUR ALL!"

I grit my teeth and lean back even more. "I'M TRYING!"

My muscles start to give out and now I start to feel sick.

That's it.

My life hangs in balance cause of this stupid rope game.