Build To Survive - The Orphans

The Tour

We followed the grounds-walker down the hill and onto the road. As we stepped onto the road the voice from everywhere and nowhere spoke once more.

"Here at the grounds, we challenge our participants to survive against weekly attacks of different sorts ... just yesterday we had a flood. No not a natural flood, it's completely controlled by me! It's so very fun. Which means their probably won't be another disaster for a while."

I looked around at my immediate surroundings. It reminded me faintly of a camp ground. There were designated sites each was occupied by a another participant in this cruel game some had built intricate huts whilst others had tents.

"Each plot is owned by a player or two if they choose to join forces ... here you must build your own protective structure to ensure your survival"

None of this is making any sense to me. James' is also looking around, confused? scared? I am still unable to read his face.

***

I look past James to the plot on his right. There is a boy, maybe 15, trying to sneak into the plot. A rather skilled man, maybe 20 years old, is standing at the edge of the plot watching us go by. The boy, now rummaging through the stockpile to the left of the canvas tent that occupies a small corner of the plot, drops something metal onto the ground. It clatters loudly on the concrete section that numbers the plot, "Plot 72". The man turns sharply to face the boy, who has now realised his mistake. He bolts for his plot, it's only 3 plots down but it's too late, the plot owner draws back his arm and flings it forward in one swift motion.

A glint flies through the air, time seems to pause as the knife sails easily through the emptiness of air, it misses, flies straight past the boy, who is still sprinting away. I can't help myself but to snicker at the man's failed throw, He hears me and throws me I quick glance over his shoulder, at that moment, I see the same glint still flying through the air, the man had purposely missed. The knife is now slingshotting back around, directed at the boy's neck.

***

I hear the slight thump of the boy's body dropping to the ground, lifeless. A pool of blood flows from his neck and stains the grass around it. I suddenly feel the shadow of death towering over me, and I'm scared for my life and James'.

The voice from the sky appears again

"Don't worry, because you two are new you can't be attacked for two weeks. This should be enough time for you two to get your bearings and build a substantial plot. Also people can only be killed during disasters and gatherings or the build up to them"

It was as if he knew what I was thinking.

"Anyways, continuing on ... besides disasters we have gatherings, as I said just before ... the gathering is really something to look forward too. It's in a different place every time and can appear whenever it wants, or should I say when I want. In fact there is one right now, just up here ..."

We follow the grounds-walker around the slight left bend and on the right of us there are three tables, at least eight metres long each. They are filled with food of all sorts. Exotic meats and fruits.

The feminine voice we heard earlier returns, as if on queue.

"Gathering in 10 ... 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1"

As soon as the countdown ends a girl swings down from a tree branch above the tables. She lands on one of the tables and start to rip open large slabs of meat, she brandishes 3 knives out of a chicken and throws them into her bag. After looking through several more items of food for other weapons she slides under the table and waits ... within seconds a second participant is sprinting for the tables, as he approached the spot where the girl was hiding under the table, I flinched. She reached out and sliced his ankle with one of her knives, when the boy dropped the ground, in pain, she reappeared from under the table and flung herself into the tree once more.

"That's the gathering," the voice scared me so much I jumped "it's just some tables with food, each food item is hiding a special prize, it's often a weapon but it can be building supplies, tools and all that fancy stuff. Now if you would divert you attention to the sky ..."

Both James and I looked up, expecting to just see a blue sky but instead we saw what looked to be a map of the grounds that we were currently in. In the top left corner there was a counter, that titled "MONEY" it showed a balance of $100.

"This is the map, it shows you where everything is, it's particularly helpful when there is a gathering it will tell you exactly where it is. It always shows you how much money you have, which you can use in the shop."

"Where's the shop?" I asked the voice.

"Well, it changes everyday ... just look on your map if you need to find it"

"Great."

After the gathering had finished the tables simply vanished. We continued on walking until we came to a wide open section that had 3 large plots on it.

"Well, this is where we leave you. You have two weeks of immunity, that should be plenty of time to find yourselves a plot and get some sort of structure built. I'll see you around I guess.

Before we could say anything the voice disappeared, as did the grounds-walker and here we stood in the middle of a game of death. I had no idea what to do, but James did.

He grabbed my wrist and ran for a plot, it was already taken, a young girl sat on top of an intricate rope structure that was around 15 metres high.

"Can we plot with you?" yelled James' at the girl.

She nodded.