Winding Roads {A Creative Writing Journal}

Archer

"Welcome, contestants!" an overly chipper voice exclaimed over the crackling intercom, "Welcome to Emeng Dao, Players 13 and 14 has already been found. Let the games begin!"

Archer's green eyes widened at the announcement. Player 14 had been their teacher and only chaperone to Emeng Dao, the island getaway they had chosen for their senior trip. But he had no idea who Player 13 could be. Archer and his two friends Diego and Victoria had been the ones to find their teacher's body in a secret passage connecting all their rooms.

There were only fourteen of us when we arrived, Archer thought, and his throat tightened. That means any one of us could be next.

Archer swiped his auburn hair out of his eyes and looked for Diego in the small crowd of teenagers cramped in the hallway of the suspiciously empty motel they were staying in. Unfortunately, his friend was a good deal shorter than most of their fellow classmates, making it a serious struggle. His heart began to race when he couldn't find Diego anywhere.

"Dude, what are we gonna tell them?" Victoria asked.

Archer jumped, and she rolled her eyes.

"Scaredy cat," she scoffed, "What should we do? If we tell them it's a death match, that'll cause a panic."

"And if we don't, then nobody will be prepared for when that guy comes back. They need to know, so we can plan."

Before she could reply, a feminine scream pierced their ears. The teens ran to the room where the sound originated and found Janet sobbing over the prone, ashen form of her best friend and roommate Alyss.

They had found Player 13.