Level Up or Game Over

The Tour

As the cab slowed to turn another corner, something drew my attention to the front. Perhaps it was because I'd never really noticed this little side street before, less a road then the appearance of a road under construction at the gravel phase. I almost laughed, I likely had noticed, but construction always seemed to be happening everywhere, so it didn't draw attention. Clever. I glanced at my best friend, and it was clear she was having a similar thought, the hint of a smile pulling at her cheeks.

After winding around a few patches of trees that hindered our ability to see where we were going, one final turn and it was like the view opened up. The road became paved, signs of the "construction area" disappeared, replaced by a wide open drive leading up to the most boring of buildings.

I frowned, then scanned to see if I'd missed something. Another road we were going to take, maybe? All that stood before us was a large cement warehouse (by the look of it). Maybe two or three stories high at most, no windows except the ones that flanked either side of the main entrance which had boring, typical metal double doors.

We climbed out, and grabbed our backpacks, me slinging mine properly onto my back with both straps, Janie casually carrying hers over one shoulder. I joined her on her side of the car, and we just stood, taking it in for a moment. Soon, we would be in competition.

"It makes sense," Janie whispered. "There are never interviews here, and if the contestants are the only ones who see it, why bother fancying it up? Practical, I'd say."

I smiled with a low laugh, of course she'd see the practicality to this.

The walk to the front felt like it was half an hour, but we were also walking slower than our usual pace. My heart had begun pounding, nerves setting in. This was life changing. I was here. WE were here.

When we were about 20 paces from the front door, a woman stepped dramatically through the double doors, flinging them open at the same time with a grin, and keeping her arms spread wide in a welcoming gesture. "Hello, welcome, welcome! You must be Janie Munroe and Kelsey Toran!"

Her black hair was tied loosely in a large, messy bun low on her neck, and she wore a button down red shirt, well pressed straight-leg pants, and somehow made the white lab coat she had flapping around her look very feminine. I could see Janie taking a glance from the woman, then to us and our clothing. I didn't need to look, I felt a blush threaten my cheeks as I thought about how under-dressed we must look in our fashionably torn jeans, and Janie's tank top with a flannel button down tied around her middle, me with my cozy oversized hoodie.

Though she barely batted an eye to us, she immediately turned and waved over her shoulder for us to follow. "I am Director Smith, but you can call me Rachel," she continued as she led us through the maze of hallways, giving the simplest of instructions as we moved through what felt like a flurry of rooms. "Bags in these lockers. Wear this. Shower first in that room. Here's a hair tie each. Leave shoes here, socks will be fine."

She spun around again, a wide grin gracing her features, "That's all for now, someone will come by to split you into 'teams' and explain more." She winked, using air quotes and let a low laugh tumble out, finding her joke about 'teams' hilarious.

And suddenly we were alone again, back in the shower room.

I turned to Janie and mouthed 'wow' to her, and she just covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, but she suddenly stopped, looking at the door with wide eyes, then pointed slowly.

I swallowed, unsure what to expect when I turned, but there was no one there, in fact the door was still closed. "Wha..."

"No lock," Janie said quickly, and immediately started peeling clothes off to get into one of the two showers. She had a lot of anxiety around undressing around anyone but me, and was always terrified of being walked in on in a washroom or shower situation. I understood; she wanted to hurry through this and be dressed before anyone came back to get us.

In fifteen minutes, we were showered, dressed, shoes tucked away and bags in the lockers and left to pace in our socks in the small room to the side of the showers. Not a minute later, Rachel returned with a gentleman trailing her, hair cropped short, in a near identical outfit to Rachel.

It seemed they did not want to waste time with lengthy explanations, having no cameras to put a performance on for. "Cameras show the sponsors the game. Their bets increase the final pot. You'll be divided and playing in solitude. The game is Operation, a child's game with modifications. You will, in a way, be working together. Yes, there's the possibility you both may win. Janie, you'll come with me, Kelsey you'll go with Marcel here. May the most dexterous of you win."

And like that, I gave a nervous but hopefully reassuring smile to Janie before she disappeared through another door with Rachel.