Bobo

Chapter Seven - Pass the deadly Parcel

Tiffany sank to the ground, her body slumped in despair. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her head, her sobs grew louder with each passing second. "I can't do this anymore," she wailed, her voice breaking. "I can't... I don't want to go on." Jacinta knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around Tiffany, offering some comfort, though her own face was pale with fear. Caleb stood nearby, his jaw clenched, his fists balled at his sides. "Come on, Tiff," Jacinta whispered, stroking her friend's hair. "We're going to get through this. We have to."

But Caleb wasn't having it. "This is bullshit!" he snapped; his voice sharp with frustration. "Maybe the fences aren't even electric. Have you noticed our phones? They haven't had signal; they haven't even turned on since we got here! It's all just some twisted trick. Maybe the fence is down too. Maybe we can get out of here if we just try!" A few of them looked at him, hope sparked in their eyes despite the terror they felt.

"What if he's right?" Mike muttered; his voice shaky. "What if it's all just to mess with us?"

"Or what if it's a trap?" Aydith countered, her voice firm. "We don't know what we're dealing with, Caleb. We can't just rush into something without thinking."

But Caleb's anger had taken hold. "What choice do we have, Aydith?" he shot back. "We sit around and wait for that thing to pick us off one by one? No. I'm done playing by his rules. We go to the fence, and we see for ourselves." Reluctantly, the group followed him to the fence line, their footsteps diffident and heavy. Some tried to dissuade him, voices overlapping in a cacophony of fear and uncertainty, while others, desperate for a way out, sided with him. Tiffany, hollow-eyed and numb, stepped forward, her hands trembling. "I'll do it," she said flatly, the defeat in her voice evident. "I don't care anymore."

"Tiff, no!" Jacinta cried, reaching out to grab her, but Tiffany was already moving, her expression vacant. She walked up to the fence, her movements slow, as if she were in a trance. The others held their breath, eyes wide with anticipation and dread. The moment Tiffany's hand touched the fence, a terrifying explosion of sparks erupted, lighting up the dark sky with a blinding flash. The group screamed and stumbled back in horror. Before the smoke could even clear, shadowy tentacles shot through the air, wrapped around Tiffany's limp body and dragged her away in the blink of an eye.

"No! Tiffany!" Jacinta shrieked, her voice cracking as she tried to run after her, but Caleb held her back, his own face twisted in shock. The rest of the group erupted into panic, their cries of fear and despair filling the night air. "Tiffany! Where is she?!" Esther screamed; her voice barely audible over the chaos. "Get away from the fence!" Sam yelled, pulling Jasmine back, who was frozen in terror.

As the smoke slowly dissipated, there was no sign of Tiffany, just the faint smell of burnt ozone hanging in the air. The group stood in stunned silence, their hearts pounding in their chests. Aydith ran at Caleb who was stunned still, she shoved his chest. "This is your fault!" She yelled angrily at him. "I told you we needed to be careful!"

Caleb had no words to offer her. He simply nodded and turned to Jacinta to hide in her embrace. Jacinta glared at Aydith,

"It's not his fault. Shut up!" She snapped back. Before Aydith could retort, Bobo's voice echoed through the speakers, dripping with disappointment. "Tsk, tsk," he chided. "You tried to break the rules, and one of you paid the ultimate price for it. I hope you've learned your lesson, my little mice."

"He's watching us," Ben whispered, his voice trembling.

"He's always watching us." Freddie spat on the ground to signal his disgust.

"Enough," Bobo's voice boomed, catching the group off guard. "Head to the field behind the Ferris Wheel. It's time for the next challenge." The group exchanged terrified glances; their hope of escape dashed once again. With heavy hearts and wobbly legs, they made their way to the field, their minds reeling from what had just happened. As they reached the field, they saw a large, ominous box sitting in the centre, its dark surface gleamed under the dim light. "Sit in a circle around the box," Bobo instructed, his tone devoid of any warmth. "This game is called Pass the Parcel. Caleb, pick up the box."