The Classmate

The Chase (Pt 3)

As I arrived to the parking lot of the famous war statue, I heard my phone vibrate again. I grabbed my phone, as I stepped out of my car, reading the message.

"All the greatest things in life started with taking a risk." The message read. "Your next clue will be located underneath the image of a great risk that was taken."

"What could that possibly mean?" I stood there thinking. I heard my phone again.

Bzzz. Bzzz.

"Don't waste too much time looking confused." She had text. "I thought you knew your military history."

Quickly I looked around even more confused on how she could possible know what I was doing. I was all alone in the parking lot. I started thinking about why she had mentioned me knowing my military history. It quickly dawned on me what she meant.

The famous kissing statue was of a sailor who had just returned from war. The sailor had embraced a female nurse and kissed her. They were complete strangers to each other but the risk he took by grabbing and kissing her became a monumental image for the world. The statue was inspired of the famous picture.

I quickly ran over to the statue, looking all around for the next clue. There on the back of the sailor's leg, was a folded piece of white paper tapped to him. My name was written on it. I quickly pulled it off and read it. What I read next made my eyes open wide. I couldn't believe what she wanted me to do.

"Sometimes over thinking things cause people to not take a risk." She wrote. "The best advice in life is to just jump straight into a situation. Floating in the water is your next clue. Jump in and get it or go home and say you were too afraid to jump."

I looked at the water, just 15 feet away from the shore was a plastic baggy floating on the water. There was a little red light blinking inside of it. There was something else but I could not make out what the item was.

Was this really worth all the trouble she was putting me through. I mean come on, who makes someone jump in water just to be allowed to take them on a date.

"Fuck it!" I thought to myself, as I pulled my shoes off, placing my phone and keys inside of them. Then I took my pants and shirt off. I put them on top of my shoes. I didn't want to get them dirty.

Quickly jumping in because I knew that the water would be cold. I began swimming to the bag.

After grabbing it, I swam back to shore. Inside was four items. First was the blinking light, which was some type of toy ball that you squeeze to turn it on and off. Second was a note with something written on it. Third was a blind fold. Finally, the last item was a pair of fake handcuffs.

At this point confusion was the only thing that was going through my mind. Why were these items necessary?

Opening the note, I read what she wrote.

"Thank you for willing to jump for me. I can tell you are willing to take a risk." The note read. "I know you must be confused by these items but they will be needed for the next clue."

Bzzz. Bzzz.

Taking my phone out of my shoe, I had received another message.

"The next clue that you will need is located at your car." She messaged me.

Quickly running to my car, I could see something on top. She had left me two towels and another note.

"I am sure you must be cold right now. These will help." The note read. "Use your phone and go to the location that I just sent you to your phone."

Bzzz. Bzzz.

Sure enough, she had messaged me a location. The location was in Balboa Park but it was not on any of the roads.