The Strength of Love

Chapter Five: Who Would Know That?

Annette gasped as she watched Aidan collapse onto the ground. She bit her lip until it bled and she let tears stream down her cheeks as she watched him lying breathless and bleeding in the sand. It's all my fault she thought, My stupidity caused my best friend to be hurt. Annette knew she couldn't stand to answer anymore questions then watch the men she loved be hurt. Annette boldy stood up and stormed out, only to be stopped and pulled back in the room by two threateningly large guards.

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Aidan coughed. It felt like with each cough he was hacking up dust. This sucks… so much. He was starving and tired. Where are we even supposed to find food in this desert? “Would it kill the show to provide some food for us down here?!” As if God had heard him, a small package of food dropped at his feet from the sky. Aidan looked up as a helicopter ducked out of view. Eh, whatever. Not bothering to question anything, he tore the pack opened and quickly ate the small loaf of bread in there.

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          Chandler knew Aidan was faster than him. He knew he was stronger. He knew Aidan was probably in first place by now, as Chandler ran through some strange jungle, huffing and puffing. He knew all of this very clearly, yet he kept trying. He couldn't give up. He just couldn't live with himself if there was a chance he could still have Annette and he gave it up. In the blink of an eye, the tree to Chandler's right became engulfed in flames. He jumped back in suprise, just as a tree to his left did the same. The fire was spreading, it had to be on about 5 trees by now. The dry underbrush was also now catching on fire. One thought bounced around Chandler's mind. Holy Crap! Holy Crap! Holy Crap! Holy Crap! He ran away from the fire, but it seemed to be traveling with him. It followed him like a snug shadow. He ran and he ran, until...

"Oh no!" He yelled. The fire was creating a wall in front of him. It was all around him, everywhere. Holes in the trees opened up, revealing tiny cannons. He had no where to go, nowhere to escape from these fireballs being shot at him from the cannons. They burned his skin as his screams of pain filled the air. Chandler took a deep breath and charged. Please, let all those years of harsh football training help me survive this? I know it’s nothing like this… but still. As Chandler ran through the wall of fire, he gave one big yell as it burned him. I did that for Annette. I’m doing all of this for Annette. Oh, God, please let me live through this to see her again. Let me live through this to see her happy. His clothes caught on fire and he lay on the ground, rolling around. As the fire died, Chandler lay pathetically on the ground, burns littering his skin.

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The room was starting to feel more and more like a trap that was pressing down on Annette. Now all she could feel was the room closing in and it felt like all the air was being sucked out of her. It was a prison. She leaned against the cool sleek wall. She'd long given up on just watching Aidan. She didn't even want to know his progress. Now she just lived for the moments where Chandler briefly appeared on the screen. At the same time, it was these moments that killed her. Very early on it had become apparent that she wasn’t very good at answering the questions. It wasn’t that she wasn’t smart. It was just that the questions were stuff that no ordinary person would know. Who the heck was George Bush? Bill Clinton? What’s a desktop computer? What was the War of 1812? The Boston Tea Party? Every correct answer felt like a blessing. A small miracle for whichever man received it. For Annette, it was just a granted wish.

"Chandler..." Annette watched helplessly. How can Chandler win this now? she could feel her heart breaking, piece by piece. She was losing, and there was nothing she could do.

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Aidan ran on. And on. This was pure purgatory. How long have I been out here? One day? Two? Five? It all feels the same. He had lost track of how many hours it took. All he had to go on was one challenge after the next and the endless running. Around mealtimes, a helicopter would drop into view and release a small bag of food, but even that was pretty spotty and Aidan was sure that he’d missed at least a couple meals. The soreness in his bones was all he could feel most of the time. His hunger would fade, the thrist was just always there, and every other emotion seemed all vaguely like a dream. Not to be mean, but Annette must really suck at this. She’s not stupid, but I’ve gotten what? Like two whole days without an obstacle? Wow! TWO WHOLE DAYS! Even confined to his own mind he could hear the sarcasm dripping in his voice. What? I’m talking to myself now too? I’m really going mad. Figures, that’s ironic. Aidan evened his pace out, not that it really mattered. He was almost positive that he was way ahead of Chandler. Every now and then Aidan would see an explosian or cloud of dust in the distance and he’d shrug, sucks for Chandler! Part of Aidan felt awful about what was happening. He knew it was tearing Annette apart. The tiniest part of him felt guilty. Aidan was putting Chandler through living hell. The other part of him laughed at Chandler and smiled with glee. Yeah, it’s horrible. But, in life, some people win. And some don’t. At the end of the day, it seemed like this was the part of Aidan that always triumphed and pushed him forward.

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Chandler squinted. What the heck is that?! The hazy distance looked like it was moving, the fuzzy outline was a shadowed cloud blocking the sunlight. It moved closer and Chandler tried to veer to his right, into the forest. The giant beating blob got closer and he could hear the shrilled screeching and awful stench that emanated from it. He ducked, just as the sharp beaks started to come down, pecking at his exposed skin. "Uh--Uh---" Chandler grunted. Stumbling among the trees he moaned as the assault continued, but slower than before. One seperated itself from the flock, crying a wild scream. Chandler raised his arms to block his face. Blinded with fear he weaved in between the trees, the vines stinging his hands where they batted them. "Ahhh!" Chandler screamed. He saw the tree getting bigger, but he couldn't stop. Scared stiff he ran straight into the tree. He groaned and fell, then everything went dark.