The Los Angeles Lighthouse | ✔

Chapter 17: The Game of Hide and Go Seek

TASERS, ropes, and flares are handed out along with a side of coffee and briskly buttered toast.

I end up more surprised to be given breakfast than to be given a taser. But in the frigid lapse of early morning, when the sun has only just filtered through the trees of the Somnian forest of Greenhedge in Region V, something as small as breakfast comes with nothing but praises of gratitude on the lips of each of us Juniors.

"Glad to see you all are awake," Warden Amin says, finding a seat upon one of the many logs lounging by the mouth of the forest. "As one would guess, we did not bring you here for a social call.

Unda sniggers softly to my left. She's thinking the same thought plaguing the rest of us: Well, no doy.

"Today, you will be pinned up against each other in a game that will test the very limits of your abilities and break them. Today, every D&O lesson, every shred of geography knowledge from S.G.H., and of course every tibet of negotiation skills from S.C.C. from the last seven months will be called upon." Her eyes rack over each of us as we hold our breath, tension chocking the air from our lungs.

"Today," Amin pauses, allowing a hint of exasperation to sour her words, "today, you will be playing Hide and Go Seek."

I wait for her to continue. Or get to the punch line. There is no punch line.

"A daring task, believe me, I know. But you eight are more than prepared. We're over halfway into your training and I have almost no doubts in each of you!" At that, her mouth twists into a smile as if awaiting our whoops of agreement. Of course, she's only greeted by a ringing silence and a plethora of puzzled expressions.

"Ah, no matter. Doubts or no I'm eighty-nine percent certain each of you will survive this assignment."

"Warden Amin, if I may. But by Homer's pen, what about Hide and Seek could possibly warren such disbeliefs." Ventus demands.

"Oh... did you not pick up on it already?" Amin's lips purses her lips when we shakes our heads. "Oh, dear. Then make it seventy-six percent certain."

Before we're about to completely unravel over that minor detail, Warden Leopold places a gentle hand on Amin's shoulder and explains further.

"Our version of Hide and Seek is a bit... different than what you're used to." He strokes his stubble thoughtfully while planning out his word choice. "For starters, the game is confined to everywhere and anywhere inside the Greenhedge forest. Leave it and you're disqualified. Second, we're not the only things occupying said forest."

The color drains from my face. "W-we're not? Who else--"

"Guess you'll find out, won't you?"

I shift in my seat and let him continue. My buttered toast is beginning to taste an awful lot like ash the more he explains.

"You'll be divided into two teams: Seekers and Hiders. Seekers in yellow vests, hiders in blue. Do not under any circumstances take the vest off, less you be mistaken for a native Somnian. To win, seekers must capture and restrain each hider before the sun peaks in the sky." Leopold heaves a sigh at our blank stares. "Afternoon. You have until the afternoon. A horn will signal the game's end. Seekers, once you tie down a hider, use the flare they should be carrying to alert us so we may collect them. There's a good chance that if incapacitated, they'll be seen as easy prey for whatever creatures are wondering these woods and well, how would you put it Amin?"