Number 7

One

I shifted my legs uncomfortably as I waited here in the scrub. Waiting. Waiting for something. Someone. I twirled my twin double-edged throwing daggers in my fingers and set them back down. My eyes scanned through the scrub, and in the distance I could see the the town. I'd been sent here by the leader of my team. The Cyan Team. Such an original name, (well, at least an unusual color) but it was what the Ghosts named us. The Ghosts. I shivered at their name. The people that gave us rewards if we win. The people that punished those who lose.

Well, are they even people?

Possibly. Equal chance that they're not though.

I scanned around me once more, looking for any sign of the Indigo Team. Our enemies. Opposition. Threat. If they beat us, there was probably no dinner for us tonight.

Hmmm, a good incentive.

I was a Sneak for my team. One of the stealthy ones, but really we just weren't that strong, or particularly fast. We had to have good acceleration though. We were supposed to surprise any solo opposition members and tie them up, or at least immobilize them.

Heh. Immobilizing.

I shook my head and flicked my eyes towards a sign of movement. Just a small rustle of leaves. Possibly an opposition member. Hopefully not a Sneak as well. My head turned left and right, eyes wide open, looking for any sign of teenage boy or girl. Hopefully a scout or someone that wasn't able to slug me in the face like last time. My fingers traced my bruised lip from last time, when I'd tried to spring someone but had instead been the one who'd been sprung. Sprung by Liam.

Liam. Ugh. If there was a 'worst person awards' for these capture the flag games, he'd probably host it and win every award.

Back to the present. I kept looking around, daggers in a loose yet spring-loaded grip. Ready for a throw. Not to kill them, of course. Just to pin their shoes to the ground, or their clothes to a tree. Or use the flat of it to knock someone out.

There.

I saw a pair of eyes staring back at me from a bush about ten meters away. We locked eyes, and slowly stood up. They held twin sticks of wood, with rounded metal tips. Not to stab, but to stun. Stun me. I twirled my knives on my fingers, to show them that I wasn't afraid. They removed their hood, and revealed that they were in fact a girl. She wore her brown hair out loose, so clearly she wasn't a fighter. She wore a shirt tied up at the bottom off to the side, revealing her midriff, but I presumed it was more for mobility, which would be the same with her short denim shorts, which were cut halfway up the thigh. Her thick belt was wrapped twice around her waist, clearly to hold her sticks, or her batons, or whatever else needed. Her small backpack probably just had a few energy bars and a water bottle inside. And rope. Lots and lots of rope, to tie me up. A Sneak.

We both stepped forward so that we were two meters apart. Close enough so that with a step she could knock me out, or vice versa. We just stood there, weapons ready.

She made the first move. She flicked her hair and dropped her weapons, kicking them to the side. Clearly, well, hopefully not trying to hurt me. Or tie me up. She dropped her backpack. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Yea, right." I raise my eyebrow.

"Can't we just be friends?" She asked innocently, slowly raising her hands in the air in surrender. Unfortunately, this action also raised her shirt, showing her belly button.

However I guessed this was intentional.

"Nah, I'm good thanks." I rushed at her, pulling the rope from my hip at the same time, thankful that I never brought a backpack, but tied everything to my belt. Tying her hands together, she spoke softly.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" She sounded genuinely confused.

"Sorry, nothing personal." I said, concentrating on making sure she had no more weapons or anything sharp. "Babe." I added, bursting out laughing.

She rolled her eyes, and a terrible, yet funny thought occurred to me. What if I tied her up in the tree?

"Come here, babe." I laughed again, pulling her up into the tree. It took a while, but I finally pulled her up into the canopy. "Here you go."

"The name's Elle,"she said shortly.

"Soz babe." She looked at me. "Elle. Nice name. Honestly." I added at her denial.

"I hate it. It's in between Ella and Ellie but it's not even a real name."

"Goodbye'" I said, looking down, to climb back down.

"Wait." She held my arm. I looked at her face. I left her with both of our supplies, but obviously not her weapons.

"Nope. Goodbye Elle," I said as I dropped back down.

I ran back to base at the sight of a purple flare being shot into the air.

We'd lost today.