Orphan

Chapter 37 - The Swamp

"Damn girl, Haha. You look disgusting. Like a total Zombie...""What did you..." with a quick flash of her hand, she grabbed onto Nicholas's ankle and threw him into the water with a splash. "Not so funny now, is it?""Yuk, did you really have to do that. It smells so bad. It's like we are in a toilet, with everyone's poo not flushed and God knows what's here. There could be like piranhas, or leeches or even s...""Not my fault. You were talking too much."This was too funny. I couldn't hold it in, no more. I let out a laugh. This felt like the orphanage again. Two kids, all drenched in black, with bits of fungal covering them, fighting over something silly. How I missed the orphanage. "What's so funny?" they both turned to me fuming and looking like they were seriously ready to pull me in."It's just been so long since I have seen kids being kids.""Says the one that is seven.""Are you kids done fooling around? For everyone else, either get in, or I am going to throw you in. Especially you, Evelyn.""Geez, I'm going."Oh boy! Could I really do this? Could I really take that step forward? Looking at Nicholas and Taylor, they were still alive. They didn't seem to have anything crawling on them or sucking their life out of them. It will just be like all the old times, placing dirt on my face and looking like a beggar.Besides, Maria always said that the hardest things to do in life should be the first to be tackled. It's the fastest way to grow and challenge yourself to be better. And there was absolutely no way I could say no to Zoe. She hated me. She would throw me in without a single thought.I stepped forward, falling into the pool. It wasn't deep, but I could feel the cold, murky water, slithering up my legs and over my waist as my legs touched the ground. It did smell disgusting. I could feel my tummy urging to throw up. Luckily, I didn't have anything this morning and only looked like a clown with my mouth opening as if trying to throw up. Augustus, on the other hand, was not so lucky. The moment he dropped in, his hands were just not able to keep the food in. Buckets and buckets of brown (it must have been the tiramisu) oozed through his fingers. Yuk."Alright, that's all of you. Follow me. We're going on an adventure.""Where are we going?""To the main attraction, of course. Make sure you keep up because I'm not going to babysit you."What was the main attraction? Was it a super beast or something or was it just another test?We followed Zoe, moving in a straight line. I couldn't wait till we were out of this. When a scream shrieked from behind. But just as fast as it had appeared it disappeared replaced with another scream and then another and before I knew it everyone was rushing forward to the Zoe."What happened?""Some...something grabbed...Sophie.""Where did she go?""She just disappeared. One moment she was there, then she was gone. Disappearing under the water.""What did it look like? Did it have hands? Did it have a beak? Was it big? Or small?""I think it was a snake. It was long. There was something slithering close to us.""It could be anything, there are tones of things that live here.""I want to go home."Looking back into the wilderness, it was quiet. The water was still, the trees were quiet, and the branches swung left and right peacefully. Whatever had gotten the Sophie... "Whatever let's hope it doesn't come back. Now move. Evelyn..."What was she going to tell me, was I in trouble?"Look, young lady, you seem to always want to save those around you. You survived the first two tests trying to do that and you survived the fight last night. So I am going to give you the responsibility of making sure that the rest of us don't get killed. Are you game?"Oh boy, was she complimenting me? This was definitely the first time she said something nice to me. But could I really do it? "I trust that you can think fast and move quickly and come up with something in worse situations. Your task is to run straight, about 500 metres from here will be land, jump out as soon as you reach there. Kids follow her. I will move behind you all making sure you get there in one piece.""Go!"It was my responsibility now to look after everyone, I was going to be responsible for the lives of all these kids. Come on! I can do this, I told myself, leaping forward, raising my legs up and down, fighting against the pressure of the water. It's just like tips Evelyn, just like tips.Water splashed, green splattered everywhere, dirt-covered my face, my arms, and my body.But I kept going! My legs started to tire, and burn. But I didn't want anyone else to end up like the girl disappearing. This was our only way out!I was getting closer, I could see the floor now coming closer and closer.My legs ached but I was going to get out soon.As I stepped onto the hard surface, I burst from the water. The air was fresh, it was light, I made it! "Yes, I am out!"Turning around I saw the other kids were coming out as well."Did we all make it?""Did the teacher make it?I tried to look for her, where was she? I watched as the other kids make their way through the swamp, jumping out, as they hit the floor. But there was no Zoe.