The Race Against Time

Chapter 28

Brooklyn

The next day everyone was brought together to start the next challenge. We all stood together in a room waiting for the announcement.

Esmeralda came walking through the door in all her glory. It was like I was seeing her differently now, right now I'm seeing her like the old psycho woman that she was.

She was not overly old but it looked like her body had aged passed her years so much so that she wore the wizened features of an old crone. Her forehead was wrinkled by many peaks and trenches probably caused by her years of constant scowling which unflatteringly crowned her eyes that permanently harbored a disdainful glare.

"Your second challenge is Lazer Tag, this game was chosen so you can utilize your abilities especially. Just as before there will be both red and blue teams. As a team, you all have to work together, however, there will be two winners of this challenge. I will choose the last one standing in both the red and blue teams. Therefore, there will be no winning team in round one. Those two who were the last remaining in their team will go against each other and the one who wins will gain the point for their team."

Right after Esmerelda announced what our second challenge would be, we were brought to the room where it would take place. We were given jackets with sensors on them and Lasers. Our team jacket lit blue and the other team's jacket lit red. It was quite cool, to be honest.

The lights were suddenly shot off. Darkness came like thick velvet curtains. It was as if the daytime just left and it was night time already but the entire course was partially lit with led lights.

In the darkness, anything seems possible. You'll be driven by fear, your primal brain taking control. Every noise is going to be the same as a gunshot in the night. Let's just hope this challenge runs a bit more smoothly than capture the flag because that game was a disaster.

"The rules for the challenge are simple, no running, no physical contact, and hold laser with both hands. Ones you are tagged immediately leave the arena. The second round of the game will begin when you hear two buzzes. You may begin to take your positions now with your team nevertheless when the first buzzer buzzes that means that the challenge has now begun."

As a group, we immediately went to the opposite direction of the red team. We agreed that we will split up instead of staying together.

"When the buzzer goes off, we will separate but at all times stay hidden even when you are going to tag an opposing player," Xander commanded.

I sat on the ground waiting for the buzzer to go off. In less than a minute it went off and everyone scattered in different paths. I ducked making sure that I wasn't being seen. The laser was held securely by my both hands ready for anyone that's coming my way.

I slowly crept between walls keeping a lookout. I looked to my right and saw bright red getting brighter and brighter. My eyes glued to the figure a few meters ahead. The shadow began to come in my direction, the person paused looking around with his laser held high. My heartbeat quickened. I quietly but swiftly turned around and crawled forward and pressed my back against the wall.

I could hear his footsteps getting closer and closer and when I knew he was going to bend the corner, leaped out and tagged him with my laser. I didn't waste any time finding out who it was so I kept on moving.

There was a small bridge across from me that I had to cross. The only problem was that it was in the open and any one of our opposing team members could be waiting for one of us to cross it. The one and the only way that I can make this work is by having my laser as protection.

I scanned my entire surroundings making sure no one was there and I went full out. I ducked moving quickly but not running and make a 360 with the laser with every step I took so that if anyone was there, they would be forced to stay back or else they would get tagged.

When I reached the other side, I rolled behind a big wall. I think that I should just lay low for now. I'm sure Xander and the others are taking care of the other opposing team members. This challenge was much better than the last. I could breathe. In the other challenge, I couldn't go without being attacked in every single corner of that forest.

Let's just hope that we win this time. The red team won the previous challenge by luck, this time they aren't going to be as fortunate as before because I am not making any mistakes this time.

My chain of thoughts was stopped short when I heard soft footsteps from behind me. How did I not realize that someone was behind me? I knew they were waiting until I turn around to hit the sensor that was on the front part of my jacket so I stayed in the position that I am in.

"O my gosh what do I do what do I do?" I said mumbling to myself.

I was having a mini panic attack in my head at the moment. How am I supposed to get away when the person is coming from the back of me?

"Okay, Brooklyn think."

The first thing that came in my mind is the one and the only thing I learned when my brother was teaching me parkour. The lazy vault.

I slowly put myself in a position where I was parallel to the wall and quickly put my hand that was closer to the wall on top of it, taking off with my external leg, I swung my inside leg over the wall in an arch.

I followed my internal leg with my take-off leg and put my external hand on top of the obstacle too, behind my back landing with your internal leg first on the other side of the obstacle. I touched down with my external leg and pushed away from the wall.

I did it so fast that whoever was going to tag me didn't get the chance, I used my speed to my advantage and tagged the person catching them off guard.

Damm, who knew a little parkour lesson would do the trick.