David started his second day at camp by falling off his top bunk bed and landing on the cold, hard floor. He cursed under his breath and forced his aching limbs to help him back on his feet. Even though he was healthy and fit, his leg muscles still hurt from yesterday's strenuous rock-climbing activity.
Jackson was the only one awake to notice David's fall. "Whoa, what happened there mate?" he asked.
David could tell that Jackson was trying to hold back a laugh. "I had a nightmare and I guess when I woke up, I overreacted and rolled over the bed. Stupid thing has no fences to keep me from falling off," David explained as he glared at his bunk bed.
"What was the nightmare about? Zombies? Ghosts?" Jackson asked playfully.
A frown crept its way to David's face. "Actually, it was about me being chased by clowns. Scariest nightmare I've had in a while."
❄ ❄ ❄
"Listen up, Cinna cabin dwellers. Your first activity for today will be a scavenger hunt around the campsite and surrounding forest. There are ten clues, and the first clue I will soon give out to each group. Each clue will provide a hint on the whereabouts of the next clue, and the final clue will lead the successful group to the treasure. Red flags will mark the boundaries of the area where you are not to go past. Anyone caught going past these flags will be disqualified and will help with kitchen duty tonight. Are there any questions?" Gary spoke with a commanding tone.
"How big are the groups?" a boy yelled out from the surrounding crowd of year nine students.
"Why are our cabins named Cinna? Was it named after a person or something?" a girl asked.
"What is the treasure? Is it a thousand dollars in cash?" another boy joked.
"Okay, settle down." Gary shook his head as if regretting his question. "The groups will consist of two to three people, but you are to stay together at all times. If anything happens, alert the staff or one of your teachers immediately. Your teachers will be allocated a small area each just in case. In addition, 'Cinna' stands for 'Cinnamon'. We're a spice-obsessed camp after all. Finally, the prize is not a thousand dollars, it will be something better." Gary said the last part with a cheeky grin. "Without further ado, get yourselves into groups, or I'll put you into a group if you have not sorted yourselves yet after five minutes."
As the crowd hustled around noisily, David stood his ground and looked around the area for someone he could work with. Estella, who was only about five metres away, locked eye contact with him before making her way towards David. He did not mind pairing up with her but wondered why she wanted to hang out with a new kid so much. Where were her other friends? She has been in this school a lot longer than I have...
"Hey... have you found a group yet?" she asked shyly.
David shook his head. "Nope. I don't really know most of the people in my year level."
"Oh. Well... want to pair up with me then?" Estella seemed to be blushing slightly.
"I don't mind." He paused. "I mean, sure thing Estella."
He noticed how her face had lit up instantly. "Thanks, David! And call me Ella by the way." She winked with a cheerful grin.
"Time's up! For all the people who haven't found someone to team up with, go to Eric and he'll randomly pair you up with someone." Gary pointed at Eric, who was standing about five metres away from him. "As for the rest of you, I will hand out the first clue and as soon as you receive it, you may get started. Have fun and good luck!"
David received a neatly folded piece of paper no bigger than his palm. He eagerly unfolded the clue and stared at the cursive writing, which he found a little difficult to interpret.
"Well, what does it say?" Estella asked curiously as she tried to get a good look at the clue David was holding.
"See for yourself," David replied whilst handing the piece of paper over to Estella.
Find the next hint in a game.
Where arrows fly as one takes aim.
A place of targets and weapons too.
There you will find the second clue.
Estella raised an eyebrow. "This one's easy. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Archery range, right?"
"Yup, let's go quickly. I can already see the other groups making their way there." Estella dashed off quickly without warning.
Even though he was a decent runner, he found it challenging to keep up with her. "Ella, wait up!" he called after her. His heart was pounding ferociously and beads of sweat were starting to roll down his cheeks, but he soon managed to run alongside Estella.
"So, you finally caught up. Not too bad, for a boy," Estella teased in-between breaths.
What's that supposed to mean? he wondered. By now, they were nearing the archery range. A few groups were scattered around while others ran off in another direction. David and Estella soon found the second clue on one of the targets. This particular target had an arrow pinning a piece of paper onto it. A pair of girls were also reading off it carefully.
The third clue hides within a hall.
Find it stuck up high on the wall.
You might want to use a chair.
So be careful and do take care.
"It is me or are the rhymes getting more ridiculous?"
"It says the third clue is in a hall... could they mean the mess hall?" Estella wondered aloud.
"Sounds like it. Race you there!" David started to run in the direction of the campfire, followed closely behind by Estella. Their pounding steps slowly synchronised as they pursued their next clue.
❄ ❄ ❄
The search for the eighth clue was a difficult one, leading many groups to different destinations. Like most groups, the seventh clue puzzled David and Estella. They had a few ideas on where the next clue may be located, as the hint may apply to more than one possible area.
Trees and nature surround the next clue.
Bugs and bees, you may find them too.
Shaded and dim, you would find it there.
But by its beauty, you will stop and stare.
"This one's tricky. It sounds like the eighth clue is located somewhere in the forest. But which part of the forest exactly?" Estella asked.
"Maybe it means the darkest and most beautiful part of the forest?" David suggested sheepishly.
Estella frowned at this. "It would take way too long to look around the whole forest for the darkest part, David."
That is when David suddenly had a crazy but possibly-correct idea. "I got it! Remember yesterday, when Eric told us about the old, abandoned house? And you said that the forest surrounding it seemed darker there?"
"David! We are not allowed to go there, remember? It is strictly off limits!"
"I know. But still... it seems to fit the rhyme. And maybe Eric meant that we were not allowed to go inside the house, but the clue could still be located outside of the abandoned house, right?"
Estella paused as if considering David's crazy idea. "Oh, all right. But if we find nothing there at all, we leave at once, okay?"
He was tempted to say something funny but decided not to when he sensed the seriousness in her tone. "Of course Ella, don't worry about it."
Together, they set off once again to hunt for the next clue. They soon arrived at the path that led deeper into the darker part of the woods. An old fence blocked off the path with signs that read 'keep out' nailed onto it. There was also a red flag that signalled the boundaries of the scavenger hunt. When David was certain that there was no one nearby, he leapt over the fence, totally ignoring all the warnings that the camp staff had put up.
Estella, however, hesitated. "David, there's a red flag. There are no clues past these flags remember?"
David hesitated. Crap. "Uh... maybe it's a trick set up by Gary to see if there was anyone daring enough. After all, the clues are supposed to be getting more difficult to find now, right?" If he was honest with himself, he knew that the clue would not be where he intended to go. But he was also curious to find out why this area was blocked off, and whether or not there really was an abandoned house there in the first place.
"David..."
"Just give me five minutes and we'll head back ok? There's no one here to spot us anyway."
David cautiously wandered towards the dark and eerie woods, with Estella tagging closely behind. Along the way, one of them stepped on a branch that snapped rather loudly in the silent atmosphere, causing Estella to jump in fear.
"I think we should head back now. I don't want to get in trouble," Estella whispered urgently.
"One sec. I think I can see a building past those huge bushes over there," David said with his finger pointing forward. As they continued to step over sticks and stones on the unlevelled ground and go around huge, lifeless trees, he could feel Estella's heavy breathing on the back of his neck. Is she really that close behind me? he wondered.
Soon, they were standing in front of a small, abandoned house, just as Eric had promised. No sound came from the shabby building, and through the windows, David could only see darkness. Many cobwebs hung on the walls, and countless leaves rested on the battered roof. He took a step forward and turned around to see if Estella would follow.
Her body was trembling slightly, and even though she was only wearing a white singlet, David suspected that it was not because of the cold. When she made eye contact with him, all he saw was fear and the eagerness to leave. David instantly felt bad for pushing her into this and sighed.
"No clues here. Guess I was wrong. We should head back now," he admitted shamefully.
David was about to walk back to the campsite when he stopped right in his tracks in alarm. He saw movement from a particular tree about ten metres away from him. Estella seemed to have sensed it as well because she suddenly clung onto his left arm in fear.
"Whoever you are, show yourself!" David commanded bravely. His heart was now starting to beat faster and faster, but some part of him did not want to show fear in front of Estella.
A mysterious figure in dark clothing walked out into view from behind a large tree. Judging from the bodily shape and size, David guessed that their uninvited guest was a woman in her twenties or thirties. She wore a black hoodie over her head and the shadows hid her face from sight. It was a spooky sight in an even more eerie place.
Things could only get weirder for David as the figure pulled out a short bow and nocked an arrow that she had grabbed from her quiver. She took aim and shot the arrow directly at him without hesitating. Estella let go and yelped in surprise as she took a few steps away.
"David, look out!" Estella screamed as the arrow flew through the air.
With lightning speed reflexes, he overcame his shock and dodged the incoming dart, which missed his right ear by a mere centimetre. "Whoa!" he said aloud when his mind finally registered what had just happened. A split second late and he would have been hit. Nevertheless, their assailant nocked another arrow and this time, aimed it at his friend.
"Run Ella!" David yelled out. But Estella was glued to the spot with her eyes wide open. The colour had drained from her face with her body refusing to move. I have to do something!
He felt a burst of adrenaline and he sprinted towards Estella just as the second arrow was released from the bowstring. A strange chill could be felt from his chest, and it quickly spread to the rest of his body. It was cold enough to be felt in that moment but not strong enough to make him shiver. Newly profound strength washed over him and he managed to reach Estella just in time.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as David stood in front of her. He saw that the dart was now only two metres away from him. He braced himself for the impact. But when he heard something hit his body, all he felt was a weak pinch in his chest. The deadly looking dart bounced off him as if he was made of stone, before falling onto the root-infested ground. Stunned by the unexpected change of events, David gawked at the arrow stuck firmly in the ground.
Their shooter lowered her bow, spun around and bolted. Soon, she was out of sight as she sprinted deeper into the woods. David turned to see if Estella was okay, and he could feel his heartbeat steadying. His friend looked back at him with terrified eyes, and she took a few steps back in alarm.
"D-David, your arms! What's h-happening?" she faltered.
He looked down at his hands and exposed arms, and saw that a thin layer of ice now covered it. "What in the world?" He gasped in astonishment. David looked in his shirt and saw that his chest and stomach was also covered by a hard-looking ice. Furthermore, a small piece of ice seemed to be chipped off from the middle of his chest, which was where the arrow had hit him.
By now, he became aware of an extra protective layer from head to toe, just like iceman had in the 'X-Men' movies. The only difference was that his eyes were exposed, and he was not completely made of ice. He only had a layer on him. Without warning, he felt power drain from his body rapidly and when he looked back down at his palms, the layer of ice seemed to be sucked back into his skin. He could feel this all around his body and a sudden feeling of dizziness swept over him. David felt weak, and could not help collapsing onto the ground, flat on his back.
"David!" Estella cried out in concern as she rushed over to him and knelt down until her face was half a metre away from his.
David could feel his consciousness slowly leaving him. The last thing he saw was the tiny word written on the nearby arrow. It read 'Order', and he instantly knew that he and his sister were being pursued. As Estella's frantic screams of his name began to fade away into the background, his eyes closed and his mind drifted off into dreamland once again.