#HappyReading
Dedicated to Zella_Feathers. She is an amazing reader of this book! Thanks for your support!
(UNEDITED)
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I came back to my room after a tiring set of matches which my team won. We had two more games in which Nelson and I were a team. Amber wanted to be in mine but no, I am a girl who wanna always win and if she would have been there instead of Nelson there was no doubt on our defeat.
All in all the game was awesome. I came to know that Nelson also played on his school team but never made it till state. He introduced himself as Ron Nelson and he was from Australia. The girl was Rhea Arora also from his country but she looked Asian.
I quickly took a shower and came out drying my hair. I slipped into a cozy half sleeves top and khakis. It was 7 pm and dinner starts at 8:30 pm so I decided to surf through the bag sent by my mom. I shifted it out from the bottom of the wardrobe and zipped it open. The clothes in it were not arranged that means I got a task on my sleeve.
One by one I took out all the neatly folded clothes and started placing them in my wardrobe according to their sections. When I emptied the bag I found a big golden memento. It was a trophy, my winning trophy of the state level badminton championship. How everything turned out to be a reminder of my sport that day.
I smiled at it and the picture of my winning smash came into my mind. The memory was so pure and properly fixed. No one can ever take that away from me. I went across the room and placed the trophy on the glass shelf of the table. It looked the 'All time Grand' trophy, my pride.
I began to keep the bag where the others were kept when the door bell went off. I pushed the bag inside and swished towards the door. I clicked it open and was met with the mischievous eyes of the lady from the cafeteria. She had a tray in her hand, a mug on it and was in the same clothes from the morning except the apron. She also had a sling bag with its strip on her right shoulder.
"Hello Margaret,"
"Ah...Hello." I was confused to see her here.
"I brought you some coffee," She paused. "Can I come in?"
"Ya, sure." I let her in and clicked shut the door. She made her way towards the bed and balancing the tray on her one hand she pressed the middle of the headboard and it popped out and became like a hand rest or something.
"I bet you didn't know this," She said while keeping the mug on it. She placed the tray on the night stand and glanced at me,"I hope you don't mind me coming in your dorm?"
"No not at all. But I never asked for a coffee..." I trailed off because I didn't know what to say further. I just can't call her some servant because she definitely wasn't.
"Of course you didn't because we don't do room service. I just wanted to meet you, you must have gone through a long day. Am I right?" Why does she change the statement into a question? She knew what my answer would be, I wished to give her some unexpected answer but I wasn't able to.
"Ya." That's what I had to say after snacking the whole brain to give her something she didn't want. And yet I did the exact opposite.
"So over this big day have some coffee. I hope you like it." I took the mug she offered me and motioned me to sit on the bed. I did and she sat on the other end facing me. "How was your first day in the classes?" Questions, more questions. I was in no mood for questions.
"Cool. Really they are so different than I expected."
"We are here to be beyond expectation. I.O.P is made for beyond expectations," she then turned behind, "Oh, is that yours?"
"Yes, it's my badminton state level trophy," I purposely told her so that won't ask me anymore questions. Then she turned back to me with a grin pasted on her face.
"Wow! That's great that you are already into sports. It's gonna help you with your competitive year." She exclaimed and shifted on my side and patted my shoulder. So she didn't know that I was at the court today, maybe there weren't as stalk-ish as I thought.
I simpered and sipped in the steaming hot coffee. It felt like it was just made. "And ya, how's the coffee?"
"Perfect." It really was. "Did you add cream?"
"Yes. I thought you would like it."
"Thank you for bringing me this. You could have sent someone else."
"Ah, no no you don't have to thank me," She then pulled up her sling bag, unzipped it and took out a box. "And I brought you these," She opened the box and two shiny jet black boots were in the box.
Was that my birthday? And was she my mother? What was going on? "You don't have to-"
She cut me off, "No, I didn't buy them they are the shoes you will require in Charris' class. His P.A. gave me these to give you," Oh, so that's why. The boots were pretty they didn't look like some shoes used for educational purpose. They were stunning and attractive.
"Try them on. See whether they fit," I was to lazy to get up and try them on.
"They will, because the institute knows our sizes that's why all range of footwear gifted to us, fit perfectly," I hoped she knew that. No more questions please.
"Yup, but you should. Come on I will help you," She almost snatched the mug out of my hands and got me to stand up. I winced at her hold on my arm and tried the shoes for her. "Are they perfect?"
"Yes, I told you."
"Good!" She clapped her hands. What was there in to get excited? "Also I was to tell that don't carry them to the class tomorrow because they don't have any use in the tomorrow's class." She has to be a good friend of Charris to do all this shoes and message delivery.
I nodded. Then I looked down at my legs, the boots were so hot. "They are great." I mumbled.
"Yes and the things they do are great too."
"Do you know what they do?" I asked out of curiosity. I knew she would not answer it directly but she had a habit of leaving a clue behind.
"Yes, but I cannot tell you," Why did she say that? It ruined the mood. "It's Charris' job not mine. And don't be in any hurry to know everything. You will come to know it when the game starts," And here comes the clue. She gave me the same smirk from afternoon.
"What game?"
She rose from her position and took the tray from the stand. She tucked a flick of her hair behind her ear and said, "It will begin soon." And went she towards the door. She suddenly turned on her heel and grinned at me, "I am sorry I never introduced myself. I am Sandy Royce your cafeteria cheif."
Without waiting for my reaction she made her way out leaving the door to slide shut. I arched my brow in amazement or amusement? She was a pro at simplifying big things into small ones. The word 'game' isn't limited to it's meaning there was more to it and I had to play it.
**
The history class was all about the history of Trigonous, which we already knew. I didn't sleep well at night of which the reason I didn't know. Maybe the coffee? I knew that the caffeine was strong. So here I was yawning in the class and Diego sneaked glances at me which made it even more difficult to concentrate.
"What's on you? Watching you this sleepy will make me doze off. Go wash your face," He whispered.
"Then stop watching," I said blocking the next yawn coming. I widened my eyes but it was harsh on them. They pained and probably they are red. Next thing I know Diego also started yawning. The person next to him as well.
"I told you." He said a bit louder this time. "I have experienced this. I was the sleepy head of the class and because of me many people also got sleepy. It is an epidemic."
I rolled my eyes at him. Wait, rolled? From where did my eyes get the energy? Because they didn't. It was actually like my eyes drooping again and again. I decided to take a short nap and if Miss Cameron asked anything I would say the famous excuse of, 'I am not well.'
**
Surprisingly Miss Cameron had no problem with me sleeping in her class. She didn't ask a thing to me. Diego woke me up and told me that the class got over. The moment I left the classroom Jer came to my side and said, " So you got bored to sleep today?"
"I didn't get my beauty sleep last night."
"Nightmares?"
"No. Just something maybe," I didn't want to discuss about the short visit of Sandy Royce to my room with a cup of coffee and those dreamy, not-so-descent shoes. Jer only would've pressed on the matter. I just hoped that Amber had no idea about me sleeping in the class because I can't avoid that stubborn girl's inquisition.
"Hey Margaret!" Diego came with a grin plastered on his face. He gave a smug look to Jer, "You must be Jeremy," Jer made an irritated face but had no glare directed towards Diego. It was obvious they could not stand each other and this convo will only increase the tension between the two.
"Hi, Diego!" I purposely popped in. The tension in the air was suddenly cut off and Jer left saying that he will meet me in the gym class.
"Is he always this frustrated?" Diego asked.
"No. He just doesn't like you," Was that too straightforward? But he looked nothing close to upset he put up an expression that I wasn't able to read. I was still into thoughts of Sandy's visit to my room. Why did she just came to me? Aren't there more coffee lovers than one? I shook my head and tried finding Amber.
She was busy chatting with people of whom I had no idea they were but I knew one of them. The blonde that she introduced to me. I headed towards her and she turned back swaying a bye to all of them and spotted me. "Hey Gret!" She greeted in the signature Amber tone.
"Hi," I replied waving my hand at her.
She was in a blue tee and yellow skirt. She seemed so carefree and fresh in this colours. And here I was in dull grey top and blue washed jeans. So Margaret-ish.
"I was about to come to you," She crisped and fumbled her skirt as if she had a pocket. "It feels so empty without carrying your phone and your bag. I have a habit to carry a bag to school,"
"And books." I added and nodded in full agreement. I then thought of making a few more friends when Diego came in front of me.
"Hey, you left me there. I was searching for you," I totally forgot that I was with Diego earlier. But what took him so much to find me. I didn't vanish away to the other side of the institute. Amber smiled at him and put forward her hand.
"Myself, Amber Louise." Typical Amber.
"I already know you." Typical Diego.
I giggled at the way Diego said the last sentence and the thought in my mind. Amber took back her hand and had slight blush on her cheeks. "What happened to your friends Diego? Why are you hanging out with me today?" I sincerely asked him. He was the stereotypical popular guy.
"Ya, that's strange," Amber popped in.
"Why do you girls think so much? I was just trying to be friendly and I have no problems in hanging out with you guys. Do you?" He made that charming face with his handsome looks to which no one can say no.
"No, we don't. But Jer will. He practically despises you." Looks like Amber was more straightforward than me.
"She means to say that, you both won't be able to stay with each other for than five minutes without strangling each other's necks," Then I realized what I said, "No! Without arguing with each other." They both gave me the stare that said 'Does she herself knows what she is speaking?'
"I will keep a safe distance from him. Like five feet?" Diego said sarcastically.
"Cool. But you don't have to take the efforts of five feet, Margaret is enough." Amber spoke in a smart tone.
"Huh?"
"You know the last time you guys had a fight, Margaret saved it from going any further. So if the next time that happens Margaret will do the honours of stopping you guys," She turned to Diego, "So she is enough of a distance to keep you apart."
"I am a person not a measuring unit." I retorted.
"But in this case you are."
**
After the short break we all headed for gym. Yesterday's same voice welcomed us but the sight in front of us was something completely unexpected. What's with this Mr. Mark why did he keep on dropping bombs of surprises. The insides of the gym was nothing close to gym or neither it was dark, it was a forest.
The first kid entering was careful and an alarm went off. The count down for the door to close started from 10. After 10 seconds everyone was inside the gym, now a forest. All the competitive were as confused as me. Amber and Diego were with me and I secretly craved for Jer. Whenever he was around, it felt safe.
"What are we supposed to do? Explore this jungle?" Someone from the first row of people shouted. That fueled the hubbub in the crowd. And like some sudden attack the ground under us vibrated. It was like something or someone was approaching or was it an earthquake?
The vibrations increased but no one moved. After a few more seconds it got a sound. A shrill voice like a girl's scream but definitely not that. Some of us competitive took some steps back and the vibrations were no more vibrations they changed into thumps of powerful steps.
That's when a boy screamed, "Look!! What's there!!" Everyone followed his gaze and he alone took off maybe expecting others to follow him. We all saw a huge mammal none other than a black, fully mad mammoth.
Competitive seemed panicked and had completely forgotten their survival skills. We all were rooted to the place, shocked. It was my voice that broke the ice, "RUN!!" All the competitive along with me started running like a bull after a red cloth.
I didn't even bother to check whether Amber or Diego were following and broke into a sprint. My brain had just one task to perform, run like a madman. I had no time to look sideways to see what others where going through, I only saw what was ahead of me. I was running on the sidelines, as much away from the wild creature.
Some boys overtook me, of course they had longer legs. Diego was also one of them he never gave me a glance and ran as fast as he can. Everything was so messed up still my mind was flooded with the memories of the day of electring. I was already loosing my breath but my brain repeated the same things from that day.
I was no runner and my stamina was also not supporting. But there was one factor which favoured me, I was tall. I have long legs and can cover a larger distance in a go.
This energized me and suddenly my endurance came into action. I fastened my pace and took big strides. The tall grass just added up to the difficulty of running. Then I took the guts to look behind and saw that the mammoth was joined by a Siberian tiger.
It was a huge chaos behind me. I saw a girl being grabbed harshly by the tiger with his long sharp teeth and her scream filled the air. There was a splash of blood and some of the girls running within her range got stained by it. I pressed my eyes close and swallowed the tears those where on the verge of falling.
I tried trashing the image of the now dead girl but it became a disturbance in my pace. The trumpets of the mammoth were the background of the scene. My insides were almost dead and running seemed like a death march. I was abruptly pulled behind by a pair of big strong arms.
I yelled, "LET GO!"
"ARE YOU MAD? HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED THE SWAMP IN FRONT OF YOU!" It was Jeremy. He saved me from stepping into the endless swamp of muddy water which swallows everything that falls in it.
I quickly thanked him and ran along with him. The sense of safety governed my body and mind. He really made it feel a little less difficult. He felt like my armour who would protect me from anything that came into our way.
After a few more yards we came near a river. An old style boat was floating in it. It was like we were in Titanic, drowning in the icy water and that boat was a lifeline, a life boat. A sigh of relief escaped my lips but that was not it. It was a boat not a ship, it can carry only about twelve to fifteen people.
Some of the boys already boarded it and were calling out for their friends. I rushed past Jeremy and jumped on the boat. When Jer reached I gave him my hand. That seemed like the biggest goal of my life. Jer wrapped me in a bone crashing hug but I pushed him away. "Where is Amber?"
He looked a little disappointed from my harsh push to him but eventually looked for her but she was nowhere. I slapped my palm on my mouth to stop a cry that was almost about to leave my throat. And like the angel she was, she appeared on the other side of the boat. She boarded the boat before us.
"Amber!"
She turned to see who called her. After finding out who had called her she grinned in my way. She was definitely crying because she forced to smile through the pain. She gave me a thumps up and put her hands on her head. Her face was full of dirt and her golden hair had turned into brown. Jer witnessed this and kept a hand on my shoulder.
"That's it! We can't take any more. Paddle people or do whatever that pushes the boat further!" A boy yelled. Some searched for a paddle and some started pushing the water behind with their hands. I joined them and the boat sped up little by little. "Come on! We a can do this!" Whoever he was, he was gonna be a good leader later.
The competitive who were left behind met with the wrath of the mammoth which reached the bank of the river. It threw away those people using its trunk and roared in anger. The tiger was nowhere to be seen. I buried my face in Jeremy's chest and the suppressed tears escaped my eyes.
Maybe they actually brought us here to kill and clear the useless population.
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A/N: So how was it? Terrifying? I know the end was not expected but don't worry there is much more to it. For that you will have to wait for the next update.
The next update will be after Sunday. One of my very important exams is on this Sunday. Wish me luck!
Thank you for reading.
Love you my lovelies!
REVOMMELLOW!
Sweetheart