Chapter 3
The first aid kit is about 150 yards away from where we stand. The only thing standing between us four and what could potentially save our lives is a myriad of enormous obstacles. From giant boulders to deadly looking pools of water to a large field that could hold any number of dangers. There is no way around each obstacle unless you count swimming through pits of toxic waste as an option. Before any of us has the thought to turn back, the door we came through disappears like the last time. It feels really hot in here all of a sudden. I look around for the source but find nothing. But when Jared screams at us to run, I come to a realization that there is a giant wall of fire behind us racing toward us at an alarming speed.
We take off running. We actually have a pretty good head start on the fire, but that is never something to under estimate. Our first obstacle is a giant rock wall made of boulders the size of cars. It's about thirty feet high and does not look to easy to climb up. Madison can't even make it up the first boulder because of her ankle.
"Madison, let me help you. Get on my back." Says Zack.
"No Zack, its ok you need to climb. You won't even be able to make it up if you carry me." Whimpers Madison.
"I'm not leaving you behind Madison, your hurt and I'm going carry you!"
Zack picks her up before Madison can finish her argument and he starts climbing. They are making pretty good progress until Zack starts slipping on every ledge he places his foot on.
"Zack, I can make it up, you can put me down. It's clear that you can't climb with me on your back."
Zack simply shakes his head and keeps going. Jared doesn't look like he is doing so well either. He was never a great climber. I remember one day in gym class at Washington high school when we had to climb a rope to pass. I made it up the fifteen foot rope in less than ten seconds with no problem. Jared on the other hand kept slipping and falling off it and it took him at least ten minutes to make it up. Mrs. Mason threatened to fail him but he blamed his trouble on a supposedly "sprained wrist" he claimed to have and she let him off the hook.
As I climb the giant rocks, I notice that the fire has caught up to us and is only 20 yards away now. I tell them to keep climbing and that we will make it. The rough stone cuts my hands and scrapes my bare knees but I have to keep going. The adrenaline that runs through my veins seems to be the only reason why I'm still climbing. Soon we are at the top and we rest for about a minute. Zack put Madison down and she hugs him. Luckily we don't have to climb down the wall but rather slide. There is a rock slide that dumps us into a pool of dark water. It doesn't look very safe but that's nothing to consider since the fire is almost at the base of the rock wall. Zack orders us to slide and we do.
Madison is having no trouble swimming but Zack stays right next to her anyway. I'm almost at the end of the pool when something pulls me underwater. It feels like a tentacle with no body and it's pulling me down fast. The pure terror in me keeps me from screaming but I'm underwater anyway so no one would hear me. My lungs scream for air and I am clearly not strong enough to fight the tentacle. Suddenly I feel someone's hand close around mine and then another. I am pulled to the surface and the tentacle finally let's go of my leg. Madison pulls me to the edge of the pool and pushes up out of it onto the ground. My vision swirls before me and I can barely make out who is talking me. I'm tempted to just lie here and sleep until I somehow hear that the fire just reached the edge of the pool. I look back and the rock wall has been completely swallowed by the raging fire.
Jared helps me up and we start running again. I don't know if it's just me or not but the ground is shaking. Am I still dizzy from my near death experience or what? I think the ground is actually shaking because Madison is constantly tripping and so is Jared. The grass covered field trembles beneath our feet and starts to crack. Waves of horror crash through me as the ground cracks and crumbles. It's not until pillars of rock shoot up from the ground when I can't even stand up anymore. I reduce to curling up in a ball and holding onto the grass for dear life. Then I hear Madison. She is about fifteen feet behind us and trying too hard to get up and run to us. Zack and I run to help her up but we are too late.
A hole in the ground opens up right under Madison. I grab her arm to pull her out but the water from the last obstacle causes her to slip right out of my hold. Right into the million mile deep hole that basically takes her life. Her matted long blonde hair flowing as I watch her fall into nothingness. The words "Player 2 eliminated" dance across the ceiling. I hear someone screaming. I realize it me after what feels like months. Jared is screaming too and Zack's face is white with fear and shock. He just stands there like a ghost. Something snaps in him and he pulls me too my feet and grabs Jared and forces us to run, all without saying a word. I can feel the heat of the fire which is too close to us for my taste. We run without question and soon we arrive at the end of the field. I grab the first aid kit and a door opens which we pretty much jump through to escape the fire. As I sit down to catch my breath I look up at Zack. He stares at the wall and his back heaves in pain. He doesn't cry or talk or anything. We don't say a word the rest of the night.
