a/n: Sorry for the slow update! Anyway, thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews. Please keep up with them!

And, as always, enjoy.

Romen

Disclaimer: unfamiliar; mine. Familiar; not mine.

19. The Third Task

Kate was about to name the Third Task and save everyone a lot of anxiety and suspense when they were suddenly interrupted.

"Hey!" Boone cried, examining his snazzy little electronic planner. "Tomorrow's Independence Day!"

Sawyer frowned. "I don't see how that's relevant. We're on an uncharted island."

"Besides, the U.K. and Australia don't recognize the fourth of July as a holiday," Charlie couldn't help but point out with encouraging nods from Claire.

"Oooooh, I like the fourth of July, Mr. Sawyer!" Walt smiled, his eyes wide. "You get to throw those little things on the ground that pop, and shoot bottle rockets off in the sky, and see biiiiiiiig fireworks in all kinds of cool colors and designs!"

Kate cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but if it's not even until tomorrow, why are we all worried about it?"

There was a beat of silence before Shannon stood. "Because it's an important holiday! It's the day of our freedom!"

Hurley interrupted. He just wanted to get the matter settled so they could continue with the contest. "Technically, that really wasn't the day America gained it's freedom, Shannon..."

"No, but it's the day that Will Smith helped get rid of the aliens that invaded Earth!" Shannon insisted. "It's celebrated by tanning and getting a massage at the spa and soaking in the hot tub. We should all be thankful!"

Walt blinked. "Wow, Mr. Sawyer; and I thought you were the only stupid smart person on the island."

Kate banged her gavel even though no one was being loud. She just liked doing it. "Hey, hey! Let's not forget why we're all here today!"

Michael frowned. "Why are we here?"

"For the announcing of the Third Task!" She massaged her temples with a scowl. Michael was really getting on her nerves. "Anyway, where was I? Oh yes- the Third Task.

"This task shall be a test of your wit, skill, and cunning," she continued, one finger thrust in the air. "It shall also test your speed and ability to blend in with your surroundings. Locke, would you take it from here?"

Locke stepped forward, looking very general-like. "As you can see, there are five of you. For this next task, you will need to be on teams. This task will challenge your ability to work with others. However, since you are an odd number, someone is going to have to work alone. To figure this out, you will have to draw straws." He was clutching a bundle of straws in his fist. Jack drew first, then Sawyer, Michael, Walt, and Boone followed. "Who has the shortest?"

"Me!" Boone waved his straw, which was no more than a stub, in the air.

Claire frowned. "That looks suspicious..."

But she had no more time to say anything else. For at that moment, Kate held up a top hat. "In this hat-"

"Hey, where'd you get that cool hat?" Walt interrupted. "That's a magician's hat, isn't it? Are you going to pull a rabbit out of that hat? 'Cause my Mom said-"

"IN THIS HAT," Kate began again loudly, "are four strips of paper. The people with the two longest straws will draw one of these slips. Whoever's name is on the strip you draw is your partner. Boone's name is no longer in the hat."

"If you draw your own name, does that mean you get to work alone?" Sawyer asked hopefully.

"No. Who has the longest straws?"

It turned out that Walt and Jack had the two longest straws. Jack, being the gracious, gentlemanly doctor that he is, let Walt, being the rambunctious and rebellious child that he is, draw first.

The kid rummaged around the hat, his face contorted, before he finally pulled out a strip. "Wow, Mr. Sawyer! We get to be partners!"

Sawyer moaned. "Why me?"

Jack turned to Michael. "I guess that leaves you and me."

Kate flexed her fingers. "Now, John, would you mind explaining the rest of the task?"

"Of course not." He crossed his arms and made that weird face he does when he's concentrating. "Now, Sun has been kind enough to put together a list of various items that can be found around the island, using blank paper she found in someone's luggage and an old type writer that was discovered out in the jungle."

"I thought Sun didn't know English?" Charlie hissed into Hurley's ear, who shrugged.

"There is one list for each pair," Locke explained, handing Boone, Sawyer, and Michael a piece of paper. "You must find the items on this list. Whoever finds all of the items and reports back here first wins!"

Michael frowned. "So, it's like a scavenger hunt?"

"Exactly."

"'One shoe (not your own), two coconuts, one passport (not your own), one candy bar, one hat'," Walt read aloud. "I just know that we can find all of this stuff, Mr. Sawyer!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sawyer was planning on ditching the kid once they got the candy bar.

"All right." Kate held up a whistle. "When I blow this, go!" She promptly blew it.

Everyone scrambled in different directions as the audience went wild.

Meanwhile, back out in the jungle...

"So are you going to finish chronicling the rest of your stay?" Sayid asked, just trying to create conversation.

Michael Jack's Son sighed. "I've been keeping notes in a notebook, but I haven't been able to type up my account. Somebody stole my type writer! I bet it was that crazy French chick..."

Sayid had a sudden idea. "Michael, if you let me go, I will find that type-writer and bring it back to you."

"NO!" The deluded pop star whirled around. "I can't let you go!"

"And why not!"

"Because we haven't gotten to play a Scrabble yet!" He pulled out the game board with a grin. "Wanna play?"

It looked like Sayid was going to need all of the cleverness he had if he was going to escape...

TBC...