After 20minutes they arrived at a forest. The trees were tall and created large shadows of darkness onto the ground but created a cover from the rain which had began to fall.
"Right today's task is quite easy. Again I have given a member of your team a map and a compass. You have to make your way through the forest as quickly as possible and complete a series of tasks along the way. You have roughly 3 hours again to complete it. Any questions?" Adam informed
"Where do we go when we've finished?" Asked June yawning
"You return here, wait on the bus if the rain is bad. Is that all, ok off you go." Each team slowly set off in their directions after looking at their maps. The first team out was team 1 closely followed by team 5. Next team 2 set off at the same time as team 6. Leaving the two teams with one member down each left together.
"Good luck." Said Des
"We'll need it. Cya later." Waved Cameron
"Bye." Reg finished. They set off in opposite directions in the forest.
After 15minutes of searching they came across their first task. Tree climbing.
"Wicked!" Roared Des excited
"You going up then Des" Asked Marylin looking at the height of the tree.
"If that's alright with you two." Said Des happily
"Fine with me." Reg said
"Fine with me I'm staying firmly on the ground I hate heights." Laughed Marylin
"Get that on then." Instructed Reg.
Reg chucked the harness to Des that he had unhooked from the tree they were going to climb. Des fiddle around with the straps for a bit swinging it round him in all different directions. He couldn't possibly see how he was supposed to put it on.
"Do you want some help Des." Smiled Marylin shaking her head.
"If you would Marylin"
"Certainly." Marylin walked over giving the ropes she'd un wired to Reg Making sure they didn't go flying up the tree. Marylin put the harness the right way round and fastened it tightly.
"Oww, me balls!" Groaned Des bending over
"Ha ha ha, It'll hurt even more when your up there." Laughed Reg
"At least you won't fall out." Giggled Marylin pulling it a bit tighter. Marylin took the ropes back off Reg and they positioned themselves around the tree.
"Whenever your ready Des." Stated Reg
"What am I looking for up there by the way." Asked Des
"There's supposed to be a orange box and in it will be the map to the next task." Explained Marylin
"Let me at it." Sang Des. Des jumped up the first few branch's leaving him about 7 ft in the air.
"Be careful, Des. Slow down." Shouted Reg seeing his speed
"We wanna win this don't we." Argued Des
"Yes but we don't want to loose another team member." Laughed Reg. Des continued speeding up the tree. He was now about 17ft up.
"Any sign of the box?" Asked Marylin "Not yet. Oh wait, I think I've found it"
"Well done, go and get it." Cheered Marylin
"Up, up and away." Sang Des. Des climbed up another 9 feet. He was now at 26ft and the ground was a long way down he thought looking below him. The box was just on the branch at the side of him. He reached out carefully to get it.
"I can't reach it." Moaned Des
"Your gonna have to stand on that branch there." Reg shouted pointing up.
"I'll have nothing to hold onto though then"
"Well go the other way round then." Des circled round the wide tree to the other side of the box.
"Got it." Cheered Des. Des threw the box down and began to make his way back round the tree to get down. Des went down about 6ft when he noticed something blue moving inside a hole of the tree.
"What the hell is that?" Stammered Des
"What?" Asked Reg
"There's summat in the tree"
"What?" Asked Reg again
"I don't know it looks like a alien"
"Don't be stupid Des, It'll be a bird"
"But it ain't furry, it's slimy." Des poked it with his finger. It had a gooey texture that his hand sunk into.
"Ohh, give me that back you evil creature." Des screamed pulling his arm out."It's a alien I mean it"
"Pick it up"
"No way"
"Just pick it up and let me see it" Said Reg
"ok…If your sure." Stuttered Des not really wanting to. Des steadily entered his hand into the hole, opening his arm to form a grabber to get it. His hand was inches away from what seemed to be its face.
"BOO"
"ARRRRRRRHHHH! GET ME DOWN, GET ME DOWN!" Screamed Des. He jumped backwards missing the branch and falling. His wriggling was causing him to sing all over. He looked like Peter Pan with restricted flying limits.
"Des calm down keep still you'll just make it worst." Ordered Reg
"It went to get me, it's after me! ARRRHHHH!" Panicked Des
"Des keep still, your nearly down." Marylin shouted
"HURRY!" Pleaded Des getting even more distressed. Des reached the floor. His swing caused him to fly straight into the tree.
"are you alright?" Asked Reg
"IT WAS AWFUL, WE ARE MOVING ON FROM HERE NOW!" Screamed Des still jumping around falling into the tree.
"Chill Des, get your breath back." Reg said trying to calm him down. Des messed with his harness trying to break himself free from the tree.
"Stop fidgeting, calm down and let me help." Marylin shrieked grabbing hold of him. Des stopped still, letting Marylin do his harness. As soon as he was detached he ran to his rucksack threw it onto his back and ran off in the next direction.
"Des wait up." Reg shouted after him.
They followed him through the forest. His paced slowed as they went. The trauma of what had happened up the tree was slowly getting not as terrifying.
"Right how long we got left." Panted Des
"2hours and 10minutes" Answered Reg looking at Des's white complexion
"And how many more tasks" continued Des
"Two" Informed Marylin
"So that's a hour and 5 minutes each." Worked out Des
"Yep, turn left now" Instructed Marylin looking at the map. They took the left turn and it brought them to a mass of a smaller bushes.
"It's a maze" Said Reg examining the trees
"Your kidding me" Laughed Des know he was rubbish at mazes.
"Nah this is easy mazes are simple." Smiled Marylin setting off.
"You lead then, I'll follow." Said Des lost already. Marylin had made her way through the maze and collected the box within 15minutes and hadn't taken one wrong turn.
"Your pretty good at them aren't you." Laughed Reg examining how quick they'd gone.
"I'm just used to getting lost." Laughed Marylin going a bit embarrassed at the complemant.
"Anybody fancy a drink?" Asked Des. Des had noticed the drinking fountain at seating area near the exit of the maze. He took a sip of the water before sitting down next to it. He closed his eyes and let the Rain dripped down onto his face. Marylin and Reg had sat down next to him cuddling. Des looked at them smiling. They made a really nice couple, they were so happy together. Des sat forward facing the other way to give them some privacy. He splashed his feet in the puddles that had been forming over the day and last night. All of a sudden after a moment of silence apart from des's silence came the storming of Neil's voice.
"I DON'T CARE WHAT A DUMB PC THINKS! I'M GOING BACK TO CAMP!" Shouted Neil at the top of his voice.
"I think we best get going before he sees us." Whispered Des standing up.
"Yeah, come on, this way now." Agreed Marylin standing up too. They walked off following the map to there next task. Des looked back to see if Neil really meant it and to try and find out what was wrong with him. But he saw nothing, thinking he was just having one of his sulks he carried on.
Meanwhile back at camp
"Sheelagh, sheelagh. Can I come in." Asked Gary. Gary hopped around at the door of Sheelagh's tent trying not to get wet, not that it was working.
"Yeah come in." Said sheelagh rubbing her eyes. Sheelagh sat up opening the dividing door as Gary climbed in through the main door.
"It is freezing out there!" Shivered Gary. Gary rubbed his body all over trying to warm up. Sheelagh noticed he only had his boxers on.
"Try putting some clothes on, how's your head?" Laughed Sheelagh
"Fine, how are you?" Gary lay down next to Sheelagh placing the cups of tea on the floor next to them.
"a feel a bit better now"
"What's that cream you got on? Is it something for what you've got"
"What cream"
"The green one you got all over you"
"I haven't got any cream on"
"Well… your all green." Sheelagh touched her face with her fingertips. Gary was right she did have green gue all over her.
"Oooooo, that is disgusting. What is it?" Screeched Sheelagh
"Don't ask me, you're the nurse"
"I've never seen anything like this before though, I can't let people see me like this"
"Hey don't say that, you look fine,… just a bit green…that's all. Here drink this." Gary passed her a cup of tea. Sheelagh took a long sip of the tea letting it warm her up.
"Thanks" They carried on talking unaware that Neil was now back at camp and wanting to release his anger on something or someone. He sat down near the burnt out fire from the night before.
"Grrrrr!" Growled Neil angrily. Neil kicking the wet fire wood across the floor.
"What the hell was that!" panicked Gary. Gary crawled getting as far away from the door as possible knocking everything over as he went.
"I don't know" Whispered Sheelagh moving away as well.
"Grrrr!" Neil repeated. Neil repeated kicking all the other tents and items spread around the camp.
"It's getting closer" screamed Gary. Gary cuddled into Sheelagh "What is it"
"It sounds like a bear" Sheelagh said hiding her eyes on Gary's chest.
"I want to hide too, let me in!" Gary screamed in a very high pitched voice. They both climbed under the cover and hid holding on to each other.
"Grrr!" Growled Neil again. That's when he remembered Sheelagh was at camp. He slowly approached the tent listening for her.
"It's getting closer, I don't wanna die" Shrieked Gary. Gary hugged Sheelagh so tight her guey green skin was growing a slight blue tinge to it.
"I don't want to either!" Sheelagh gasped struggling for air.
"Oh, Sorry" Apologized Gary. Gary released his grip a bit but not a lot. Neil grabbed hold of the zip of their tent. He slowly unzipped it trying to be silent but failing badly.
"It's in the tent" Said Sheelagh. Sheelagh was now gripping onto Gary just as tight.
"Were gonna die, were gonna die, were gonna die" Gary chanted over and over again, each time getting more and more desperate. Neil grabbed hold of the final zip to the door where they were. He slowly undid the zip peering further into the tent. Gary and Sheelagh were silent and literally froze. Neil stared at the covers at where he thought only Sheelagh lay. Placing his hand on what looked like a leg through the covers, stroking it climbing further and further into the tent. Neil slid his hand underneath the cover at were he saw the shape of a bum. He pinched it.
"Arrrrr! The beer's got a crush on me!" Screamed Gary
"Gary!" Stormed Neil in surprise. Neil ripped the cover down to reveal just Gary's head.
"Neil! What you doing?" Said Gary confused.
"I thought it was Sheelagh, I'm….gonna be …sick!" Gulped Neil. Neil ran out of the tent spluttering and coughing.
"Gary are you alright?" Sheelagh emerged from under the covers now returning back to her green colour.
"He…he…t..t..touched me….bum, Shee"
"What? I didn't think Neil was gay, he's got a wife"
"Well, he is….he just pinched me bum. What ma gonna do! He's after me!" Gary's voice went all hysterical and squeaky
"Hey shhhh….shhhh" Sheelagh hugged Gary close stroking his hair.
"He can't touch you unless you let him, it'll be fine"
"Yeah…yeah, your right. Thanks for that Shee."