Tick Tock
Kimiko's POV
Omi and I decided to not leave the beach area as it seemed safer then what waits in the jungle for us. So we just sat down and waited to see if anything new happens. We thought maybe Clay and Raimundo might find the beach and that we'd be able to call them over if we spot them. We only hoped that they were together. It was about an hour now and nothing extreme has happened yet. So Omi and I decided to talk about our experience so far in the jungle.
"You were chased by lions!" Omi exclaimed and I nodded and then showed him my wound.
"The lion was able to get me a little, but it should be fine for now." I explained.
"It does not look good Kimiko," Omi said, but before I could reply I heard some people screaming.
"That sounds like Clay and Raimundo!" Omi shouted.
Suddenly there screams started to get louder and closer. Omi and I quickly stood up and started calling their names, but they continued to scream. Just we were about to leave and heard toward where we heard the screams, they suddenly appeared about 100 meters away from us.
"Clay! Raimundo!" I shouted.
Omi and I quickly ran toward them as they headed into the water. As we got closer, I noticed they were covered in something that looked gross and sticky. They finally noticed us and then I saw Raimundo come out of the water and walked over to me as Clay continued to bath in the water. I felt Raimundo place a hand on my shoulder and looked at me in relief.
"Thank god you two are ok and that you found each other!" Raimundo sighed in relief.
"What happened to you my friends!?" Omi exclaimed.
"Just when Raimundo and I found each other in the hot mugging jungle, we were both ambushed by what we thought was rain!" Clay exclaimed, still cleaning himself.
"Thought?" I questioned.
"It turned out to be blood . . . Hot sticky gross blood raining from the sky and on to us!" Raimundo explained cleaning himself up.
"Well it's a good thing we're all here now." I replied and saw Raimundo give a small smile.
Not wanting to give Raimundo the satisfaction, I quickly walked pasted him and headed toward Clay. I was still upset with Raimundo and nothing has changed. Suddenly though, I felt him grab my hand and I turned to him and tried to snatch it away, but he wouldn't let go.
"What happened to your arm?" He questioned as I snatched it away from him.
"Before I found Omi I was attacked by lions and one was able to claw me, but only on the arm." I replied, but then he began to examine it by taking my hand and staring at the wound.
"Kim, it needs to be bandaged up before it gets an infection." He said, but I snatched my arm away again.
"We don't have anything to bandage it with, besides I'm fine-." I spoke, but then I heard a ripping noise.
I saw Raimundo tear a part of his sleeve off and then took my arm and started to bandage it for me. I was a little surprised by his action, but still . . . He won't be easily forgiven . . . not yet anyways . . . I looked to him and right when I was about to past him I stopped and said one last thing to him.
"Thanks," I spoke before heading over to Clay and Omi in the water.
Raimundo's POV
"Seems like we've been through one hell of a day." I sighed sitting down next to the camp fire with my friends.
"So what in sam hill do we do now?" Clay questioned.
"I have no idea, but if I remember right one of us was supposedly given a clue in the beginning of the game right?" I asked and for a while no one said anything and only thought.
"I do not recall getting a clue." Omi replied.
"Me neither partner," Clay said and then all eyes were on Kimiko now.
I watched as she was in deep thought and was trying to remember something. I saw her struggling a little, but soon she closed her eyes and started to speak.
"I remember something being said to me . . . I think . . . When I started to wake up something was said to me, but I can't seem to remember it clearly." Kimiko sighed opening her eyes.
"You must relax and stay focused on what it is you're trying to remember. You must clear your mind of all thoughts." Omi said and she nodded to him and tried again.
A couple of minutes passed and we all stayed quite hoping Kimiko would remember it. Soon though she began to speak.
"This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks. Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face . . . I think that's it!" She exclaimed.
"You go girl!" Raimundo exclaimed.
"I'm glad you remembered the clue, but what in the sam hill does it mean?" Clay questioned.
For a while none of us could think of an answer. We sat for a while thinking, until suddenly a bomb noise went off and we all stood up in shock. We all had a look of fear in our eyes and this game was just getting to us now. The bomb noise went off about twelve times before it stopped. We all looked at each other in confusion.
"What the heck was that all about?" Kimiko spoke.
"I do not know, but I think it is best that we rest for now as it is late." Omi suggested and we all nodded.
"I think one person should keep a look out while the others rest. We could rotate to make things easier." Clay said.
"Good idea, I'll take first watch while you guys rest." I said and everyone nodded.
I watched as everyone got comfortable and start to rest up. I looked over to Kimiko and saw her lying on the ground curled up looking toward the ocean with her back facing me. I knew she was still upset with me and I don't blame her. I just have to adjust to the whole cold shoulder she's giving me. I may have helped her with her arm, but I knew nothing would change between us.
"I'm sure she'll come around partner. Just give her some time." Clay whispered to me before drifting to sleep.
Kimiko's POV
The next day came fast and we were all tired after taking turns watching. We stayed at the beach still as it was safe for the time being, but we knew that we'd need to go look for clues eventually. However, first we needed to figure out the first clue. Thinking became harder on us was we were tired, dehydrated, and hungry.
"We are sprinting out of time!" Omi exclaimed.
"It's running out of time and the littler feller's right. Half the day has gone by again and it's not safe to stay here too long, something else might happen again." Clay explained.
"This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks. Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face? What on earth is that even supposed to mean!?" Raimundo sighed deeply.
I needed to clear my thoughts for a little while so I went closer to the water. I stared at it for a moment examining the rocks again. They were all lined up in a circular form and traced to the center of the water. I think there were about twelve sections that were divided into . . . Wait a second. Without thinking I quickly ran back to the guys and they looked at me confused, but all I was looking for was a tree I would be able to climb on. I saw the palm tree and immediately began to climb it.
"What are you doing!?" Clay shouted.
"Figuring out the clue!" I yelled back.
"I think Kimiko has finally lost it." Raimundo joked.
"Thin ice Raimundo," I replied back and Clay and Omi laughed.
Once I got to the top of the palm tree my eyes widen as I looked down into the water. Twelve sections . . . It's a clock!
"Guys I think I just figured out the riddle!" I exclaimed as started to climb down the tree.
"It's a clock the answer is a clock!" I answered.
"This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks. Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face. That's it . . . it makes since now!" Omi agreed.
"Way to go little lady!" Clay cheered.
"Yeah I figured it out when I kept examining the water. It's divided into twelve sections and I believe that every hour a disaster occurs which it why I was attacked by lions, Omi caught in a tsunami, and you guys caught in a blood storm." I explained.
"You're a genius!" Raimundo complemented and I gave a small smile to him.
"Then I reckon that, that bomb noise we heard last night that went off twelve times was a indicator that twelve hours have passed." Clay explained.
"Ok well looks like we've got one part of the puzzle finished, but now what?" Raimundo said.
Before we could even answer a loud gut wrenching scream went off from the jungle. I looked around and saw now one, but when they screamed again the voice was familiar to me.
"Oh my god that's Keiko's voice!" I shouted.
"KIMIKO HELP!" She screamed.
"KEIKO!" I cried as I started to take off running into the forest.
"No it's a trap it's not real!" I heard Raimundo shout, but I kept running ignoring him.
"Keiko!" I shouted and then suddenly I saw a bird coming toward me till I ducked.
"HELP ME KIMIKO!" The bird screamed.
What the hell!? It wasn't Keiko at all! I quickly found a nearby rock and threw it at the bird and watched as it fell. Suddenly I saw Clay come up from behind me. Before he could speak we heard something else.
"AHHHHHH!" Someone screamed and suddenly Clay's eyes widen and he started to run.
"Clay wait it's a trap it's not real!" I shouted as I chased after him.
"ANABELLE!" Clay yelled, but then he saw the bird too and then got angry and used his element to hit the bird.
"It's not real Clay we have to leave!" I shouted and then he looked to me.
"Those are mocking birds, meaning they had to have been able to hear their voice before." Clay explained.
Before I could argue, I saw a whole group of birds now starting to fly toward us. We immediately took off running not looking back. I could hear my father's, Keiko, and my friends voice coming from the birds as I ran. I quickly saw Raimundo and Omi as we ran to them, but were immediately stopped when I ran into some force field. I saw them trying to talk to us, but I couldn't hear them. I kept banging on the force field out of fear as the birds were now swarming around us. Suddenly I froze even more when I heard a certain voice. I knew it all too well . . . The same voice that haunted me every day of my life . . .
"Shhh . . . It's going to be alright and you know why?" The bird spoke
"No . . . STOP IT!" I screamed slowly falling to the ground in fear and with tears in my eyes.
I saw Raimundo slowly going to the ground as well trying to keep me calm, but I was in so much panic and fear. I covered my ears and crouched down and closed my eyes tightly not wanting to hear or see all of this again. Soon the bird spoke again.
"Because no one will hear you scream . . ." It said.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed.
. . . . .
"It's not real . . . It's not real . . . It's not real . . ." I repeated over and over with my rolled up in a ball and rocking back and forth with my eyes and ears closed.
"Kimiko . . ." A voice spoke, but I ignored.
"It's over the hours up . . ." A voice said again and I felt someone touch my arm, but I quickly flinched and moved away, but then I realized it was Raimundo.
"I'm not going to hurt you . . . your safe now. No one can hurt you, not while I'm here." He spoke and tears slowly fell from my face again and I cried as Raimundo got closer and rubbed his hand on my back comforting me.
"Are you alright Clay?" Omi asked.
"Yeah . . . I'm fine . . . I just need a minute." Clay replied looking like he saw a ghost.
"Let's go back to the beach where it's safer." Raimundo said helping me up and holding me steady.
Raimundo's POV
"Wait I think I see something." Omi spoke.
He quickly looked at the ground where all the birds' feathers had been laying around. He moved a few of the feathers and saw something on the ground. He picked it up and it was revealed to be a note.
"Inside me the adventurous find
Quests and treasures of every kind.
Trolls, goblins, orcs, and more, await
Within my closed walls for
All those that wish to visit me.
Your hands are the key
To secrets untold,
And your mind will unlock the door." Omi read.
"Just when we finished one clue . . ." Clay spoke softly.
"Another one is waiting to be answered." I replied.