Ringing sounds in my ear. I squint at the phone screen. 5:36AM!
681Please respect copyright.PENANABCn3wxle7R
«Rise and shine. Your first task is ready. Get up.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA3Xm2Ri7AGw
Ugh.... I wanted to go back to sleep, but there are lives on the line. So I reply.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAoSt5mtzQHy
«What do you want?»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA9qNduBXLNa
«Read carefully. You're not to question my directions, even if you don't understand something. You're to exit the school from the cafeteria emergency exit. Walk a mile south of the door, to a store called Brandsmart USA. Take the backpack next to the door with you.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA37gb7AGq3H
Umm?
681Please respect copyright.PENANAbDOxQibqdL
«After that, what do I do?»
681Please respect copyright.PENANARJjprgTJGM
He replies:
681Please respect copyright.PENANAYgYjKfLTwV
«Get there first. Then you'll receive more instructions.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA4fs5Dt6g6W
I'm scared... It's dangerous at this time in this area... But I risk my life anyways. Wait...
681Please respect copyright.PENANAabOj4FMRHj
«What if I don't make it alive? What happens to Lawrence?»
681Please respect copyright.PENANAYIkT4iXNej
«Then he'll see you in Hell soon.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANAbSGYXK6oye
I get up from my chair, shaking of fear. What if it's a trick? A trap? I can't care either way.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAxAewA7QKCs
I grab the bag and open the door of the lounge slowly, unaware if I'm being watched.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAjI1LfBEYtx
I head towards the cafeteria. It seems almost haunted in the darkness... The space between me and the door seems to stretch!
681Please respect copyright.PENANA0OPUqZGQyD
I push the door open, and it's open! Why didn't I think of this earlier?
681Please respect copyright.PENANA0w3xvSAn6F
My thigh vibrates as I receive a text.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAmq4B6zF7ko
«Don't think of running away. Somewhere on your body is a tracking device, so I can and will hunt you down.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA3xZJWWtM9A
The air brushes coolly against my bare skin. It's so creepy on the street... The crickets chirping, the newspaper tumbling down the sidewalks, the flickering lights...
681Please respect copyright.PENANA9Utn1uTBZC
I walk for what seems like forever... Finally, I see that I'm approaching Brandsmart, a big store full of electric and electronic things: from smartphones to fridges.
Before I can even ask what my task is at this time, I get a text.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAvrqdTy0HFP
«Now break in.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANABRi2lY323l
...Break in...?
681Please respect copyright.PENANAsRP3QHyDBh
«WHY? I'm going to go to jail! Why do you want me to break in?»
681Please respect copyright.PENANAE6TGX7r0ok
He replies:
681Please respect copyright.PENANAJJrUm7TgN9
«Did I not make it clear that you are not permitted to question my motives?»
681Please respect copyright.PENANAmcrVctedAE
Ugh. I'm screwed. I look around for a rock or something, and I find only see one... Do or die... LITERALLY.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAH7iyYSigq6
I bend down, trembling, to retrieve it. I look around to see if there are people watching, but I see no one.
681Please respect copyright.PENANASEv7ySNaQN
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 1... 2... 3...
681Please respect copyright.PENANAyA7oFaRhis
Life sloooows down. I throw the rock at the display window and I hear the ear-splitting shatter, and the ringing alarm, killing my ear.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAPDI6ShzZST
Little did I know that Brandsmart has night guards. And this one looks pretty merciless.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAHE6by3YlTy
"Little girl! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The huge, muscular man yells. Right when I'm about to run for my life, I feel the buzz. Damn it!
681Please respect copyright.PENANA4I8bjy6CVW
I quickly run from the guard while trying to read the text.
681Please respect copyright.PENANAhsbmsHNJui
«Do not run away from the store, or you'll have failed. Of course, he will be a hurdle, but you must jump over this obstacle.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANAt6gUu4DyNk
I stop dead in my tracks. I look up from the phone and turn back. No movement. Where is the guard?
681Please respect copyright.PENANAq19Arq6ECP
I turn my head to face what's looming in front of me, and it's the guard. With a bat! Luckily, I dodge the hit. He outran me, snuck up on me and then tries to murder me?! What was he trained for, war?!
681Please respect copyright.PENANA5TSN1qCHJp
Before I can even ask Luke what he wants me to do, he tells me. I look up at the guard, who's running towards me. Let me just check what Luke says...
681Please respect copyright.PENANA8gZQF9Dfge
«Kill him.»
681Please respect copyright.PENANA5PxVvDHysK
No... I'm not a murderer... I can't! To take the life of a guy who's just doing his job (although trying to kill innocent people is no good job)?
681Please respect copyright.PENANA4KXIfDaK5y
But... It's for Lawrence... And me!
681Please respect copyright.PENANAtohlV2LX57
As if I have all the time in the world... I get up... Slooowly... Not even realizing that—681Please respect copyright.PENANAGLbbJpVhZN