Ringing sounds in my ear. I squint at the phone screen. 5:36AM!
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lhQexVkxs
«Rise and shine. Your first task is ready. Get up.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7JFsX2prl
Ugh.... I wanted to go back to sleep, but there are lives on the line. So I reply.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nkFJLD5bt
«What do you want?»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq1c8sHJ59
«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.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTz5OoSyyy
Umm?
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX2utmfEAG
«After that, what do I do?»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHV7waN2KS1
He replies:
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UsXiXIQL0
«Get there first. Then you'll receive more instructions.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd0DuB0G3d
I'm scared... It's dangerous at this time in this area... But I risk my life anyways. Wait...
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuS9HvwddY9
«What if I don't make it alive? What happens to Lawrence?»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjQ2E7kdkE
«Then he'll see you in Hell soon.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzb1u9LGtJC
I get up from my chair, shaking of fear. What if it's a trick? A trap? I can't care either way.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVcxdpm2fn
I grab the bag and open the door of the lounge slowly, unaware if I'm being watched.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCps2UUYmg
I head towards the cafeteria. It seems almost haunted in the darkness... The space between me and the door seems to stretch!
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFRXZgwmzG
I push the door open, and it's open! Why didn't I think of this earlier?
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghpnw2H8Qs
My thigh vibrates as I receive a text.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9KQqH821G
«Don't think of running away. Somewhere on your body is a tracking device, so I can and will hunt you down.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIV6Ab3F4D
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...
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoXqsxEKt0
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.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsB1gjR8QtG
«Now break in.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopL9Mn2Cuj
...Break in...?
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxXtAomige
«WHY? I'm going to go to jail! Why do you want me to break in?»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvj2LdYcOFQ
He replies:
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJjukoIxC4
«Did I not make it clear that you are not permitted to question my motives?»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7USN0ISGuk
Ugh. I'm screwed. I look around for a rock or something, and I find only see one... Do or die... LITERALLY.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSLM5R22QS
I bend down, trembling, to retrieve it. I look around to see if there are people watching, but I see no one.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffYrt93al9
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 1... 2... 3...
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxr5ZLpCuL
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.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSMAL5OV21
Little did I know that Brandsmart has night guards. And this one looks pretty merciless.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2KHLNgdNg
"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!
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ1q6F1KQi
I quickly run from the guard while trying to read the text.
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gaaN0voU1
«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.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhtQdtmGYr
I stop dead in my tracks. I look up from the phone and turn back. No movement. Where is the guard?
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Xb1DjvOvd
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?!
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGvOtjpidv
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...
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSg9TC0c9V
«Kill him.»
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETyNI6V08D
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)?
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBzW6Xa2KD
But... It's for Lawrence... And me!
675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDopAIm3HbX
As if I have all the time in the world... I get up... Slooowly... Not even realizing that—675Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWIFvnj9rJ
