Game On

My legs felt like jelly and I was still running hard. I could hear the dogs panting at my side or close behind. My mind had shut down and all I could think about was escaping. My legs pumped harder with determination.

I ran faster, the dogs ran faster than I did and pulled in front. They loved me and would never leave my side. They knew where to lead me and I was letting them.

My face hit the ground first. I always thought my hands would go out first, proved that theory wrong, as I hit the ground, rolled to the left and came up spitting leaves, dirt and pine needles. I whistled through bloody teeth and the dogs were there instantly. All of us panting like a winning race horse. I got my bearings, chugged some water and tried to stand up.

They would be here in minutes, they were as fast as I was, maybe faster. My dogs whined and scooted about restlessly. Encouraging me to move.

Lester pulled gently at my wrist, Scally pushing her nose into my leg from behind, I managed a soft chuckle, sighed, spit teeth and blood and stood shaking on my jelly legs. In the distance I could here them coming. The dogs were winning harder now.

I pulled my shoe out of the ground debris and scrubbed dirt from my eyes. As I looked for my other shoe I spotted something in the dirt and leaves. A packsack here? I pulled it from its hiding place, secured it to my back, shoes on and took off running. The dogs were relieved and ran around me in circles as if to say, hurry hard Stephanie, hurry hard girl!

I had a plan and all it would take was 10 more minutes of determined running. And run I would.

The dogs found the secret entrance and frantically started to dig, I dropped to my knees and did the same. It had rained the day before so the debris were soggy and heavy making it hard to move. When I threw the last bit of branches off the entrance the dogs and I crawled in, covered the entrance and lay panting to catch our breath before they were upon us. Absolute quiet was essential to my plan being successful.

The dogs heard them before I did and we all froze, I actually stopped breathing. They were quiet and advanced slowly and stealthily. My heart was beating madly. I had no idea if they knew about my secret hiding place. I had been coming here for the past year since they had recruited me and they had never found me before. I just needed a few more seconds of time to hit the jackpot and win this damned Game On.

Then all hell broke loose, the dogs leapt from my spot, growling and yipping and so excited at seeing the team. I crawled out looking like I had been beaten. The backpack strapped to my back, my shirt torn and my face bloodied. I had beat the clock and was free to come out, the team did not find me in time. I had won this years Game On.

There was dead quiet as they took in my appearance. Then mayhem as the questions started. My team could not believe how far and fast I had gotten since the game began. I was ecstatic at my time, they were thrilled at my find.

I had no clue what was in the backpack. But it seemed my team did. The excitement was contagious and the dogs were leaping and howling, my team was squealing with delight and grinning broadly.

As we walked back to the bunkhouse with my team they told me what I had found. During the games a couple years ago this very backpack was lost. The backpack contained the prize money given to the winner of the final game. It also contained the next rules and plan for the next Game On Recruitment. That plan was written in code in a little Black Book. Each Game On was detailed, written in code and then given to the next recruit to decipher for their chance at winning the prize money of 20,000$

Not only had I won the 20,000 but I had found an old Game On Package. I was a hero, I was 20 grand richer and my dogs were going to eat liver pate out of a crystal bowl for a long long time.

We all smiled as we sat around the bunkhouse table reliving the days exciting events. I had only lost one tooth but had money to get it fixed, we all laughed, drank and ate till our bellies bulged.

Later that night, snuggled in with my dogs I grinned and touched the money I had under my pillow...what a great day and an awesome Game ON! Next year would be even better, I just knew it!