Games That Were Played.

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*I was standing on a stage in the middle of an ocean. There was no ground, no land, no clouds, it was just all water. I tried to open my mouth to scream, but I could not move. Suddenly, the ground disappeared from beneath me and I fell, sinking down into the ocean*

I gasped as my eyes shot open, I was leaning my head in my hand as it slipped off the corner of my desk. I straightened myself, embarrassed that I fell asleep in class…again. “And with that being said, Have a good weekend you all.” My professor wrapped up. I grabbed my books into my hands and proceeded to make my way out of the classroom. I sat on a bench outside getting ready for my last class.

I returned home that night. I opened the door to my apartment, relieved. Suddenly I feel a force push and rush into my apartment slamming the door shut. I turn around coming face to face with Tagon. “What the hell are you doing!?” I yelled. I paused, his face was soaked in sweat. “Tagon, are you okay?” He shook his head and paced back and forth. “I don’t know, I need help D.” Tagon continued. Pulling him over to the couch, I sat him down, asking him to explain. “I didn’t know about the money, I found it. I don’t know what to do with it.” He began, I interrupted him. “Wait, T slow down, what are you talking about?” He bounced his knee as he shook his head back and forth. “I messed up Denise, bad.” He just continued shaking his head. “Tell me” I pushed my elbow into his ribs, “Now.” He averted his gaze to the floor. “I came across some money, I-i found it. I didn’t know what to do with it D. I-, Today I went home, and I think someone was there. He paused, I found this.”

I watched him as he pulled out a used worn black leather notebook. “What is it?” “I’m not sure.” He replied. I tried to digest what Tagon was saying. “You found money?” I asked as Tagon shook his head, “How much money could you have found that someone came to your house?” I stare at him impatiently. “Hello!” “$20,000 maybe.” He finally replied. I hopped up. “$20,000 are you serious!” I yelled. He yanked me down by my arm and hushed me. “Shut up Denise.”. He looks at me, almost reading my mind, he responds, “I know.” I shake my head, “This is not good, how do you just find that much money.” He shrugged. “I just did D.” I continued talking. “NOW you think someone was in your house, what the hell are we supposed to do Tagon?” He turned to me, “What am I supposed to do Denise!?” He shot back. I grabbed the black notebook out his hand opening the first page. On the first page it wrote, You have one chance. And next to it were coordinates. I slammed it shut. “What does it mean?” He shrugged again, “I don’t know, maybe one chance to return it maybe.” Tagon yelled, his eyes starting to brim with tears. I reassured him. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to him, he was my best friend.

I woke up before the sun, immediately gathering the stuff together we had packed. We had spent the night planning. I was running off a whole lot of adrenaline. Soon, Tagon and I were out the front door, down the elevator, and in the car. Just as soon as we were up, we were out of there. Sometime later I woke up, the air was still, and the sky was a lazy whitish-gray color. We just wanted this ordeal to be over. We saw our docked ship at the pier, and we headed onboard. Our plan was to bring the money to the coordinates, Tagon decided that our best bet.

It was noon by the time the boat had reached our destination. Tagon slung the bag of money over his shoulder and marched down the platform of the ship. With no time to waste, I followed him as he lead the way into the jungle. The trees and brush grew thicker as we walked deeper. After what seemed like hours, we stopped. We still weren’t where we needed to be. I grabbed the book out of Togan’s hand, looking over at the coordinates again before passing it back to him. He stared at it confused. I rolled my eyes and snatched it out of his hand, useless, I thought to myself. I studied the book flipping through it to double checking there wasn’t anything else written on it, there wasn’t.

I gasped as I felt a pair of hands grab me, and press my arms to my side, crippling my ability to move. The black notebook falls out of my hand. I swivel my head around to see a wide framed man standing over me, he lowered his lips to my ear. He smirked and leaned in to whisper, “You have one chance.” My stomach dropped as a chill ran down my spine. “We have it, whatever it is your looking for.” “Just let us go.” I pleaded with him. I looked around to look for Togan, he was standing a few feet away, surrounded by two other men. He held the bag to his chest refusing to make eye contact. I look at him confused, before I could say anything, the guy spoke. “Togan, you work for me, steal for me, and try to run off with the funds.” He knew Togan by name. “You thought I wouldn’t notice.”

He pushed me to the ground and turned his attention to Togan. The two guys with him, walk closer towards me. What does he mean that he works for him? I look around trying to fight the heat that is rising in my chest, I looked around as the man continued to threaten T. I scanned the ground, noticing the black book laying face up open on the ground. Except, there was something different about the page. The book was not blank anymore, little patches of writing had started to form. It was too far away for me to read. I looked up into the trees and noticed the streams of light hitting the surface of the book. The book did have writing, it was just invisible. I snapped back as I heard Tagon speak “I came back to return this, I got the message Mario, loud and clear” Tagon spoke. I look up to see Mario slap Tagon to the ground. Tagon continued to clutch the bag to his chest. He stood up. I was expecting him to give the bag and finally end this. He looked at me sorrowfully, “I’m sorry D, I can’t!” Before he could even finish speaking, he sprints into the jungle behind him, catching us all off guard. “Ha!!” Mario lunged towards him but Togan was too fast, he was able to grab a strap on the bag. It dragged Togan backwards, but he got up and ran into the brush with both guys sprinting after him. Mario threw the bag behind him and pulled a 9-inch hunting knife out of his pocket. I hopped on my feet without thinking, grabbing the book, bag and running the other way. My feet hit the ground and I ran as fast as I could.

I ran through the jungle, the spikes on the branches below my feet tore at the callous on my heels. My ears were pumping blood, I couldn’t turn back, not now. Long thick green brush towered over me on both sides of my path. I had to keep going. I saw a patch of opening in a tree ahead of me. I hopped into the little hole in the opening and threw my body as far back against the tree as I could go. I covered my hands with my mouth and tucked my head into my knees. I heard nothing, just the echoing of my own breath, my legs shook, my ears rang. It was a short deafening silence, and then I heard him.

I wanted to cry, he had followed me. The bag and book were settled next to me. I felt his presence getting closer. I was cornered. Even hidden in the darkness of this trunk, I felt exposed. Every crunch of a leaf signaling him getting closer. I looked up and out the hole, I was met with a pair of legs standing right outside of the hole that I was in, he stopped. I held my breath. He inspected the area but had yet to leave the spot he was in. I swore he was about to reach down and grab me, then suddenly a scream rang off in the distance. He must have heard it too because just as soon as he came, he ran off. I waited until I could no longer hear anything on the ground before I grabbed my belongings and poked my head out from within the tree trunk. The sun was still out, I had to make a move. I didn’t hear anything, but I kept low to the ground. Grabbing the notebook, impatiently I opened it, emerging it directly into the sun. Paranoid, I sat shaking, aware of my surroundings. Within minutes the page was filling with writing. I scanned the page, noticing the familiarity of the handwriting. I grabbed the notebook, really staring at it. It was Tagon’s handwriting. Was it his notebook? Reading the page as quickly as I could, all I could see was red. The audacity. I slammed the book shut in disbelief. Tagon lied, about all of it. The notebook, the people, the $20,000. He used me, he stole the money, and was using me as a scapegoat to keep it. I shook my head as tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I got up and took off running.

I gasped for air as my heart pounded against my chest, my lungs burned, my legs ached but I couldn’t stop. I was determined to get out. As the sun started to set above me, I fell feeling defeated. I stopped running, catching my breathe I fell backwards onto the ground. I didn’t know what to do. Suddenly as if on que, I noticed a bird circling around me. It wasn’t making noise or anything, it was just flying in circles. It stopped in mid track and shot in the direction I was just running towards. Confused I looked at it fly off, I wasn’t sure if I was hysterical or if it was really there, but I took that as a sign. I sprang up, filling with a renewal of energy. I continued running. Not before long I cut through the brush, trying to keep up with the bird. The sun had set and the bird just kept flying, not before long I came to an opening. My eyes adjusted to the clearing before me. I looked around confused, it looked unfamiliar. Panicking, I look back into the darkness of the jungle. Trembling I continue forward, I couldn’t see anything around me. Still, I continued forward, dragging along the bag full of money and the books. As I reached the edge of the clearing, I paused dramatically. I heard voices around the clearing, sneaking forward I peeked around the corner, expecting to see Tagon or the man. I covered my mouth, trying to stop the tears from forming. The voices were of passengers, I cried looking at the ship in the distance. I ran towards it. I pushed against the backs of the people, making my way up the dock. Once safe on the ship I crumble to the ground hugging the bag of money. I smiled weakly to myself, it was time for a new life.