Ringing sounds in my ear. I squint at the phone screen. 5:36AM!
729Please respect copyright.PENANAjtOi8CzpJh
«Rise and shine. Your first task is ready. Get up.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANA8aajnbnI1R
Ugh.... I wanted to go back to sleep, but there are lives on the line. So I reply.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAAX8km11aoB
«What do you want?»
729Please respect copyright.PENANA72Jq0E0NzM
«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.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAEIKIJietKI
Umm?
729Please respect copyright.PENANAsWaPg12hRL
«After that, what do I do?»
729Please respect copyright.PENANATgnS3mO65Z
He replies:
729Please respect copyright.PENANAsX4f1NLcGI
«Get there first. Then you'll receive more instructions.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANA8RR156vjTj
I'm scared... It's dangerous at this time in this area... But I risk my life anyways. Wait...
729Please respect copyright.PENANAuwbAnSOST1
«What if I don't make it alive? What happens to Lawrence?»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAuZVpA6Xc63
«Then he'll see you in Hell soon.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAJGXiHPmdNk
I get up from my chair, shaking of fear. What if it's a trick? A trap? I can't care either way.
729Please respect copyright.PENANA3PM77Z171K
I grab the bag and open the door of the lounge slowly, unaware if I'm being watched.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAkdMhYA3gWK
I head towards the cafeteria. It seems almost haunted in the darkness... The space between me and the door seems to stretch!
729Please respect copyright.PENANAl93tMZ47pv
I push the door open, and it's open! Why didn't I think of this earlier?
729Please respect copyright.PENANAepjSeXxr46
My thigh vibrates as I receive a text.
729Please respect copyright.PENANA1vphUsV0jR
«Don't think of running away. Somewhere on your body is a tracking device, so I can and will hunt you down.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAvKrWfTO6Fe
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...
729Please respect copyright.PENANAy7Km3sFW7D
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.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAu1T6UykFMX
«Now break in.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAa6P8GlGMKe
...Break in...?
729Please respect copyright.PENANA8eTJpXZQxX
«WHY? I'm going to go to jail! Why do you want me to break in?»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAAU3uJiji8V
He replies:
729Please respect copyright.PENANAc7HLnroXeG
«Did I not make it clear that you are not permitted to question my motives?»
729Please respect copyright.PENANA8xjrY9eCMQ
Ugh. I'm screwed. I look around for a rock or something, and I find only see one... Do or die... LITERALLY.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAAl2IZ8IJ2t
I bend down, trembling, to retrieve it. I look around to see if there are people watching, but I see no one.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAwlcwN4VSBc
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 1... 2... 3...
729Please respect copyright.PENANAlCkdKo65na
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.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAhpLMaVMFpk
Little did I know that Brandsmart has night guards. And this one looks pretty merciless.
729Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0K1eiXjvX
"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!
729Please respect copyright.PENANApvTYOPX2eQ
I quickly run from the guard while trying to read the text.
729Please respect copyright.PENANA7Zd4TZgoJs
«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.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANAUYb6SjrvaV
I stop dead in my tracks. I look up from the phone and turn back. No movement. Where is the guard?
729Please respect copyright.PENANAXJJ0dmzkZR
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?!
729Please respect copyright.PENANA5qvTKXjmeu
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...
729Please respect copyright.PENANAyb7JNdbCiM
«Kill him.»
729Please respect copyright.PENANASJEjYDCEB1
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)?
729Please respect copyright.PENANAmT93Mpc1WV
But... It's for Lawrence... And me!
729Please respect copyright.PENANAP4ap4g6ilP
As if I have all the time in the world... I get up... Slooowly... Not even realizing that—729Please respect copyright.PENANAjRCDSM1pea