Episode 13
953 Words
The roar of the rapids faded behind us as our makeshift raft bumped against the shore. We were alive. Barely. I hauled myself onto solid ground, my muscles screaming in protest. The others followed, looking as battered as I felt.
For a moment, we just stood there, water dripping from our clothes, chests heaving. Part of me wanted to laugh. We'd survived. Against all odds, we'd made it through those hellish rapids. But I knew better than to let my guard down. In this game, every victory was just a prelude to the next challenge.
As if on cue, a voice crackled through the air, announcing our next trial: Blindfolded Navigation. Because apparently, nearly drowning wasn't exciting enough.
"You will be paired up," the voice continued. "One blindfolded, the other guiding. Navigate the terrain ahead to reach the finish line."
I scanned the group, mind racing. Who would I be stuck with? Gerald, the muscle-bound i***t? Elara, the scared little mouse? Or-
"MaryJane and Finn," the voice declared.
Of course. Of f*****g course.
Finn. The silent archer. The one person in this group I couldn't read. The one who'd saved my life during the wolf attack, leaving me in his debt. The one I trusted least of all.
He turned to me, face unreadable as always. "Shall we begin?" he asked, voice maddeningly calm.
I nodded curtly, snatching the blindfold from his outstretched hand. "I'll guide," I said. No way in hell was I putting my life in his hands.
Finn didn't argue, simply tying the blindfold securely around his eyes. Smart man.
I surveyed the terrain ahead. It was a nightmare. Thorny bushes, jagged rocks, hidden pits - a twisted obstacle course designed to m**m or kill the unwary. Perfect.
"Listen up," I snapped at Finn. "I'm not going to hold your hand through this. You do exactly as I say, when I say it. Got it?"
He nodded once. "Understood."
We set off, me barking instructions, Finn following with infuriating precision. "Two steps forward. Stop. Large rock to your right. Step over it - no, higher. There."
Every step was a test of my patience. I found myself hyper-aware of every potential danger, my eyes darting constantly between Finn and the path ahead. One wrong move, one misheard instruction, and we'd both pay the price.
"Thorn bush ahead," I called out. "Three steps forward, then sharp left."
Finn moved smoothly, avoiding the thorns with ease. Too much ease. Was he peeking? I studied his face, looking for any sign of cheating. Nothing. Just that same, maddeningly calm expression.
"You're doing well," he said suddenly, nearly making me jump.
I scowled, even though he couldn't see it. "Save your breath. We've got a long way to go."
We pressed on, the terrain growing more treacherous with each step. My nerves were frayed, every muscle tense. I couldn't shake the feeling that Finn was testing me somehow, pushing me to my limits.
Then it happened. A hidden pit, barely visible beneath a carpet of leaves. I saw it a second too late.
"Finn, stop!"
He froze mid-step, his foot hovering inches from the edge of the pit. My heart pounded in my chest. That was close. Too close.
"Step back," I said, my voice shakier than I'd like. "Slowly."
He obeyed, moving back with careful precision. As he did, I found myself oddly... relieved? The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I didn't want him to fail. His failure would be mine, yes, but it was more than that. Despite everything, I didn't want to see him hurt.
The thought unsettled me more than any obstacle we'd faced so far.
"We need a break," I announced abruptly. "Sit down. Don't move."
Finn complied without question, lowering himself to the ground. I paced nearby, mind racing. What was wrong with me? I couldn't afford to care about him, about any of them. Caring was weakness, and weakness got you killed.
"You're pushing yourself too hard," Finn's quiet voice broke through my thoughts.
I whirled on him, anger flaring. "What did you say?"
"You're pushing yourself too hard," he repeated, calm as ever. "I can hear it in your voice. The strain. The fear."
"I'm not afraid," I snapped.
"Everyone's afraid," he said simply. "It's how we deal with it that matters."
I stared at him, caught off guard by his unexpected moment of... what? Vulnerability? Wisdom? Whatever it was, I didn't like it. It made him human. Relatable. Dangerous.
"Save the philosophy for someone who cares," I said, but the words lacked their usual bite. "Break's over. On your feet."
As we resumed our journey, I found my attitude... shifting. Not softening, exactly. I was still on guard, still wary. But something had changed. I saw Finn not just as a potential threat, but as... a person. A fellow survivor in this hellish game.
It was a dangerous thought. One I couldn't afford to entertain. And yet, as we navigated the final stretch of our trial, I couldn't shake it entirely.
We crossed the finish line as the sun began to set, exhausted but intact. As Finn removed his blindfold, blinking in the fading light, our eyes met. For a moment, just a moment, I felt a connection. A shared understanding of what we'd been through.
Then the moment passed, and reality came crashing back. This was still a competition. He was still my rival. And I was still alone.
As we waited for the others to finish, I retreated into myself, rebuilding the walls that had momentarily wavered. I couldn't afford to let anyone in. Not now. Not ever.
The game wasn't over. And I was still playing to win.
- Writer
