В«And turn off our consciousness any time convenient for them,В» Alex finishes calmly.
В«What?!В»
«Look. Yesterday everyone fell asleep, barely got into their cars. None of us knows how long we were on the way, or which road we were driving. At exactly 21:00 p.m., I fell asleep, although I usually don’t fall asleep before midnight. And getting up at 9 a.m. in the morning is absolutely fantastic! I don’t even ask how it was with you, because now there is not the slightest doubt that everything happened in the same way.»
«That’s where this disgusting metallic taste in the morning and back pain comes from!» I whisper. «But it’s illegal! This is an infringement on a person’s privacy. They just don’t have the right to do it.»
В«Lavina, something tells me that nobody inВ this ominous place thinks about our rights. Perhaps this is just the beginning. How did we end up here?В»
«But… but how?! It’s just a game! And we almost went deaf by breaking a little insignificant rule. What will happen if…»
I feel depressed. There is no trace of hope that this adventure will turn out as I expected. This is a serious organization and it plays for real. High bets – high demands. How deep is my regret that I responded to the request, passed all the tests and did not leave that fatal plane while there was still an opportunity!
The words of Zhang Kiang come to my mind again: «Don’t trust anyone. Follow the instructions carefully. This is your only chance. "Maybe she really wished me well and wanted to warn me of the impending danger? I can’t wait to discuss this with Alex, but now that I know that every word of ours is being tapped, I hesitate, fearing to get Zhang Kiang into trouble. Of course, the Glossy Lady is not the best example of hospitality, and she has a brilliant talent for getting on your nerves. And yet, what if she is as hostage to the situation as we are? Alex interrupts my train of thought:
«One thing I can say for sure. You have good English if you know the word „eardrum“. And I seem to be able to hear with both ears again.»
***
We walk through the jungle inВ silence, still impressed byВ what happened. Our goal is toВ go as far as possible inВ order toВ explore the place inВ which we find ourselves as best as we can. IВ roll my head around inВ search ofВ something unusual. InВ these thickets, it is simply not possible toВ see this something. My pessimism picks up steam when IВ suddenly hear AlexВ say:
В«Look at that tall tree, something is clearly wrong withВ it.В»
В«What exactly?В»
«It’s extremely high.»
As I get closer to our subject, I admit that Alex is right – this palm is different from other trees. Probably, it can be seen from any hill in the area. We examine it from all angles and find a tiny red Antakarana symbol at the base of the tree.
В«We found it! Symbol!В» IВ exclaim.
«Do you think this is our subject – a palm tree?»
«Maybe a piece of bark with a symbol? Let’s take a closer look.»
Examining the base of the palm tree thoroughly, we notice a square of earth directly below the mark. It differs from the rest of the tree’s surroundings: grass also grows on it, but the ground under it is red. Without thinking twice, we break the square with our hands. At a depth of about five centimeters, our fingers press against a plastic box.
Alex takes out a white box with the familiar black symbol – three sevens, placed in a volumetric cube. It contains a small glass bottle with a red liquid.
«Doesn’t look edible,» Alex says, disappointed.
В«Not at all,В» IВ confirm grimly.
AВ note is glued toВ the bottle with the words:
В«Where one begins,
The other finds itsВ end.
Great God createdВ this
Best thing He ever madeВ»
Alex reads the legend aloud and says thoughtfully:
«You don’t need to be a genius to guess the answer „Earth“. In addition, this element was mentioned by Maestro in the initial formulation of the task. Most likely, the phrase hides something more significant.»
В«What strikes me is the contrast. Suppose all vegetation starts and sprouts inВ the ground. AВ person ends his life there,В» IВ add.
«Smart girl! Even at the beginning, Maestro opposed the natural and harmonious to all the unnatural and called it „darkness“. What can disturb the harmony of nature? Only a human. That is, we have a conflict between nature and man.»
«In any case, we’ll find out more when and if we find all seven objects or, as Maestro put it, «mystirious seven elements’,» I sigh.
«Chin up! It hasn’t been long, and we already have something. Quite not bad. It would be nice to eat. There is nothing edible in this jungle except you and me. Let’s hurry up, I wouldn’t want to be someone’s late night meal.»
For aВ long time we follow forward, carefully making our way through the dense jungle, talking on various topics from our past lives. Our real lives seem toВ be something distant, having nothing toВ do with the current reality, only two days after we left our homes toВ plunge headlong into an adventure. Too much has happened inВ the past 48В hours. And first ofВ all, tha fact we had toВ die and rise again.
IВ try my best toВ be vigilant, looking at my feet before every step inВ fear ofВ seeing aВ snake or some unknown animal. We move extremely slowly, no more than two kilometers per hour.
With each step, the road becomes more and more difficult. The sun is now directly overhead, and there is not aВ cloud inВ the sky toВ somehow alleviate the midday heat. The shadow ofВ trees is the only defense against the scorching rays. Sweat rolls down my face. Gradually, our conversations fall silent. Based on the position ofВ the sun inВ the sky, we have been on the way for more than three hours. Given how quickly it gets dark inВ the tropics, there are maximum five hours left toВ reach the camp.
Hunger, thirst and oppressive heat are merciless. The water that I drank before leaving the Platform came out long ago with sweat. My tongue is swollen, the mouth is dry and I find it difficult to say something. My stomach is cramping, and I remember with longing about yesterday’s tasteless food on the plane, as well as the banana trees growing around the Platform. In addition, the humid stuffy air and the scorching sun depress consciousness. More than anything, I want to sit on the ground and fall into a deep, painful sleep.
But Alex is certainly right. In such dense vegetation live… who actually? I’m even afraid to think about it. I know one thing for sure: at night they go hunting. After getting dark, there will be little chance of reaching the Platform. And so we go on, and each step gets harder and harder. Every thought delivers almost physical pain. Alex, who at first after the discovery was still making some jokes, gloomily keeps silent and goes forward.
«I’m dying of thirst. Let’s go back? Maybe other groups have found something?» I did not expect to hear such a plaintive squeak from myself.
«And you quickly give up,» Alex hoarsely replies, who himself can barely keep on his feet, «let’s sit down and rest, and then turn back. How could they have sent us into the jungle, in which there is not a single coconut tree?! You know, once in some survival guide I read a phrase that somehow stuck in my memory: «In tropical jungles and rainforests, the soil is always wet and teeming with insects, leeches and reptiles. Therefore, during sleep, you should isolate yourself from the soil, otherwise the heat of your body will attract the snakes, and in the morning you may find one or more of them curled up around your intimate places.»
В«IВ used toВ think that my worst nightmare is aВ plane crash. But THIS attracts me even less. Thanks, no.В» IВ feel horror and disgust at the mere thought ofВ aВ snake curled up inВ aВ ball inВ myВ lap.
We sit down on the trunk ofВ some tree lying on the ground. Never inВ my life have IВ felt so tired, but falling asleep here is putting myself inВ mortal danger. ToВ somehow cheer up, IВ ask my partner:
В«How did you manage toВ be here? Without aВ drop ofВ water and crumbs ofВ food? Well at least you are lucky with the companyВ».
However, Alex does not react inВ any way toВ my attempt toВ joke and answers seriously:
«You know, there was a moment when my life seemed meaningless and uninteresting – a terrible depressive state. It was probably then that I got carried away with online quests. It was a way to escape reality and plunge into a fictional world, where I was something. Subconsciously, I was always looking for an adventure that would shake me up and get me out of depression.»
В«Found?В»
«Found. You’re quite an adventure,» he laughs, «although a million dollars won’t hurt. What are you doing here?»
«I suffer from my pernicious love for adventure. Frankly, I didn’t expect to win the prize. It was more important to participate in the Game of the Century, solve complex riddles and recieve the most vivid impressions.»
В«Received?В» Alex mimicsВ me.
В«Not! Instead, IВ sit here and ready toВ die for aВ sip ofВ water!В»
There is aВ painful silence, so at one point IВ doubt if my fellow traveler has fallen asleep. Suddenly aВ strange sound comes toВ my weary hearing. Subtle, distant, but unmistakably sweet sound ofВ water.
В«Alex, can you hear that?В»
В«Hear what?В»
He is listening for a moment, then, without saying a word, we jump to our feet and rush in the direction of the noise. The hope of finding water gives a new burst of strength. From time to time we stop and listen, choosing the path. After a few minutes, there isn’t the slightest doubt: we are moving in the right direction. I almost run forward, unable to contain myself and forgetting about the constantly threatening danger under the feet.
Thirty minutes later, the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen and heard in my life opens up to our eyes: a small waterfall with clear, cool water, which falls into a crystal blue lake. We fall to the knees and greedily drink, wash, splash and laugh like children. How little you need to feel happy! I’ve never drank anything tastier in my life!
After some time, having quenched our thirst, washed off aВ little dirt and sweat from our faces and fooled aВ lot, we sit on aВ large stone and drooped swollen and rubbed feet inВ the water, enjoying its delightful coolness.
Alex looks at me seriously and speaks inВ aВ voice full ofВ thoughtfulness:
В«There is something you need toВ know. You have very beautiful legs.В»
IВ get embarrassed and turn away toВ hide my awkwardness. Unperturbed, he continues:
«Especially the right one. We’ll eat it first if we don’t find food.»
He throws his head back, falls back on the stone and gives aВ contagious laugh. His crafty brown eyes sparkle inВ my direction. IВ jump toВ my feet inВ indignation.
«I’m joking, calm down. We’ll start with the left one, of course.»
It’s really incredibly difficult to be angry with him. Alex’s humor helps me cope with difficulties and turns everything that happens into a game. Rather, it reminds me that this IS a game, and I am here of my own free will… Suddenly something catches my eye.
«Alex, take a closer look at the waterfall. On the right side, closer to the boulder. See? The water falls there differently than in all other places. As if it meets a flat, unnatural obstacle… as if a stream of water from a tap were breaking against a metal sheet. Do you see this spray?»
Before he can answer, IВ am already rolling up my trousers.
We are not aware ofВ the depth ofВ the lake, so we jump on the stones sticking out ofВ it, and without much difficulty reach the waterfall. ToВ the right, behind aВ stream ofВ water, there is aВ small metal platform built into the rock, on which aВ small red Antakarana symbol is barely visible. IВ was right! Looking closely, we find aВ niche, and inВ it the coveted white box. Getting very wet and not without effort, we take it out and hurry toВ the shore inВ order toВ quickly familiarize ourselves with the contents. It turns out toВ be aВ rounded vial, similar toВ the first, with an orange liquid and aВ note:
В«Your best friend and the base ofВ life
That world can’t live without;
But still, inВ its destructive might
It can destroy you toВ the groundВ».
Alex turns the note thoughtfully inВ his hands:
В«InВ this riddle, the opposition is somewhat different.В»
В«Yes,В» IВ agree with him, В«this lake gave us new strength, healing, maybe even life. But aВ tsunami could ruin thousands ofВ lives. Just recall its consequences inВ South-East Asia inВ 2004В or inВ Japan inВ 2011. Tsunamis are caused byВ earthquakes that destroy entire cities. These are natural forces that aВ person cannot influenceВ on.В»
«It seems that we are still dealing with the theme of the conflict between man and nature… Lavina, all is not lost with you when it comes to finding objects. I’m impressed!» Alex praises me.
«You noticed that all the finds were located in iconic places: a tall tree that can be seen from any hill in the area, a waterfall with a lake of fresh water… Hopefully the others also paid attention to this and found something,» I hastily mutter, to hide how flattered I am by his compliment.
«Maestro said that we are professionals. Let’s see. We won’t die of hunger and thirst in any case. I’ve seen banana and coconut palms around our camp, and there are probably edible plants and animals in the forests. It’s a shame we don’t have any tools. However, the lack of food will greatly complicate our five star stay.»
«I propose to move on. And stop staring at my feet. Trust me, they’re tasteless and very skinny.»
Having cheered up from the find and having drunk plenty ofВ water, we decide toВ turn back toВ the Platform.
The sun is rapidly approaching the horizon, the heat subsides and is replaced first byВ the saving, and then byВ the uncomfortable coolness.
В«How much time do we have?В» IВ ask Alex anxiously. The fear ofВ getting lost and staying overnight inВ the jungle spurs me on and gives me aВ new burst ofВ strength inВ the legs.
В«Probably no more than two hours. We should be on the Platform byВ six. Otherwise, there is every chance toВ spend the night inВ the company ofВ cute animals.В» He tries toВ hide his worry, but does not really succeed. ToВ distract myself somehow, IВ ask:
В«What do you think we might have inВ common with each other and these people?В»
«Passion for adventure? Love for nature? Common acquaintances? One thing I know for sure: now it is fear, hunger and a desire to strangle Maestro and his entire team.» Alex does not turn around and picks up the pace a little more. Now we don’t even have time to look at our feet.
After aВ little thought, IВ decide toВ share my idea withВ him:
«Have you had any deep mental trauma in your life, for example, the loss of a loved one, divorce of parents, financial fiasco…?»
В«You mean besides our joint shameful loss inВ an online game?В»
«Alex, I’m serious! Maybe a similar tragedy in the past unites us all? At the age of five, I lost my older sister. She died in a terrible accident. The school bus was returning from a tour of the places of military glory in Volgograd, when the driver of the truck fell asleep, lost control and went into a ditch. The bus driver did not have time to react and crashed at full speed into the tail of the truck. Then five children died. One of them was Julia. I don’t remember much about that terrible tragedy, and I dimly imagine the outline of her face. Twenty years have passed and I have almost forgotten everything. But my parents have to live with it every day.»
«This is terrible. I sympathize with you and your parents. True. But I don’t think I fit into this scheme myself. My parents have lived together for many years and still love each other. The brother and sister are doing well too. A terribly decent and boring family. Let’s be honest, 95% of people on earth had to go through the loss of a loved one or a difficult parting, witness death or suffer childhood trauma. I don’t think this can be our answer, too many inhabitants of the planet fit such a description.»
Alex is right. But something is still gnawing at me from the inside. Something, what IВ am not yet able toВ find aВ name and give shapeВ for.
I watch anxiously as the sun touches the edge of the horizon, turning bright orange. There is not even a hint of our camp around. The jungle sounds are suddenly louder and more intense. It’s getting really creepy. Pleasing to the eye, rich green tones of lush vegetation transform into ominous dark outlines. The lianas turned out to be long paws with tenacious claws that grab and try to drag me into the depths of the dangerous and unpredictable jungle.
«Alex, are you sure we haven’t lost our way? We still haven’t passed that tall tree, although we should have already been there…»
«Right, tree! Lavina, you are a genius! Now I will climb higher and see where it is. Our tree should be different from the rest. If I’m lucky, I might even be able to see the Platform.»
Alex picks the highest tree inВ sight and climbs it. And IВ watch inВ dismay as the sun disappears quickly. AВ few more minutes, and everything around will plunge into the absolute darkness. Maybe there is no point inВ looking for aВ way back, but spend the remaining time toВ organize aВ night shelter? And the moment the twilight gets really thick, IВ see aВ glow. OfВ course! Our camp is the only illuminated place inВ the area!
В«Alex!В» IВ shout. В«The light!В»
He immediately understands what IВ mean and jumps from aВ rather dangerous height. We are rushing towards aВ barely discernible glow, now and then bumping into some kind ofВ plant barriers. IВ pray toВ myself that the next vine does not turn out toВ be aВ rattlesnake. Another twenty minutes pass, and inВ the pitch darkness, terrified toВ death, we finally jump out ofВ the thickets into aВ poorly lit clearing.
***
All players have already gathered at aВ massive table. They turn around at our steps. BeBe is the first who takes off, runs up and throws herself on my neck:
В«Thank God, you are all right! We were going crazy with worry!В»
