Ringing sounds in my ear. I squint at the phone screen. 5:36AM!
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpdXekdqJS
«Rise and shine. Your first task is ready. Get up.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm400Dg7mQL
Ugh.... I wanted to go back to sleep, but there are lives on the line. So I reply.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHi33BVwZ5
«What do you want?»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGHo3JZ1ND
«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.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6t7D1dQzb
Umm?
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuHjx2uhBq
«After that, what do I do?»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIvwptTo3G
He replies:
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4bxbnamog
«Get there first. Then you'll receive more instructions.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCeU9hBZYh
I'm scared... It's dangerous at this time in this area... But I risk my life anyways. Wait...
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5KYIbQcAQ
«What if I don't make it alive? What happens to Lawrence?»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jTij8ij5K
«Then he'll see you in Hell soon.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Tuh6HP0VG
I get up from my chair, shaking of fear. What if it's a trick? A trap? I can't care either way.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTzbtxEhJ4
I grab the bag and open the door of the lounge slowly, unaware if I'm being watched.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTDCTqHdBJ
I head towards the cafeteria. It seems almost haunted in the darkness... The space between me and the door seems to stretch!
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWADtOkYrE
I push the door open, and it's open! Why didn't I think of this earlier?
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9YaZGaSCw
My thigh vibrates as I receive a text.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sJgAkmChT
«Don't think of running away. Somewhere on your body is a tracking device, so I can and will hunt you down.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5usNpn3F8D
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...
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFOjqlMXBa
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.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkc4IUJjqQB
«Now break in.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUpC7LLyfc
...Break in...?
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnkSd87Wy2
«WHY? I'm going to go to jail! Why do you want me to break in?»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkempb397jD
He replies:
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngZFc9SjzK
«Did I not make it clear that you are not permitted to question my motives?»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6NZtN8PB5
Ugh. I'm screwed. I look around for a rock or something, and I find only see one... Do or die... LITERALLY.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOhAXEsfMv
I bend down, trembling, to retrieve it. I look around to see if there are people watching, but I see no one.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yzKbibs2y
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 1... 2... 3...
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cErhd0MTA
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.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1sYF47ohp
Little did I know that Brandsmart has night guards. And this one looks pretty merciless.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaCQmTBF87
"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!
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNJ4EWgW7c
I quickly run from the guard while trying to read the text.
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7EmlAFlEC
«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.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6udirjMigf
I stop dead in my tracks. I look up from the phone and turn back. No movement. Where is the guard?
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVowWtWGBaV
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?!
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqW5OiQ5R7
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...
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTpDX5jmk7
«Kill him.»
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2J5RdXa4d
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)?
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQBqI8TKtp
But... It's for Lawrence... And me!
625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvozpn4QvR
As if I have all the time in the world... I get up... Slooowly... Not even realizing that—625Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GgmN5Wfq8
