How fast everyone from our class separated from the others by the time the special exam started. Right now the only classmate I have seen for the past five minutes is Ira.
The forest is vast, surrounded by yellow tape to keep the students inside
the forest. Going outside the forest is prohibited since the only ground we should play is here.
"It's getting cold. Our summer uniform is not enough to make us warm from this breezy night."
Ira's driving force... his reason for being so serious about this special exam is not clear to me. I don't think he is doing this for grades or for points.
As Ira and I kept trotting on our path, wandering aimlessly in the forest with our flashlights off, we finally heard people talking to our left. We started in the southwest part of the round forest and are currently heading towards the west.
Ira is like a trained soldier, an expert in the dark who knows how and what he needs to do. He is the one that suggests we don't use our flashlight because it will give the other students our location.
"Wouldn't we be spotted here by their flashlight?" I asked, mumbling to
Ira.
He was leading the way and took a turn around to flank the students. But first, we observed them. Their group consists of three students with yellow flags. We were not told which class would have what flag color, so we do not actually know what is their course.
"That is why I'm telling you to be careful."
We crouched our way around, hiding behind tree trunks every time their flashlight went on our way.
Doing this in a sneaky way is somewhat... exciting. The thought of being seen and getting caught is quite scary but whenever you get away from their light, it sparks up an exhilarating feeling inside you. It's like hide and seek, but all of us are 'it,' trying to capture each other's flag.
The three students, two guys, and one woman sticking together holding their flags in their hands suddenly began running away in our direction.
Some students are quite dumb, in my opinion. They did not even try to hide their flag so that their enemies will think that their flags were stolen. Deceiving your opponent is one big factor in this special exam.
Hiding your flag inside your uniform, wherever you want to hide them, can easily deceive some students dumb enough to think they were already stolen by others. However, to others who use their head, not just their eyes, or make decisions based on what they see, acting does have a part in the deception.
One shall act coolly. They should maintain their composure, know how to lie with a straight face, and sometimes need to be ready for some tiresome action because there are fools who will search you and flip you upside down just to see if your flag really was stolen. They are never satisfied with words alone.
"Wait, why are they heading our way?!"
Yes, we are behind them. We were flanked by them, but they abruptly turned around and started running in our direction.
"Did you see that?!" Said one of the guys from the group of three students.
Terror was written all over their face every time their flashlight lit up their faces.
"Of course! That's a whole bunch of culinary art students!"
"Run as fast as you can!"
They must have spotted them from afar while we were carefully crouching behind them.
Every step they made, I could hear it. The soles of their shoes stomping on leaves and twigs, crunchy sounds being made in every step. Yes, I could hear them all, even the shouting of the culinary arts students from behind running after them.
"What now, Ira?"
My back was straightened on the tree trunk, heart thumping wildly inside my chest as their heavy steps roaringly rang inside my head.
Ba-dump, badump, badump, the beat of my heart, and each step was rhythmically in sync with each other. My head plays a piece of addictive music to my ears, raising my excitement level.
"Change of plans. You go that way. I will go this way."
Ira had already moved to his left while he told me to go to my right.
"Wait, we are separating?! But won't they spot us if we try to move now?"
"Our flags will be stolen if we stay here! Can't you see those bunch of flashlights flashing in the dark night?!"
With the culinary arts students' big group, lightening up their whole way would not be so impossible. I'd be sitting ducks here if I did not move now!
My feet move on their own before I knew it. I was sprinting away from them, crushing the twigs and dried leaves on the ground with my light steps.
Ira, I hope you are seeing my face right now as I dashingly sprint away, so you can tell me what face I am making right now! I wanna see what I look like right now!
"Hey, I think two students just ran away from both opposite directions!"
"Should we follow someone? I think we should!"
"H-Hey, that one looks slow! We will slowly catch up to him."
I looked back and saw that the three students who were supposed to be our prey, our first target chased Ira. It was because he was slow as hell!
"Should I go and help him? But I am already far away from him, and he keeps running away."
I can't go back now. The culinary arts students are already catching up to the three students, and it is just a matter of time before they collided. Let's just pray for Ira's flag and safety.
"But before that, why are they whoo-ing?! I think their inner animal instinct just rose from the depths of their personalities?"
I kept running away, completely forgetting about the fact that I could trip, and when I remember, it was all too late.
"Ahhh!"