Kyle and Enzo sped across the plains dodging various obstacles.
" WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!" Shouted Enzo, as he threw honeycombs, attempting to distract the Armoured Bear chasing after them.
Kyle ignored the shout and runs past his best friend frantically looking ahead for anywhere safe to hide.
"Hey! Don't leave me here! I'm not going to become his lunch for the day!" as Enzo caught up to Kyle.
"Look this is a safe spot, quickly get to the hole and hide." Kyle replies and points to a hole which can barely fit both of them.
The Armoured Bear, a huge bear over 8 meters long with thick scaly armour on its head as well as all over its body, it is also the Alpha beast of the area. As it caught up to them and crashes at the entrance of the hole which causes a huge rumble.
"Grrrrrrrrr....." As it growled at the entrance of the hole, while eyeing it's prey, occasionally trying to claw it's way inside, however after nearly 20 minutes, it decides to give up and leave the both of them, who had remained silent throughout the whole ordeal.
"Wheeeeeww.... Finally we are safe!" Said Enzo as they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Guess we are safe for today. But let's make sure we are further away from its territory, unless you want to be his breakfast tomorrow" Said Kyle as he climbed a nearby tree to scout around the area.
"Hey, do you think the others are safe?" Asked Enzo anxiously as he crept his way out of the cave, while checking the supplies he has gathered earlier before being chased away by the angry Armoured Bear.
"I'm sure they are" assured Kyle, then he proceeds to ask
"Hey, how much supplies did we gather earlier? I hope we can make it through the night"
Enzo shook his head and replied "We might need some more provisions, and some firewood."
Kyle scratched his head and looked around to see if there's anything worth hunting or foraging.
"Hey Kyle," said Enzo. "Don't worry, we still have time. Let's head to the Northeastern lake area. We can go fishing there and probably set up camp around there"
Kyle simply nodded, and both of them proceeded to move towards the Northeastern lake cautiously, to avoid being ambushed again by other dangerous beasts.
After travelling for 20 minutes, they arrived at the lake area and Enzo began to make a fishing pole using some bamboo and weeds growing in the area. Kyle went closer towards the lake and looked for anything useful.
"Enzo! Come herre! What do you think this is?" Kyle beckons Enzo to come closer, as he found some markings on a big rock near the lake.
"Let's see... Looks like someone is trying to mark something here... It's a map of some sorts, but difficult to read." Kyle added while looking confused.
"Are you sure it's not the bear clawing the rocks to mark his territory or something?" Enzo asks worryingly as he looks around the area.
"If the bear is that smart, he would have set up a barbecue and try to bait us with the smell!" Kyle snapped back and tries to jab Enzo.
As Enzo dodged, he slipped and fell into the lake
"Help.. I'm drowning!!!... Oh.. it's not deep..."
Enzo embarrassingly stood up and brushed himself off as he was doing so, something caught his eye.
"Hey Kyle, look! we are in luck! I can see there's a good fishing spot here!" As he pointed out to the far corner of the lake where some fishes can be seen jumping out the lake catching bugs flying near.
"Great, go ahead and catch some for us. Let me figure out this map and see if there is anything I we can find out from here." Kyle replies while still looking puzzled at the rock.
"Sure buddy, don't take too long though" Enzo responded as he moved towards the corner of the lake and preparing some bait for catching the fishes.
Kyle was steadily studying the markings on the rock all over and after some time, he gave up and moved towards Enzo while looking puzzled and deep in thought at the same time.
"Kyle!, while you were looking at the stupid rock look at this" Enzo proudly said while pointing to a pile of freshly caught fishes next to him. "Didn't take long for me to catch them all!" He added proudly.
"Dude... That's amazing!" Kyle exclaimed, looking surprised at his friend.
"Actually, I don't understand myself, for some reason when it comes to fishing, somehow my brain already knows what to do and my body automatically follows the instructions... I'm a natural at this!" Enzo proudly said as he reeled in his fishing pole to catch yet another big one.
Although this surprised Kyle, but he was still deep in thought wondering how did they managed to be transported to this place, out in the wilderness with no signs of civilization as far as the eye can see.
As Kyle sat down and stroked the campfire, his thoughts was recalling the events that happened before all this...
" Your team placed 2nd. Better luck next time!"
The system message popped up again on the PC screen as Kyle Baxter and his best friend Enzo Rayner slumped to yet another defeat. They are currently at the cyber cafe about 3 blocks away from their dormitory, playing the world famous survival battle royale game, 'Survival Nation', which has took the world by storm since it was released 3 months ago.
"So close! Aargh!!" Enzo cried as he stood up doing some big stretches after spending hours in the cybercafe playing Survival Nation.
Kyle put his head on the table and said "It's not easy to win against 4 man teams or enemy horde ambush when there's only two of us".
Before they can say anything, a voice shouted towards them
"Time's up boys! Its almost curfew time for you lot!"
They turned around to see a well built man in his late thirties approaching their table.
"Wow! It's that late? Thanks for the reminder Mr. Buckley!" Shouted Kyle as they tidied up their stations and packed up their belongings.
"For the last time, please just call me Azeez, Kyle! You don't hear me shouting Mr. Baxter or Mr. Rayner around do ya!" Retorted Azeez, while cleaning up the other used stations. "Kids these days, none of them have the decency to clean up their shit after using, I ain't your momma!" Azeez complained while looking at other messy used stations. "Unlike you boys tidying up your shit after using, these other kids could learn a thing or two from you" said Azeez.
"It's normal for us Azeez, we're used to cleaning up for our own as well as for others at the dorm." Enzo replied after he finished cleaning up.
"You boys best get going now, else you would be in trouble. Ah, don't worry about the bill, you boys are coming back tomorrow right? Just swing by and do me a favour tomorrow and we'll call it even." Azeez said to them, while urging them to leave quickly.
"Thanks Mr. Buckley, we swear to pay you back someday!" Both of them shouted as the ran out of the store.
"Tch, these kids... Ya are gonna get it tommorow ya hear! And for the last time JUST CALL ME AZEEZ!" He shouted as he went outside to close up the Cyber Cafe.
"Man, I'm hungry, do we still have food in the dorm?" Asked Enzo while they swiftly make their way back.
"Pretty sure we have something, I'll whip up something good when we get back, don't worry, I got this." Kyle replied
At the dormitory, the dorm warden Blaine Hartman is looking down at his watch counting down the seconds as he prepares to close the gates amd punish those who broke curfew. Humming happily, he walked out to see many students rushing back. Occasionally scolding some of them for his amusement.
"Hey you! Yes you with the long hair. Get that cut or else I'm going to your room with a shaver! You! What's in that bag? Better not be some dirty magazines... Oh it is dirty magazines you sneaky little piece of shit! Leave them here and away you go!" Blaine was having fun checking up random students and then along came Kyle and Enzo who just barely made in in time.
"Hold it you two! One second late! Stop right there and give me an explanation!" Blaine stops both of them and closed the gates.
"Oh come on! We are one second early here!" Protested Enzo, at the same time pointing to his watch.
"Not on my watch" Blaine sneered and pointed at his watch.
Before Enzo can say anything, Kyle stepped up and said
"Hi, good evening Mr. Hartman, as you can see we were out in town and then we had to stop for a bit because an old lady was crossing the road and we needed to help her with her groceries..."
"Again with the old lady crossing the road..." Blaine's face soured and stopped Kyle from talking further. " Look boys, if you say the same lie again next time, I'm going to report this and get you expelled!"
"Yeah sure Mr. Hartman, I'll swing by and drop off some dirty magazines for you tomorrow!" Enzo shouted back as they ran to their dorm block.
"Why is this happening to me?" Kyle and Enzo thought as they walked towards their dorm. Although they were fortunate to escape punishment today, but may not be lucky next time around
