The Simulation Test

The test was in the form of a simulation. It was a team test. They could form their own team, whose number of members should be 5. Obviously, Ben called his friends. The clique soon formed their team which included Ben, Saarsh, Jim, Roshin and Rais. There was one day of break for them. Nothing about the test was mentioned in the announcement, except that it was a simulation and that the marks they obtained here will be considered for their final marks in the martial class. Nothing else was mentioned.

It was the first day of the class. Ben and his sister came to the school. He came to his class. Everyone was pretty excited about the test. Although not much information was given, everyone were speculating about the content of the test. The classes till the martial class went normally. Soon everyone was in the underground hall in the indoor stadium. Mr. Mahaansh started to explain " This test checks multiple facets of a student. That includes their leadership capability, response to danger, physical and martial capabilities etc.…" The students had started training in various martial arts including some weapon training. This was to make students aware about martial arts and to find their affinities with weapons. Mahaansh continued "You have been divided into 6 teams of 5 members. This simulation will be set in a dense rain forest. In that forest there is a control room which is hidden in that forest. If you reach that control room and take control of it, you will be able to control the entire forest. Hence, when one team takes control of that room, other teams will be eliminated." He paused there. He looked around and said "There is only first place in this. No second or third place. Each of the team members of the first team will be given 30 points. The winners of this class will fight with the winners of the other 4 classes. The members of the winning team in that competition will get 60 points each. That competition will be different from this."

Mahaansh continued " Let us discuss about this simulation. In this you will be normal people who will be given energy guns and armour. There will be some supplies and food. You will feel pain and hunger. If you die in the simulation, you will feel extreme pain in the real world. You will have to fight the weather, the animals in the forest, soldiers protecting the forest and find the control room along with your class mates. You will be given sometime to acclimatize with the simulation. After that, the game starting announcement will be made. Then you will have to start the game. So, members of same team stand together. We will start the game as soon as possible."

Ben and his friends came together. The other teams also did the same. Suddenly the area underneath them illuminated with a light green light. Ben looked at other teams. The floor under them had also been illuminated with different color lights. Ben slowly went to a sleep.

A few seconds later, Ben found himself along with his friends in a dense forest. They were all wearing military attire which could blend in with the forest. The rain was pouring here. They looked at each other. They had some supplies in their backpack and also had an energy gun in their hand as well as another large gun across their shoulders. They saw a timer on their hands which had 10 minutes in it. Suddenly it started. Rais began "So we have 10 minutes to strategize." Saarsh said "I think if we have to find the control room , we need to go to the center of the forest. It will not be in the open as well. It will be well hidden." Jim added "We can use the soldiers in the forest for that. It will be around the place where the number of soldiers are high." Roshin said "The soldiers might have sensors with them. We need to use the cover of the forest and the large animals here to move towards the forest." Ben said " We need to be wary about other teams as well. If possible, we need to use the flora and fauna against them and the indigenous soldiers. Our movements should slow and steady." Rais said " Our strategy should be flexible according to the circumstances. Situation in this forest can change at any time." They discussed certain things. Soon the 10 minutes was over. The announcement marking the beginning of the test was made.

Ben and team began to move through the forest. They cautiously moved through the forest. Ben was looking in the front. Saarsh was at the back. He was looking for any ambushes from the back. Rais and Roshin was on the lookout to either side. Jim was looking for threats from the air and tree tops. This was an amateur move. But they were not soldiers. So, they worked as they deemed fit. They did come across some animals. They moved stealthily around those animals so that no one was alerted. As they moved towards the center of the forest the became more alert. Ben reminded them of the booby traps that maybe set up near the control room. They were wary about that also. They moved cautiously through the dense forest.