Chapter 39

I asked the twins, "Does everyone have the extra personal item?" Both of them nodded their heads. "What do we do no-" The ground beneath my feet shook vigorously. Not this shit again. The floor disintegrated, and we fell through. This time, there were no screams or cries for help.

George sounded annoyed as he said, "Does the CEO not have a fucking clue about how surprises work?" It was pitch black again, but we all knew that we smiled.

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Micheal Grey POV:

I looked at the hall. "What the hell happened to the floors?!" I shouted at the operator. "It was supposed to catapult them!"

The operator cringed before he said, "But, sir! We were notified to change the event!"

"Who the f-"

"It was me," a voice said. I jerked my head back and saw Flin.

"Why?" I was frustrated.

"Do you really think that anyone would survive the fling?"

"That was the point!" I screamed, "We were supposed to weed out the fakes!"

He looked at me and said, "Have you taken your medicine?" I shook my head. He tossed me a light blue pill. It was just a normal pill; I swallowed it and an immediate notion of calm flowed through me. "It's important for you to take the damn pill. You can't think calmly without it."

"Okay." I felt defeated. "Thanks," I added. He nodded his head in appreciation. I turned around to the operator and said, "I'm sorry."

The operator turned around to face me and said, "N-no need, sir!" I patted his back and felt with Flin.

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Vincent POV:

The fall wasn't as long as the last one, so we saw the end of the tunnel very soon. As we got closer, something felt different. The crowd of people that followed us through the tunnel started to disappear. At first, I couldn't notice because the light was switched off. But, as the end grew near, the people disappearing become inherent. What was happening? I twisted my body in the air to see that George and Bill were still following my trail; that must be because they were with the same group as me. Well, they were my group. George gave me a toothy grin when he saw me looking up at them, and Bill kept his serious expression. Sometimes I wonder how they twin and raised in the same household. They were completely different in personality.

Abruptly, the perfume of the ocean flooded into my nostrils. The fresh salty sea breeze. I twisted my body to take in the view. I could see the entire ocean habitat. Bright blue ocean, clear waters with coral, and a multitude of fish swimming under. The sand looked like sparkling diamonds; they were almost blinding. The palm trees swayed in the artificial wind and the small vegetation reflected the fake sun with vivid green colors. It looked like paradise. But, wait. I yelled at the twins, "How are supposed to land?!"

George yelled back, "Who knows? Who cares?!"

Bill took the initiative, "You see the deeper part of the ocean? Try aiming for over there!"

George laughed, "We still might not make it!"

I yelled back, "Why the fuck are you laughing?!!"

He shouted, "Just enjoy the view!" I was simply mind-blown. I took Bill's advice and aimed for the deep, blue ocean.

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Flin POV:

"Micheal."

"Yeah," he replied. We were sitting on a bench in the park that surrounded the auditorium. We both took in the fresh sight for sore eyes.

"Did you tell them about the drop?"

I looked confused, "What drop?"

"The drop to the island. You're doing it differently this year, right?"

He slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh yeah! I forgot!"

I turned my head back to nature and muttered, "This will be fun."

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Vincent POV:

Bill and I streamlined into the ocean. I braced for impact, but I was met with a soft splash of cold water. Bill was met with the same. I only heard one other splash, so I asked him, "Where's George?!" I had to strain my throat a little because Bill was a little ways off.

He yelled back, "I don't know! But, let's swim back to shore!" My swimming was a little rusty because I hadn't done it in a decade. But, I made do with it. The ocean felt tranquil and pleasing. The cold water looped through my toes making me laugh and enjoy it at the same time. I encountered many small fish and turtle on the way back. I forgot that the ocean was salty until I dipped my head under the water and opened my eyes. My pain felt like it was burning my eyes. I gritted through it, but it was a new sensation of pain which I had never had before. It took some getting used to.

I released my breath a little when my feet hit the bank of sand near the shore. The sand felt cool and pleasurable. I wiggled my toes in it for a while before I continued. I got up on my feet and took off my shirt that was weighed down with a couple of pounds of water. Bill made it back long before I did; he was sitting on the sand that was covered by shade from the tall palm trees. I looked up at it and found many coconuts growing under its humongous leaves. At least we have water.

I talked to Bill, "Did you see George?"

Bill responded, "Nope. But, place your shoes somewhere else. We won't be needing them for now." I followed what he said and removed my shoes and placed them in the shade next to him. I, then, followed his lead and sat under the shade as well.

We sat there, not really speaking to each other until I said, "Have you noticed that there's a dome in the sky?"

"Yeah."

"You think that the fish in the ocean are real?"

"Yup."

"You think there are people out there watching everything we're doing?"

"I don't want to say no."

I sighed. *Shkk* I coconut fell from a nearby tree. The sand in the area exploded on impact. That was pretty cool. *Shkk* Another one? I looked up at the tree to see nothing. The coconuts were still there and the tree hadn't moved an inch. Bill also looked up to inspect the tree when a flying coconut hit him right in the head. *THUD* "Ow! Fuck!" he exclaimed. He rubbed his head vigorously as his body fell to the sand.

I traced the trajectory of the coconut to another palm tree only a couple of yards away. My eyes trace the tree all the way up to the top, where I spotted dirty, blond hair. It was George! When he saw me looking at him, he tossed me a coconut to catch. I caught it, barely. "Alright, fools! I offer the gifts of the palm trees," he yelled, "for a meager price that you can afford!"

Bill pushed himself up from the sand and brushed it off his body. His hair was still full of it, but that could be fixed at a later date. Bill yelled back, "What is this oh-so merciful price?"

George yelled back, "You mortals will help me descend from the tree."

Bill whispered to me, "Is the low gravity on the island off?"

I answered, "Yeah, I think that's why the coconut hurt when he threw it."

Bill sighed, "Do you wanna leave him up there?"

I glanced back at George dangling from one of the sturdy leaves of the palm tree. "Sure." We turned our back and began to walk further away.

George panicked and cried a strident scream, "HEEELLLLP!!! I CAN'T HOLD ON MUH LONGER, WHOEVER DESIGNED THE PALM TREES IS A BICTH!!!! THEY'RE SOOOOOOO SLIPPERY!!!" We laughed; our laughter stopped when we saw that he was serious.

Bill cried out, "Oh shit! He's actually going to slip!"

I looked at the height of the fall. That's quite a fall. "George we're coming! Don't let go!" I yell.

George screamed back, "PLEASE HELP ME!!! YOU STUPID MORTALS!!!" We stopped in our tracks. George looked at us wide-eyed and apologized fervently, "OK! OK! I'M SORRY! I'LL KISS YOUR FEET WHEN YOU SAVE ME!!"

Bill and I started to race towards him again. What a fucking day. The games started like five minutes ago. What a fucking day.