Casey and Acacia had caught up with the other teenagers that had already made it up the escalator. The people were probably waiting in line, in single file, ready for a random pairing up and riding a long and slow dragging gondola up.
Finally now Casey had calmed down. It was not as if she did not know the survival hunt would be violent. It was more like being silly, naïve, and careless: not realizing that the word ‘Dinosaur’ in the Survival Hunt meant a huge part of the actual activity. It was more like not really thinking deeply about what the meaning of the title was; as if the activity was just given a title. But titles were not existed just for the look, it was for the meaning.
“You’re okay now, right?” Acacia whispered.
Casey nodded, “I’m sorry I was a little… wonked out of it.”
“You weren’t wonked. You were just surprised… Very surprised,” Acacia said. “Anyway, you can sit with me on the gondola, right? Maybe we can find some people to talk to about this hunt. I’m new to this.”
“I’m new too. Thirteen year olds to fifteen year olds don’t know a thing about this activity. You do know about the delay, right?” Casey looked at her hands and then looped the hair behind her ears.
Acacia walked close to Casey. Her head was not turning but her voice was loud to hear. “I just found out about the delay when the counselor told us. I’m even more clueless than you are. You were born here, weren’t you?”
“Yes. Yes but that doesn’t mean anything.”
There were adults gathering around in clumps of certain areas of the upper balcony. By now, the glass balcony was closed and no one stood there anymore. The parents and other observing adults had left already. This was the last time they were going to see their child in some time. There were no recordings of anyone inside the arena. No one was going to be on watch. Those who were actually there to witness the events happening inside the arena were the only ones who would believe the things said by those inside.
Then, the gondolas became clear into view. They were seats made of steel or metal with a hard seat. There were indents in the seats, visibly announcing the gondola was for two people only. A few, maybe fifteen gondolas were operating at the same time. They were all hung with support on a thick wire. The wires were connected to a machine that would pull up the gondolas to a stop at the peak. The peak had a stage where another machine was placed. The wire there was to bring the gondolas downwards. The down ride was not as long as the up ride.
“You know, I’m a little curious why the hunt would take place near the end of the year—November—and have us be grouped in age,” Acacia said. She had her hand on the railing and sliding her black jacket against the fingerprinted glass walls.
“I heard the hunt was supposed to be really cold.”
The survival hunt had the teenagers grouped into ages. Some of the same aged teens would be a year younger or a year older than each other. Anyhow, the teens were not born in the same year. It all depended on the month you were born in. A thirteen year old January baby all the way to a thirteen year old November baby would most likely be grouped with a thirteen year old December baby. All the teens born in December were teens supposedly older than the rest.
The two of them were near the front of the line to ride the gondolas now. They stayed silent until the gondola they sat in was ready to start up.
Wind was blowing in their faces. It was soft and warm wind. The air that circulated in the building was heat and still going. Soon enough there would be no more warm air or heavy jackets that soaked the sweat off a nervous face. Soon enough there would only be coldness and ice crystals sparkling on noses and eyelashes.
Acacia sniffed and looked at her feet dangling in mid-air. “These types of gondolas are used in ski resorts.”
“What?”
“When we want to go skiing—you know what that is, right?” Acacia saw Casey nod. “Well when we want to go skiing on the tall mountain, like the top of the mountain where there’s more snow and more hills to slide down, we would ride these gondolas. You know, gondolas are to take people high up.”
“Yeah, well I know that,” Casey nodded. “I know those box-type gondolas that you don’t need to sit down.” She clenched her hands into fists and huffed into them. “It’s probably going to snow. Winter is coming so soon but we won’t feel it coming quickly.”
Acacia looked down. The ground below was hardly in sight. Everyone was to go so far up that it was difficult to see certain things. Sometimes it felt dizzy to look around while the gondola worked. She sighed heavily.
“I’m turning fifteen on the eighth.”
Casey looked at her. “What?”
“My birthday is on December eight. I’m born the same year as you. I’m going to be fifteen after the survival hunt. When’s your birthday?”
No one really looked forward to things. This place, as said, is extremely different from any country in the world. People knew there was no control over their lives. But the thing was people did not know how to use the time they had either. There could be some way to compare the lives but nobody really thought it was strange.
Why would people look forward to things? People knew that there was no point in looking forward to anything in the future that was not reachable. No one made plans for the future. No one wished to be like anyone, or be anyone. Celebration could only happen there and then. Birthdays were only thought of on the day. This was the life of a child.
The hair behind Casey’s ears slid down and tickled her cheeks. Her shoulders hunched forward and her hands were under her thighs, trying to keep her hands warm. “I don’t know. I don’t really think about it.”
Acacia frowned. “Everyone at least knows their birthday. Did your dad tell you?”
“I don’t remember. It’s in the summer though,” Casey grinned. She was proud that she at least knew something about herself besides appearance.
“Let’s learn a few things about each other. I’ll ask you a question and you answer it, okay? I’m sure you can answer them… But knowing your kind of people, you might need some time,” Acacia said. “There’s still a long way until we get to the arena. Are you ready?”
“Yes!” Casey smiled excitedly.
“What’s your favourite colour?”
“My favourite colour…?” Casey looked down and around herself. “I like… I like the colour of the dark sky. I’ve always wanted to go outside at nighttime but my dad said it was better if I didn’t. Not yet was what he said. What about you?”
“I like coral. It’s a pinkish-orange colour.”
* * * * *
At last, a few minutes later they landed. The two of them got off the gondola without speaking and followed the instructions and signs to get into the actual arena.
“Ah, Casey, hold on one moment. I need to tie my shoelaces again,” Acacia said as she bent down to tug on the strings of her shoes.
“Oh… Okay.”
But with curiosity taking full advantage of her body, Casey ran ahead and stepped her boots onto the half mushy and half solid dry dirt. There were a lot of dark and dreary pieces of grass growing in huge patches everywhere. Tall and thin trees were seen in every direction. Casey spun around, feeling her jacket drawstrings flow the opposite track. Everywhere was trees. Everywhere was people. People were spread out and just standing around, confused, or walking around, looking.
This is… This is such a sad place… No one can survive in wilderness with nothing.
She clutched her backpack straps and started wandering around. She stood by a tree and put her bare palm on it. The trunk was dark, rough, and intensely wrinkled. The dents in the tree were so deep; they could be older than the grandfather’s grandfather or even much older. Her fingers slid down the bark and she looked at her hand. Her whole hand came off dark and dusty.
We’re on our own now. The people hosting the survival hunt have told us everything we should need to know to survive. They don’t tell us the details but that’s because… They don’t think we need to know.
Casey shook her head and jumped up with a smile on her face. She was facing away from the other people so she was spared the awkward gawks. A second later she smacked her palm against the bark of the tree. The sudden clap stung but Casey knew a little pain was nothing in comparison to dinosaurs.
Moments later the gondolas shut, meaning all the people were in the cold, dark arena. They all heard a noise, a voice to be exact. The voice was that of Mr. Bocans. He spoke clearly, “Dear participants, there are fifteen minutes for you all to prepare and do what you need to do. A bell will ring and the sand will fall. I—the hosts and hostesses would like to wish you all one last phrase of good luck and bid you farewell until the seven days are over. You should know what you are to do. The time begins now.”
With a split second of a click, all was quiet. The wind was blowing, louder and stronger. The leaves began to flutter and the branches began to sway. The mud of the ground began climbing up the shoes and pants of all teenagers. Curiosity, courage, and fear started up. Murmuring was heard.
Casey turned around, her brown eyes darted left and right. She watched as the groups of people began separating and wandering around further and further from each other. Something different that was noticed was the fact that people began to walk together and speak with each other. Hosts knew that the house arrest for children would not last—the ability to connect with others was in the hearts of people from the beginning.
Slowly she began walking—backwards. She breathed hard and her head began to spin. The pressure was on. Her hands reached to her chest. She felt her heart pounding. Her fingers shivered. Her steps were becoming quicker, quicker until she bumped into something—or someone. Her knees wobbled and she fell to the ground, face covered in dirt.
“I’m so sorry, are you all right?” A boy’s voice shouted.
Casey looked up, her eyes wide and tearing up. She coughed and nodded as soon as she realized what she was looking at.
The boy reached his hand down and grabbed Casey by the arm, bringing her back to her feet. She wiped the water out of her eyes; smearing the dirt into her face and scratching her cheek with harden sand bits.
The boy had wispy, uneven blond hair that reached the bottom of his neck. His blue eyes were as bright and cold as ice. His face was already covered in dust and mud, his pants brown with fresh soil.
Casey began patting the dirt off her jacket. When the boy held out his hand again, her head jolted and she took half a step backwards. Her eyes blinked when she saw what he was holding. The watch Elias had given to her earlier.
“You dropped this.”
She nodded her head and took it from him. She mumbled, “Thank you.”
There was a soft sound through the nasal voice of his. He blinked his glossy eyes and one side of his thin lips curved upwards. “By the way, you can call me Lenny Sachi. What’s your name?”
This guy wants to know my name? This is like a new feeling. Like… like I’m someone completely new! I’d never imagine myself getting to know so many people in a day—no in my lifetime!
“My name?” Casey inquired with a squeak. “Uh… I’m Cassan—!”
“Casey!”
She whirled around and saw Acacia running towards them. Her arms were waving. When she finally reached them, she sighed and shook her head. She grabbed onto Casey’s shoulders and began shaking her back and forth. “Where’d you go? I was only tying my shoelaces when suddenly you disappeared.” Then she looked up at the boy Casey was talking to. Her head tilted sideways and she asked, “Uh? Who’s this?”
“He’s Len—! Ah!” Casey said with a smile on her face. “We should introduce ourselves!” She clapped her hands together and looked at Acacia.
“I’m Acacia Lann,” Acacia said. She pushed the hair off her sweaty cheek. “Oh, I’m the same age as her.”
Lenny nodded his head and shrugged. Then after half a minute of hearing the sounds of wind and voices in the distance, he asked, “What are you planning to do here?”
“What?” Acacia asked. “What do you mean planning?”
“You know, when you’re in the arena people plan to do certain things to stay alive or find means of collecting certain information from the dinosaurs.”
Casey tightened her ponytail and looked at Lenny with confusion. “Huh? People actually think about those things? Hm, you seem to know a lot about this survival thing. Have you participated before?”
Lenny blinked slowly and looked away for a second. He looked back at the two and sighed. “Yeah, I was here once when I was thirteen.”
“Whoa!” Casey breathed. “Tell us about it!”
Casey thought for a moment that no one she met had ever joined the survival hunt, except her father, who never really spoke of it. She always imagined certain roles the people had to play, because obviously they were older and must have known much about the rules and regulations. And on top of that, the experience… That was important to know about. Exactly what and who and how the participants work their way through three days were always a mystery. People just did not speak of it.
Acacia had her eyes narrowed. She shifted her weight and pulled her backpack straps up. She looped loose strands of hair behind her ears and waited eagerly for a response. When he did not speak for a few seconds, she blurted, “The dinosaurs are real aren’t they?”
“What?” Lenny asked. He brushed the hair out of his eyes and leaned against an old tree. He looked down at the muddy puddle his booted feet were standing in. Drips fell from the leaves. “Well… Previous survival hunts are different from this year. That’s because of the delay. Everyone’s heard of it but they don’t know a thing about it. From all the calculations and observations I’ve made, the delay was the time needed in order to change up some of the processes in the survival hunt. It’s definitely brutal and I only see a slim chance of survival—especially when there are so few of us. Even a single carnivorous dinosaur would be able to gobble us all down. They’re enormous.”
“Yeah,” Acacia cut in. She had her fingers fumbling with her jacket the whole time he spoke. “Yes I know, but was those dinosaurs real? Like in the previous years, before this delay thing, were those dinosaurs real? I only want to know that.”
Lenny sighed and nodded. “I’m pretty sure they were real. But two years ago those dinosaurs; they’ve been used for many years for the same purposes. I think those ones were somehow manageable. Two years after, the dinosaurs, I heard, was a new batch and not controlled. Let’s face it; life isn’t a big deal, is it?”
“No!” Acacia shouted.
Casey’s eyes grew large. She looked at her friend and blinked a couple of times. Her mouth slowly began forming words. “No.” She looked back at Lenny, who had his eyes looking up at the grey sky. “No, life isn’t a big deal. It has never been. A life, a body is only something a spirit occupies and takes over in order to show certain things. In some’s eyes, we’re alive no matter what.” She put her hand to her neck and felt her pulse. “But my eyes have been open thanks to the new people I’ve met. I understand that in this land, the lives of anyone—they’re not protected or nourished or thought of to be necessary enough to be kept. The minds of ours are so small that I think so many of us do not and will not understand.” She stopped and looked at Lenny and Acacia, who were both intently listening.
“So, fair enough,” Lenny responded. “I think you’re right. And life is not fair.”
Casey showed a big smile. “Len, can you tell us more about what you think of the survival hunt?”
“What time is it?” he asked.
Casey had a strong feeling he was speaking to her. She quickly pulled the watch out of her pocket and studied it. “The time is only counting down! Why?” She shook the watch and stuck her face to it. “There’s seven minutes left on this thing.”
Lenny laughed a bit. “You set the timer didn’t you? So there’s seven minutes until the real hunt begins. I don’t want to waste your time.”
“No, take as long as you want. You’re sixteen years old,” Acacia said. “You’re more experienced. You need to tell us, or you’ll take responsibility.”
“What?” he laughed again and shook his head in slight disbelief. “I only know… that when the bell chimes, that is the end of our fifteen minutes head start. Although it feels like dinosaurs suddenly swarm out, that’s not true. It wouldn’t make sense to keep dinosaurs in the upstairs of a building. So what I believe is that this arena is like a time machine and transports us to the dinosaur era. I think the hosts are wimpy and cruel losers because they want teenagers to enter an arena and collect information on silly dinosaurs. If they were serious about this, they would find a way to do it themselves.”
“Believable,” Casey said. “So this is a time machine. That must be how dinosaurs are found. Maybe they were nice dinosaurs before but as time passed, they changed. They do have personalities and characteristics do they?”
Her question was responded with a weak smile.
The time of her watch slowly drowned to seven minutes. The seconds were moving quicker than expected. Hearts were beginning to fall and unable to be picked up again. Those that survived the drop would eventually fall. The fear, the pressure, the anger; all emotions were beginning to mix together.
The fact all life was in the hands of scaredy-cats was a truth where tough, unfamiliar feelings cramped together was inevitable.
Yes, time and life were all in those hands. And no one knew that the hands belonged to those close and friendly; those who were emotionally and physically weak; those who were completely oblivious to the fact they had something so strong in their arms.
