Chapter 3

     Meanwhile, in the next door another team had just entered their room. The first thing that Zayden noticed is the centre table in the middle of the room. Seeing that puzzles him why it’s there, when it’s not suitable at all.

     He decided to push it to the side and sat down on top of it. He seemed to be thinking of something as he stared at the spot where the table was. He looked at Andrik and the others who are checking out the whole room. He is dead set on testing his suspicion.

     “Guys, can you stand over there for a minute?” he said. When no one obeyed, he stood up and started pushing them towards the spot.

     “What’s up with you?” Andrik muttered in an annoyed voice.

     “It won’t kill you to just do it.” Blaize snapped.

     Ahrio and Toffer feels bored but they stayed standing on the same spot because they don’t want to bother arguing with these dorks.

     Zayden observed but nothing seems to happen. He looked up and thought,” was I wrong?”  Right then he saw the timer on the ceiling showing 25 minutes counting down. He smirked and the floor collapsed taking the four of them down into the hole.

     “F*ck you, Zayden.” Andrik cursed angrily at him.

     “You’re as good as dead, you asshole.” Ahrio firmly uttered.

     “This isn’t that bad as it is.” Jade said with a grin as he rubs his head on to Blaizes’ chest. His head comfortably settled on to the latter’s head when they fell.

     “Get off, you retard.” Blaize pushed his head off of him.

     They all scampered to get up from the ground. They looked up to Zayden but he is nowhere to be seen. Zayden is already back at the table he was sitting on earlier laughing at the fools he had successfully deceived.

     They all noticed the clothes down behind them. Blaize picked it off the ground and he saw the message written there. “THE UNIFORMS.”

     “Is this what they think people have trouble figuring out?” Andrik said sarcastically.

     Jade sighed and said “We just have to get these tacky uniforms out of here.

      “Zayden!” Ahrio called.

     Zayden walked towards the hole and looked down at them.

     “What? Can’t save yourselves? Beg me!” he teased and mocked them.

     “You’re the one who have to save yourself once I’m out of here.” Ahrio replied.

     “That’s if you can get out of there before the time runs out. You have 15 minutes left” Zayden pointed towards the timer on the ceiling.

     “Why didn’t you tell us earlier, you scumbag.” Andrik cursed at him again.

     “You didn’t ask!” Zayden snickered.

     “I’ll certainly will not forget to ask you your last words.” Ahrio threatened him again.

     “You better think twice about that, Ahrio. He’s the one who can help us out of here.” Blaize said.

     “Stop the chitchats, you’re like gays.” Jade muttered.

     “We have to get out of here, it’s getting hot.”

     The moment Andrik said that, thick flames of fire emerged from below them as the platform descended lower.

     “We have plenty of time, chill dude.” Zayden joked.

     He started grabbing the blankets off the bed and tying them together. When he’s done with it, he looked back at them again and he flings the makeshift rope out of the blankets.

     “Ahrio, climb up here first.” He suggested.

     He grabs the end of the blanket and started to climb up. He already reached the middle when Zayden let go of the blankets.

     “Oops, that was not intentional at all.” He said while holding his laughter.

     A series of profanities came out of Ahrio’s lips when he fell back down. “I swear I’ll kill you!”

     Blaize can’t control himself and burst into laughter, the others influenced by his laughter, laughed as well.

     Andrik took off his shirt and use it to wipe his sweat. Jade saw it and can’t take his eyes off of Andrik’s well-built body. The others followed suit. The platform descended once more, taking them closer to the fire. There’s only 5 minutes left now.

     “We really need to get out of here.” Ahrio reminded them.

     “Obviously.” Blaize replied sarcastically.

     Zayden who actually found a folded, long metal that looks like a fishing hook on its tip, under the bed earlier, decided it’s time to put them out of their misery.

    “Surprise, motherf*ckers!” Zayden said enthusiastically as he showed it to them. He unfolded the metal and lowered it down.

     “You really took your sweet time, didn’t you?” Jade said, irritated at Zayden for keeping the long metal hook for too long.

     “Hang the uniforms on the hook, useless dudes.” Zayden instructed and taunted them. No one seems trust him anymore aside from Blaize who immediately picked up the uniforms and did as Zayden instructed.

     Zayden pulled the metal hook up and out of the hole. After that successfully done, the platform lifted up, returning back to how it was before----the floor of the room. The four guys is out of the hole now, relieved.

     There’s one minute left on the timer and they all waited, then it disappeared right when there was only 10 seconds left. “MISSION FULFILLED”, appeared on the ceiling a few moments after the countdown.

     Ahrio glared at Zayden and bolted towards him, choking him hard in anger. Blaize who saw this, followed after Ahrio and choked him as well. Andrik and Jade both shook their heads in dismay and proceeded to walk to their beds and laid down, unbothered.

     For some, this might seem like a joke between friends but for Ahrio, he really did feel the urge to kill Zayden. Zayden started gasping for breath and his eyes turned pale as he tried to pry Ahrio’s hands off his neck. Blaize tightened his choke on Ahrio and soon, he too, started gasping for air.

     Zayden couldn’t take it anymore, he tapped Ahrio’s arm as an act of surrender. Ahrio who was lost in a trance regained his consciousness and immediately let go of Zayden. He fell into his back, coughing, rubbing his chest and taking deep breaths.  Blaize also let Ahrio go, glaring at him dangerously as a warning.

     Ahrio’s brow raised in question, “Are you his living guardian angel or something?”

     Blaize ignored him and sat down on the bed next to Andrik. Jade remembered something, he got up from the bed and looked at Blaize and then Zayden repeatedly.

     “You have the same surname! Flynn. Are you two brothers?” he voiced out his thoughts.

     Blaize just shrugged, “No. Flynn is like the most common surname in the world. Zayden doesn’t own it.”

     “If not, then are you gay? Do you like him?” Jade excitedly asked.

     “Yes. I like….” He trailed off as he walked towards Jade slowly. ” To choke you!” He attempted to choke him but Jade docked and ran away from him laughing.

     And that’s how their unlikely, and unexpected friendship began….