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«Yu, listen,» I say carefully, «I’ve never been so scared in my life. If it weren’t for all of you, I wouldn’t budge, I swear! Instead, I would sit and obediently await my fate. Only thanks to your strength of mind, I find the courage to move on. I just want you to know that».
Yu looks at me in surprise:
«I thought you were one of the few who managed to maintain composure. I admired your courage. Today you are a hero, just like Runner, Alex and Joleo.»
«No! I’m weak. Help me survive this final stretch of the road».
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: fifty minutes.»
Now the metallic echo counts down every ten minutes.
I hold out my hand to her. Yu takes it, gets up, squeezes her eyes shut and dives into a narrow hole. I have no choice but to follow her. At the same time, only one thought is spinning in my head about what a big mistake I am making. She has only to start panic, and we will be forever stuck in this hole. I had to go first!
The tunnel seems incredibly long, it becomes more and more difficult to crawl: the walls narrow and, judging by the sensations, we are moving upward. Behind, the sound of approaching water is heard more and more clearly. Almost all the time I cheer Yu up, try to find the right words, and this is no less exhaustingly than the movement through the tunnel.
At some point, the walls become so narrow that you have to lie on your stomach. It is no longer possible to crawl on all fours. And then what I most feared happens: Yu begins to choke. To all my attempts, from soft persuasion and reasonable arguments to rude curses and threats, she doesn’t react at all. Instead, the girl repeats all the time like a mantra: «I can no longer, I can no longer, I can no longer.»
I myself am close to a panic attack. Judging by the splash and roar of the water, it is no further than three or four grottoes from here. Voices can be heard up ahead screaming our names. The echo is quite booming, which means that we haven’t yet approached the final goal and have to crawl at least a few tens of meters. We urgently need to come up with something, otherwise we will drown. Oh, if only I didn’t give Yu a promise not to leave her alone, if only I climbed first, if only I didn’t fill out this form on the website…
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: forty minutes.»
«Quiet, quiet, shh» I soothe myself in my thoughts. And then an idea comes to my mind, completely absurd and inappropriate, but there is no choice left. I remember my dear mother and how she used to help me in moments of fear, anxiety or just sadness. Just one fairy tale.
«Yu, listen! I’ll tell you a story. You close your eyes and crawl forward. Don’t think about anything, just listen tp me!» Without waiting for an answer, I begin:
«Once upon a time there was a brave Bunny. He wasn’t afraid of anyone, not at all. He even kicked a Bear once. The Bear rubbed the bruised place, twisted at his temple and said «some kind of nutcase», then turned around and left. Maybe he didn’t want to mess with an crazy Bunny, or he turned out to be an overly kind and non-conflict bear. The Bunny was very brave. And extremely ill-mannered. Once he ran up to the Wolf and said indifferently: «Do you know what I like most for dinner? Wolf Steak! Medium rare».
«Go to the doctor, psycho!» the Wolf snapped, but just in case he went into the forest.
«Nonsense,» Yu grumbles, but moves from her place and slowly creeps forward on belly.
«I absolutelly agree with you! The Wolf should punish the Bunny for such bad manners! But you see, the Wolf decided that since the impudent behaves like this, he may have connections in an authoritative circle of predators! Well, a simple Bunny cannot say something like this to a wolf without having someone behind him. What if it’s Hippopotamus himself?! (I remember the tactics of my mother: for all my attempts to stop the fairy tale, continue to be offended, sad or angry, she invented new stories about the brave, ill-mannered, stupid, smart, etc. Bunny, depending on the situation. The main secret is to tell like nothing happened).
«The Bunny, elated with success, once met a wild Boar, who wanted to eat the Bunny»…
«Boars don’t eat Bunnies,» Yu interrupts angrily, but this anger is feigned. Well, if only she did not concentrate on the narrow tunnel!
«You’re right, they don’t eat. But they really want to try»…
I continue to talk some nonsense about the brave Bunny and his exploits, when at the end of the tunnel such a long-awaited light appears. Now the screams of other players are clearly audible, the clearest of all is the alarmed voice of Alex:
«Lavina! Lavina, damn you, where are you?!»
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: thirty minutes»
The main thing is not to think about anything! Continue to crawl and in no case be silent…
«Once the Bunny met the Fox. «I’ll eat you,» she said. «No, you won’t,» the Bunny replied insolently. You see, he was also very cocky. «The Bear, the Wolf and the wild Bear are my close friends and told me in all details about your intimate relations with them (in my mother’s version, these were always more harmless options like «stealing food», but in this place I already, as a rule, laugh and am fooling around with her). The Fox blushed all over with shame. And yet she ate the Bunny. But the redness has not completely disappeared, since then Fox has been walking red».
At this moment, someone’s hands grab Yu by the shoulders and pull first her, and then me, out of the hated manhole.
«What a stupid fairy tale», says Yu, smiling weakly.
«You are welcome», I smile in response, «by the way, it’s called «Why the Fox is red.»
Barely catching my breath, I look around and see the worried faces of the participants. The cause for alarm is obvious: we are in a dead-end light grotto. Its walls are significantly lower than the previous ones, but still smooth, without a single ledge. Angel and Blonda are palpating them, while the others are sitting in the center and discussing something violently. We join this company at a merciless voice:
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: twenty minutes.»
«We have no choice… will try to rise to the surface as the grotto is flooded, like corks… If we made a mistake… we will pay dearly for it», Planck offers, breathing heavily. One can see how difficult our expedition was for him. From time to time, the elderly man pauses to clear his throat and catch his breath, «be prepared for the fact that the water level may be insufficient to get out of here… The walls in the grotto are no more than 10 meters high. But even if there is only one meter left to the brim, we are lost. Besides, no one knows the landscape on the surface»…
«We are in the right place!» Angel rejoices, «Look what I found!» he holds out his open palm, on which lies a stone, exactly the same as we found in the dugout with food yesterday. Only with a 1/2 fraction carved on it.
«Great job Angel!» Alex grabs a stone and shoves it in his bosom, «Now there is no doubt that these things will be useful to us in the finale».
«And you decided that this stone will be more comfortable with you?» Runner asks hostilely.
«Guys, no time to quarrel», BeBe interrupts him angrily «look!»
We watch in horror as water pours out in a thin stream from the manhole from which we have just come.
«The narrow tunnel will create a pressure as soon as the water accumulates in sufficient volume in the grotto, where this very tunnel begins», Planck announces, «We’d better move to the opposite wall and get ready».
«And what about Martha?» BeBe exclaims with horror.
Our eyes turn to her. Martha sits calmly on the floor, and only her pale face betrays her inner state. There is a painful silence.
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: ten minutes.»
«We all go to the back wall and hold on until the water reaches the neck. After that, we sail calmly, slowly, waiting for the water level to rise. Save your energy! Martha, listen carefully! Me, Joleo and Runner will take turns keeping you afloat. Most importantly, you must relax and in no case resist, no matter how scary and uncomfortable it may be. Clear?» Alex commands an orderly tone.
«If you start to panic, I’ll have to let you go,» Runner threatens. Alex gives him a warning look.
«Martha, this could mean death for both the drowning man and the rescuer. We are already too exhausted, running along the grottoes».
Martha just nods, unable to utter a word.
«I’ll take care about Martha myself,» Angel’s gentle voice sounds.
The players all, as one, turn their heads in surprise in his direction. Confused, the guy continues:
«I’m a professional swimmer and as a swimming instructor I had to take a course on rescuing drowning people. Besides, unlike you, I still feel a little bit of energy in me».
«Because you sat on your ass in safety while we were trying to find our way out!»
«Runner, shut up!» Alex turns to Angel. «Okay, so we’ll do it.»
«Well, finally „Baby“ will be good for something», Runner throws angrily, but no one argues. It won’t be easy to get out on your own, let alone help someone who can’t swim.
I catch a glimpse of Blonda’s proud, admiring gaze directed at Angel. Her eyes literally glow with happiness. Well, it’s already clear to me that I know absolutely nothing about human relations. Now Angel, so handsome and cowardly, became a hero for Blonda and Martha. I don’t have time to finish thinking this thought, as a female metallic voice announces for the last time:
«Until the flooding of the cave system remains: zero-zero minutes.»
At this moment the water from the tunnel bursts into our grotto with a terrible roar.
Despite all the fatigue, adrenaline is pouring through my veins. Like all other players, I hold myself firmly against the wall.
Leeloo is standing next to me:
«Don’t worry, remember, I’m a great swimmer. Save energy, we’ll need it,» I hear through the deafening roar of a powerful jet of water.
The water hits my heels, ankles and knees, but I try my best to keep the balance. Gradually, its level rises and when it reaches the neck, I break away from the wall and start paddling. Under normal conditions, this would not be that difficult. But now, exhausted, scared to death, I can hardly move my legs and arms. Even a wetsuit doesn’t help. Out of the corner of my eye I see Angel, who is confidently floating on the water, holding Martha by the armpits. She hardly moves, but horror is imprinted on her thin face. There are still a few meters to the surface. Two meters. One meter. The water arrives now much more slowly. I don’t know how long we have been paddling on the surface, but for me these minutes drag on endlessly. The hands refuse to obey when the water finally reaches the surface. Someone’s faces, hands, bodies flicker before my eyes. I can only hope that the rest of the players will win in their own struggle for life.
I grab the edge of the grotto, try to pull myself up, but my fingers slip, so I go under the water. I frantically float to the surface, try to make a second attempt, but again I break down and plunge into the water. How I want to surrender, just relax, let go… The third time I appear on the surface, I stretch out my hand on fumes, when suddenly someone’s fingers grip my wrist and pull me out of the grotto. The last thing I see before passing out is Alex’s worried face.
***
When I come to life, all the players are lying safe and sound on the rocks of the cliff, which seems to be the largest part of the cave system. A significant part falls on the ocean floor, judging by the appearance of the relief that opens from the hill. Aggressive waves are splashing around, now and then covering stones that serve as a refuge for players soaked to the skin. An uneven path of rocky boulders of various shapes and sizes leads to the coast. I can’t wait to get out of here as soon as possible!
I don’t know how long I spent unconscious. The sun is leaning towards the horizon. Some of the participants are still lying down, but most have already got to their feet and are actively discussing something. I find Leeloo with my eyes and exhale with relief. As usual, she keeps aloof and does not take part in the general discussion.
«Thank you,» Yu sits on a stone next to me and looks at me, «I’ll never forget that».
«You’re welcome,» I smile in response. «The tale is really stupid».
«It’s not about your fairy tale. It’s about you. I don’t remember most of how I wandered in caves, much less crawled through the narrow tunnel. But one thing I know for sure: never again will I be able to overpower myself and voluntarily enter an elevator or a room without windows. All the progress that I have so painfully achieved so far has been destroyed without a trace. And no win is worth this failure.»
With that, she stands up and joins the rest of the players.
Her words make me think. Yes, I helped Yu, but first of all, I helped myself. While distracting the girl from gloomy thoughts, I did not have the time and energy to dwell on my own. What a strange experience! All these people showed themselves from unexpected sides. Usually absent-minded, Joleo makes sober decisions for himself and BeBe. Quiet and, as Runner often likes to say, worthless Angel saves Martha. Alex and the unpleasant Runner run to the limit, but come back every time for the rest. Yu overcomes his worst ailment and crawls forward through the nightmare that has come true. Martha trusts her life to an almost stranger. Planck with an invaluable baggage of knowledge and ability to analyze the situation saves everyone. What a surprise! I myself couldn’t have imagined before that I would become a hero for someone. Even for myself. What I instilled in Yu about my own fear and powerlessness there, in the cave, was absolutely true. Maybe the ability for heroic deeds and self-sacrifice in critical situations is what unites us all? A thought worth discussing.
I feel relieved, even mildly euphoric, in the fresh air. But it does not last long: just remember the experienced moments of the nightmare or think about the future fate – all euphoria disappears without a trace. I quickly join the rest of the group in order to drive away gloomy thoughts from myself as far as possible.
«I know this place!» Yu exclaims. «Yesterday, during exploring, I saw these rocks. This means that we are in the north of the island and can easily find our way to the Bungalow».
As soon as the players finally come to their senses, we move forward. Jumping from one slippery stone to another, we get to the rocky coast. As it turns out, we are indeed on a hill. The mountain offers an excellent view of the jungle.
«Look there!» BeBe points with a finger to the place we were a few minutes ago, being washed by the waves, which every now and then tried to drag us back into their abyss. Not a trace remained of this place. The tide swallowed the rocks completely. Only from time to time, among the dancing waves, the sharp tops of this or that stone appear – either they mock us, or rage because of the victims who narrowly escaped death.
We reach the Platform within an hour. Everyone walks in silence, unable to conduct a conversation or discuss what happened in the caves. For the last half hour we have been moving in the dark, as the lanterns are inoperative after swimming.
***
Arriving on the Platform, the first thing the players do is stilling hunger and quenching thirst. Thereafter we sit around the massive table. We decide to learn more about each other in order to get closer to solving the main question – what can unite all of us. All attempts to find a common ground: places where we could meet, people who could connect us, and so on, lead to a dead end.
After what we had to go through today, I look at everyone with different eyes. Here are not just players or allies and, moreover, not opponents – from now on they are my friends. A common misfortune has brought us together. Someone is especially strong – out of the corner of my eye I glance at Joleo and BeBe, who are sitting next to each other and holding their hands under the table, as if afraid to let go of each other even for a second. The woman periodically glances at him secretly, and her eyes are filled with a special, incomparable shine.
The tragic love triangle also doesn’t escape my close attention as well. Runner looks in the direction of Blonda, who, in turn, does not take her eyes off Angel.
The atmosphere of the evening seems calm and, at first glance, even cozy. But all those present are oppressed by the same thought: what will happen tomorrow? What crazy task would the organizers prepare for us this time?
As soon as we leave for our cells, I have a quick shower and put on the prepared clothes – a light cotton suit. The only thing that gives me inconvenience is the high leather boots. I have already ceased to be surprised at anything, so with a sigh I put them on and lace them up.
Finally, I grab my diary and think before I write it down. It is most convenient and clear to arrange the data about the players in the form of a table.
Name / Play name / Age / Country / Profession / Family / Comments
Larina Victoria / Lavina / 25 / Russia / Freelance translator, teacher / Not married / That’s me
Alexander Mironov / Alex / 28 / Russia / Lawyer / Single / Damn attractive (I wonder if he has a girlfriend?)
Mariska Novak / Martha / 46 / Hungary / Head of laboratory of a research institute / Divorced, two children / Smart as Planck, only in a skirt
Max Karl Hofenberg / Planck / 56 / England, German descent / University teacher / Married, three children / Smarter than all of us put together
Helena Jönsson / Blonda / 28 / Sweden / Fitness club trainer, dreams of becoming an explorer of flora and fauna / Divorced, no children / Pretty woman seems to have a crush on Angel
Angel Sandberg / Angel / 27 / Sweden / Swimming coach, lifeguard / Single / Really an Angel. And what is it that attracts Blonda so much?!
Jorge Ruedo Rojo / Joleo / 38 / Spain / Astronomer / Single / The Absent-minded Scientist is a hero. Hope we go to his wedding with BeBe. And by the way, he discovered the satellite Joleo of the planet Saturn
Beatrice Bianchi / BeBe / 39 / Italy / Doctor, therapist / Divorced, one daughter / Emotional, good-natured (see previous comment)
Chen Yuming / Yu / 33 / China / Journalist / Single / Claustrophobia
Simon Red / Runner / 23 / USA, Virginia / Student, future architect, athlete / Single / Very aggressive. Crush on Blonda, hates Angel
?Leeloo 10? It’s strange. She is my friend, and I know absolutely nothing about her.
I quickly draw the fields, fill in the information and try to analyze it. But the longer I am looking, the more I understand that we could not be more different. Whatever parameters I compare, the players are too different from each other. Names, professions, countries, age… There is clearly a lack of data, some specific and extremely important information.
At this moment, there is a knock on the door. I quickly hide my diary under my pillow, and after a couple of seconds Alex peeks in. I’m glad to see him. As always.
