Chapter 4: Searching and Hunting, The Game Begins

The number ‘4’, that’s the number Faith has on the back of her shirt. I'm sure of it now. The numbers were deliberately given to each of us, and they're all unique to each person.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Code walking toward me from my left. 

"We are pretty good on firewood,” he says, sitting beside me. “I asked some of the others to try making a fire with the flint and steel we got. I honestly don't know if it's lucky or not that we have this much to start with survival-wise."

I glance toward the firepit and see the giant guy who spoke earlier working with a short guy with light blue hair. The purple-haired and hazel-eyed girls are relatively close by, attempting to offer any support. However, from my viewpoint, they don’t seem to be doing anything.

"What do you mean by lucky?" I ask.

Sitting back against the slab, he says, "I might be off about this, so let me know if I am. But out of everyone here, you seem the most observant and alert. Earlier, you also didn't react to the message… both before and after I read it aloud. What I’m trying to say is… if you were shocked or paranoid, you were hiding it well. But maybe you just didn't know how to react; that's also possible. Personally, though, I think you also understand what may truly be happening here. So I'll be straight with you."

Intrigued, I give my full attention as he continues, "The firewood, axes, swords, tents, clothes, whatever else. What I'm implying here is that this is not just some vacation that was created for our pleasure. This is real, and with this amount of firewood and equipment, we aren't going to be here for just a few days. I'm thinking weeks, maybe even months."

I nod in agreement, "Which is why the amount of food we have is alarming to me. We will need to learn how to provide for ourselves at some point, especially if we want to keep our strength up. Bread and fruit will work for now, but if we’re going to be here for a long time, we need to think bigger… sooner rather than later."

He smiles, approving of my words, "Guess I hit the bullseye about you."

"Don't flatter yourself. All this talk between us won't be beneficial unless we take action."

"And that action will only be positively perceived by others if we do it at the right time and express it in the right way."

He looks out at camp with me as we both go silent.

Scary. No wonder he was given the name Code… he’s thought just as far ahead as me, maybe even further. I'll trust him for now, but I still have to be discreet if I want to ask him about the numbers. With this question, I'll be able to fall back on some other things if he hasn't picked up on the numbers quite yet.

I vaguely ask, "You've noticed it too, haven't you?"

"If you are talking about the numbers, then yes, I have noticed,” replies Code.

As expected, he has realized. Others must've noticed too, but are just refraining from saying anything. Honestly, I don’t see a point in hiding everything I’ve noticed now. It's probably better to converse ideas about this before others catch on to the numbers or speak out about them. At this rate, it won't be long until that happens.

"Do you have any idea what they could mean?" I ask.

He chuckles and points behind him and me at the slab, "No, I don't. But I think this might."

Moving out of the way, we spin our bodies around to face the slab again, sitting side by side.

"The third line reads, 'Numbers and people, what's one to say'. That's the only major clue I derived from this riddle or message or whatever it is. I think one would be ignorant to say there isn't a correlation between the two. This line and us,” says Code.

Staring at the riddle, I reread it from top to bottom.

He even picked up on this. Maybe he really was right about me being paranoid. I overlooked something so obvious.

I say in acknowledgment, "This line is definitely related. I just wish something else here would give us some insight."

Code says as he tilts his head, scratching his cheek, "Yes, that would’ve been preferred. Although, I will say that I believe there is something else. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to think of any ideas as to what the rest may mean or reference yet. Maybe we aren’t supposed to know; however, the numbers and people's line… I assume you noticed that each individual has their own number, right?"

I nod and then voice my thoughts, "The phrase brings up both numbers and people, so if each person has their own number, it must refer to something deeper than what meets the eye."

And with that, I sit there and think as Code most likely does the same, going quiet as well.

If each person has their own number or value, it might not mean that we are numbered individually regarding rankings or anything like that. It could just be random. Either way, it probably somehow coordinates with this line and may even provide an answer to the riddle as a whole.

I begin to move, using my arms to push myself up, "I think we should take a walk. I want to confirm something.” 

"I was just about to say the same thing."

Scary…

***

Standing before Ace and Sky were four individuals: three girls and one guy. All of whom had been scurrying around camp for the past few hours, wanting to leave camp. With some help from Sky, Ace was relieved to have rounded them all up before they left camp.

Two of the girls are Delta and the one she seemed to have gotten dragged out of the meeting earlier, Grace. Compared to Delta, Grace couldn’t have been more different looks-wise, with light green eyes and curly red hair that rested around her neck and shoulders.

The guy standing next to them is named Hunter, and he is a little bit taller than Delta and Grace. He has short brown hair and brown eyes; however, his face and body look worn down from fights, injuries, or both. That said, the fierce determination in Hunter’s eyes starkly contrasts his depleted appearance. 

And last but not least, the fourth group member is a petite girl named Flora. She has black hair and brown eyes. Her skin is delicately pale, as if she's rarely been outside. Her arms, body, and legs are skinny, with minimal muscle. But like Hunter, her eyes are what stand out about her. What she may lack in physique, she makes up for in curiosity.

"You four will be the first to leave the campsite. Stick close together, stay safe, and however far you go, make sure you know your way back,” says Ace.

With arms crossed, Delta rolls her eyes, "Whatever, isn't this stuff obvious? Why can't we just go already?"

With Delta already getting under Ace’s skin, Ace doesn’t say anything

Making an effort to reason with Delta, Sky says, "It's just safer if you go…"

"You even made these two tag along with us?” says Delta, cutting Sky off as she stares daggers at Hunter and Flora. “Are they supposed to be our babysitters or something? I can take care of myself if you couldn't already tell."

Putting up her hands, Sky smiles without ill will, "No, no, that's not true..."

"Oh, just shut up already. You two just never stop talking,” remarks Delta, grabbing Grace’s arm and moving to leave. "What are you doing just standing there? Let's go. Now." 

Brushing some hair out of her eyes, Grace feverishly apologizes, "Right… right… sorry… sorry.”

As they start walking down a path out of the campsite, Delta shouts, "Don't fall behind! Aren’t you two supposed to stay close to me?"

As Ace drags his hand down his face, Hunter and Flora run off to catch up with Delta and Grace. 

Waving to the four of them as they walk out of sight, Sky shouts back encouragingly, "Have fun! Find something cool for us!"

Ace asks a moment later, "Do you think they'll be able to find their way back without any trouble?"

Still wearing that same cheerful smile, Sky answers honestly, "Yeah, I think they'll be fine. That girl may seem bossy, but I can tell she's self-assured. She won't get lost."

Staring down the empty path, Ace thinks to himself.

But… the more alarming aspect is that we don't know what's out there. I just hope they will all come back safe and sound. And as Sky said, they might even find something cool… or better yet, something that will help us understand that riddle. Something tells me that the riddle is central to whatever is happening here.here.