Hell Games
Backward Time
After the incident last night, Lin seemed to always avoid Ef. During morning practice, he chose Hamish as his training partner. He also spoke somewhat incoherently, whereas ever since they arrived on the island, Lin was the most reserved member.
“Better you straighten out this misunderstanding, long-time eyes can penetrate our heart.” Maya whispers to Ef after their training break.
“Mistake? Who misunderstood?”
Lin snorted at the answer of the man next to him. Ef is trained for survival, but he doesn't seem to have any experience in love.
“You turned out to be stupid too huh. Lin was obviously jealous. You may not understand!”
“Jealous? Why is she jealous?”
“Oh my god.., I will also be angry with you. Lin thought last night we did ‘something’.”
“Didn't we do a lot of things last night. What's wrong?”
“Hey sir, he thought last night we did the deed ‘enaak’. You don't understand it either.” Maya's emotions peaked, she pulled Ef's cheek hard. But it turned out that the overflow of frustration Maya just now looked different in the eyes of the girl who was standing in the corner. His eyes looked towards them. Maya felt the killing aura around her getting stronger.
“Sana, meet him. Straighten this misunderstanding!” Maya releases her pinch and pushes Ef off the seat.
Lin looked trying looking busy as Ef walked over. He wiped the surface of the rifle even though there was no dust at all.
“Lin...,” first reprimand got no response.
“Erlin, can we talk?” Ef raised his voice to get attention. Hamish who was sitting near Lin immediately stepped aside. He felt that soon a bomb would explode.
“I'm busy!” replied Lin ketus.
Ef did not care about not accepting Lin, he kept crouching to face the girl.
“See you didn't concentrate on training today. You also seem to be upset. What's bothering you?”
Lin simply turned his head towards the man sitting in front of him at a glance, then came back busy wiping the rifle.
“I'm fine. No need to ignore.”
Ef didn't believe lin's answer just like that. He had read in a book, a fine sentence spoken by a woman with a flat face, not equivalent to the meaning in a language dictionary. There is a refraction of the meaning of the sentence that cannot be explained by science until this moment.
“Do you feel like your rifle has a problem? Let me check.” Ef's new hand was stretched out directly on the edge by Lin.
“No need, you stay away. Your boyfriend will be jealous!”
Ef knitted his eyebrows.
“boyfriend? Who?”
“Not pretend. My eyes are not blind.”
“You mean?”
“I saw clearly you had fun with Maya last night. I'll order something, next time you'll slow down while you're making love. Disturbing people to sleep.”
Oh, it turns out that this is what Maya said.
“Hahaha, you don't think I saw him sitting on you without pants? does anyone slip should open their pants first?”
“Hey, it was just an accident. I'm just-“ Ef hasn't finished his calamity, Lin is already standing.
“Already, this conversation does not need to be continued. You don't have to explain anything to me either. Our relationship is only a task. Right?” Lin emphasized the word Task.
“Not so. Now our priority must be to survive. I'll look after you guys.”
“TERRED!” replied Lin while leaving Ef. Had this cave been a room, he would have entered while slamming the door.
The day changed night, while the stiff atmosphere still did not subside. Lin still looked cynical to Ef and Maya. They even kept quiet over dinner. Only the twang of spoons and cans of cornet became the voice of the accompanist.
“What are our plans tomorrow, Capt? Hamish broke the silence.
“Tomorrow we will go directly to Check point.” Ef took the map and rolled it out on the ground.
“We are in this position.” Ef pointed to a point not far from the check points. “the other team closest to us is team 16. Location of their camp with check points half of our camp distance to check points.”
“yesterday we took a 5-hour journey from camp to here. Means team 16 will take 3 hours to arrive. We should arrive at the check points before three hours. We are lucky to find a shortcut, we can get there in 1 hour.”
“Then we can be the first team to arrive there?”
“I feel like it. But we have to be careful with all the possibilities. We also do not know when this necklace countdown is activated.”
“Hmm, true too. Hell Game starts when the timer turns on. If I don't remember wrongly, the time provided is 3x24 hours. While our travel time is only 5 hours. Why are they stalling too long?” Hamish tapped his chin while staring at the map in front of them.
“I think Hell Game gives participants time to recuperate.” replied Ef.
“Recover yourself from what?” Hamish looked confused.
“if there is a battle in check points. It does not rule out the possibility that the team that got the code was also injured. 3 Days can be used to rest and treat wounds. And also the distance between the first and second check points is getting farther,” explained Ef while pointing to the second point check point. The distance is 2 times the camp distance to the first point check.
“we will take 1 day to get there. The danger will get bigger anyway. Because participants who succeed in the first point check must have designed a mature plan to go to the next point check.” Ef staring at the three members. “leisure time will be narrower every pass the check points.”
“Since yesterday my anxiety has started to disappear. I've seen us out in the open. Now the fact that we're going to war again scares me. I'm not ready to die.” Maya's remarks seemed to resuscitate the other members. Anxiety came back to haunt them.
“Kor if we are afraid. But we have to be able to manage that fear. And keep moving until regardless of this savage game.” Ef is trying to encourage its members. In war, mental health is as important as physical health. Fearful soldiers will often make mistakes. Ef does not want any of its members to be injured let alone killed.
“we will move with the formation yesterday. Maya, Hamish, Lin and I. With this additional logistics and improved weapons.I don't think we're going to meet any heavy obstacles to check points.”
That night they repeated a short rehearsal of a reaction shoot. Ef also taught that they were in combat and ran out of bullets in the main weapon. Never stop and load ammunition into the magazine. But use a gun to make a diversion shot until you get help from another colleague or find a place to hide.
“after midnight, we'd better rest now. Tomorrow morning we move.”
They stood up from their seats and went into the crevice and returned to their respective sleeping positions.
Suddenly Ef saw the small lamp on Lin's necklace lit up. Followed by Maya and Hamish's necklace. When his necklace also lit up, Ef could hear the sound of ‘bip-bip’ from metal encircling his neck.
The countdown is on.