…The first day had a tough schedule.<\/p>\n
We had to climb a mountain and ate our rations at the peak. As we walked through the mountains the teachers taught us which plants and fruits could be eaten, how to set up camp and make a fire, and how to hunt for game. Then after half a day passed, we descended the mountain back to our accommodation. The students that were late would get punished.<\/p>\n
What is with this survival training. Is this really how this event went?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too unpleasant. I want to go home. I\u2019ve been saying I\u2019m an indoor type of person!<\/p>\n
By the time I return to our lodging, I\u2019m extremely exhausted. Once nighttime arrives, the teachers and the volunteers confirm the route for the test of courage, along with the locations of the frights.<\/p>\n
As originally planned, Jade (one of the bully trio) and I take position near the cliff. Nearby are the other two bullies.<\/p>\n
Holding a lantern in one hand, Jade and I peer at the cliff.<\/p>\n
A large red sign reads \u201cno trespassing,\u201d \u201cslippery,\u201d and \u201cbeware of slipping,\u201d and in front is the fence made of wooden poles tied with rope.<\/p>\n
Lifting the lantern, I try to lean my body forward as much as possible.<\/p>\n
I inhale.<\/p>\n
While a person probably won\u2019t die falling from this height, the cliff is still really deep. Moreover, the slope is steep, almost a ninety degree angle. Looks difficult to ascend. Though people who rock climb often probably wouldn\u2019t have a problem.<\/p>\n
Also…It\u2019s pretty dark. I can\u2019t see through the darkness but there\u2019s a cave at the bottom where demon dogs live.<\/p>\n
I shudder, rubbing my arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Lian. If you look any more, you\u2019ll fall over the edge. It\u2019s dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cY-yes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looks dark and scary! If he falls here, he\u2019ll definitely cry!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cY-yeah\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s here in this spot that I have to shove Alfred.<\/p>\n
For tomorrow night.<\/p>\n
I wonder if it\u2019ll go well. No, it\u2019ll be bad if it doesn\u2019t go according to plan.<\/p>\n
Oh that\u2019s right, just in case, I\u2019ll hand him some recovery medicine tomorrow. Ah, but it\u2019ll be weird to pass it to him when he\u2019s not injured. I need to think of a reason.<\/p>\n
\u201cLian? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d asks Jade. \u201cYour face looks pale\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, no. I\u2019m just a little cold! It\u2019s n-nothing. But it\u2019s really dark\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah! Hehehe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade laughs maliciously.<\/p>\n
Well, let\u2019s also hand Alfred the recently-finished, pendant-type amulet, \u201cShining Self-protection Number 7 (complete with flash blinding function)\u201d.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lot of things I want to give him, but the training sessions are too exhausting. Not to mention, there\u2019s always a crowd around Alfred, so I haven\u2019t even had the opportunity.<\/p>\n
I need to give these items to him soon…<\/p>\n
I rub my churning belly.<\/p>\n
The schedule was so packed until it was time to go to bed. (Who was the one who thought of this?) In the end, I just had no opportunity to pass Alfred the items.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow. I still have time. I\u2019ll give them to him tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Speaking of which, occasionally when Alfred catches sight of me, it looks like he has something he wants to say. I wonder what it is.<\/p>\n
It makes me feel worried, but since there\u2019s always so many people around us, I never had the chance to ask him about it.<\/p>\n
He looks worried, but I could just be imagining things. I haven\u2019t done anything to make him worry.<\/p>\n
Rather, I\u2019m worried about him.<\/p>\n
With my thoughts in a mess, I ended up staying awake until near dawn.<\/p>\n
The second day.<\/p>\n
Today was also exhausting. We practiced saving people from drowning and raced our rowboats through a lake. Then muscle training. Then cross country through the mountains.<\/p>\n
Finally, we made a fire by hand and set up camp to make our meals.<\/p>\n
Why does this feel like a sports team training camp?! Where\u2019s the strolling through the woods to admire nature, the sketching of scenery, etc?! Who\u2019s the musclehead who thought up this schedule?! We didn\u2019t have to go all the way to the mountains to get some muscle training, you know?!<\/p>\n
…So.<\/p>\n
The troublesome night has finally arrived.<\/p>\n
Standing in front of the mountain trail leading into the dense forest with its shadows cast wide, the teacher holds a box filled with paper lots.<\/p>\n
These lots will be used to decide the pairs for the test of courage.<\/p>\n
Alfred\u2019s paired with the number one beauty of our class year.<\/p>\n
As expected of the future Hero. Aren\u2019t you lucky? Share some of your luck with me.<\/p>\n
Read this at perpetualdaydreams.com<\/span><\/p>\n After the brief meeting, we scattered to our designated positions.<\/p>\n The three bullies snuggle up close.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to this, Lian!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe too!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cY-yeah\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n In the end, I regret that I wasn\u2019t able to give Alfred what I had planned to give him. But there\u2019s nothing I can do about it now.<\/p>\n Jade and I hide and wait in the shadows of the trees and grass.<\/p>\n Both of our bodies are covered in a black sheet, with masks that had devilish grins on our faces. In each of our hands is a fake sickle. Our masks and sickles are smeared with generous amounts of red paint to simulate blood.<\/p>\n Somehow, it almost seems real. That\u2019s the work of an art teacher for ya.<\/p>\n We successfully scare thirty pairs.<\/p>\n Then from the other side of the trees, my eyes caught the sight of a blond head, the golden locks standing out even during the night.<\/p>\n He\u2019s here.<\/p>\n I turn silent. Swallow.<\/p>\n By Alfred\u2019s side is a girl in high-heeled sandals. Her long hair is puffy and maroon, her dress short with spaghetti straps. The girl rumored to be the hottest babe of this year\u2019s class. Long, dark eyebrows, large eyes that are raised. She looks like a cute little devil.<\/span>