I and June were just walking round the area far from the dorm building, Elaine wasn't interested in the so called task, seeing there were others in the team who could find it. Apparently, we were told there were riddles that were hidden and we were to find it , there were two riddles and four teams,each having five individuals, so there would be two winning and two losing teams Elaine and June were in one team, and there were the other three teams.
They kept on searching for several minutes when June decided they split up.
"What?" Elaine asked not liking the idea.
"It would be faster that way"
"We aren't the only ones on the team, let's just stay together, if we would find it, we would and if we wouldn't, we wouldn't" she tries to reason.
"No, I think it would be faster if we split up" June pressed.
"It's really late to walk alone "
"You aren't walking alone, and I really want to win so badly" she said this time around turning and Walking in the opposite direction.
Elaine kept staring at June's retreating figure.
"Oh no", looking around, Elaine noticed there wasn't anyone in sight.
"Where is this?" she asked herself, she wasn't very familiar with the school, but there were a few places she knew, and here wasn't one of them.
"June!, June!", she called out as she began walking in the direction June walked, but even after minutes of walking, there wasn't still any sign of anyone, not even June, her heart began beating loud as she took in the darkness and the fact that she wasn't with her flashlight made her feel more helpless.
"There's no need to be scared"
"There's no one around, it's just you", she said releasing a shaky breath.
The task was going to end in two hours, if she waited, probably June would come to find her, with that, Elaine sat down under one of the trees and closed her eyes, she couldn't help but listen to the ominous sounds produced by the trees which she so hated.
Elaine had begun dozing, when she heard retreating footsteps, she wanted to ignore it, as it didn't sound real until it registered clearly in her head.
There was someone here.
She quickly got up and looked around, but there was no one, she was already reeling from disappointment when she saw someone walking the opposite direction, she quickly picked up her sweater which she was earlier sitting on and bagan running towards the person without thinking twice as she was desperate to get back to the dorm.
"Wait!, hello!, please wait!" She yelled as she ran after the person, noticing the person stop, Elaine also stopped running to catch her breath.
"Wait-, sh me drawled as she stared at the person before her, she just kept staring speechlessly.
"What?" She heard him ask without a bit of concern.
"I...I...um, I, he was about to turn back and keep walking when she found her voice again, "I'm lost" Elaine said, waiting for him to say something, but he just stood there unmoving.
"I was participating in the task, I was with my friend, when she decided we split up, th-
She suddenly stopped walking, when he turned back and began walking.
"Wait" but he didn't even stop and she just followed him behind.
"Following me blindly?", he asked as Elaine was slightly behind him.
"Uh?, Elaine asked looking at him, "I don't know the way back " she said with a small voice.
"Did I ask?"
Right now, Elaine didn't know what else to say.
"You were at the beach right?, Elaine asked but received nothing but deafening silence "you were with the pretty black cat right? She continued, but receiving no response, she decided to stop talking, se just stared at the back of his hoodie which read "Crowns & Blood".
"Weird" she muttered to herself which made him turn to look at her.
"Nothing" she said waving he hand in dismissal.
Our walk back was quiet and soon, we began hearing distant chatters which meant we were close to the dorm, and this was enough to make her relieved, she was about to thank him when she began hearing the chirping of a bird, Elaine turned to the direction of the sound and noticed it was coming from a tree nearby, she was about to walk towards the tree before she turned back and ask.
"You hear it too right?" She asked not wanting this to end up like those times when it turned out to be nothing.
"So?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Can you please wait let me go and check?" Receiving no answer from him, she walked towards the tree and noticed a small bird, it was a very beautiful blue and yellow bird, it's vibrant colors a total contrast to the darkness of the night, she inspected the creature closely without touching it when she noticed one of it's feet was stuck to a hole on the tree, she reached out to it slowly, trying not to scare the little creature, she held it carefully and gently pulled out it's leg from the hole, when she noticed a little folded paper around it's claws, then it finally hit her, The riddle!, she couldn't seriously believe she actually found it, without even trying much,
"June would be so shocked" she thought in her head. she happily took the little piece of paper from it claws and let the bird fly away, she was about to unfold the paper and read what was written when she heard Allan calmly say.
"Don't"
"Uh?, Elaine asked not quite sure she heared it right.
"Don't read it"
"Why?"
"Give it to someone else, don't let anyone know it was you who found it"
"Why?" Elaine asked again.
"Who was the friend you were talking about?" He asked casually aksed ignoring her questions.
"Why are you asking?" But receiving only his stare, she answered.
"June"
"Other name"
"Why do you care?" His eyes only narrowed further.
"June Bradford"
"You can find your way back from here" he said.
With that,he began walking away, leaving her standing holding the little piece of paper.