CHAPTER 16

"Nessa!" I gasped out loud as my eyes opened seeing the green forest before me.

What happened?

I was leaning on the tree, sitting up. I felt my left shoulder throbbing in pain. I looked at it and it was bandaged but I was fine anywhere else. I couldn't remember anything and my head was hurting. I remembered the explosion, the heat, the cave crumbling, me shouting at Nessa-

Shit. Where is Nessa? And Ria?

I looked beside me and sighed in relief. I couldn't explain how happy I was to see Ria and Nessa leaning against the tree, deep in slumber, their chests rising as they breath slowly and heavily. They looked absolutely okay, just dirty like myself but no injury whatsoever which reminds me-how the hell did I get this injury? I touched it with my right hand and winced, it hurt like hell. Ugh. Well, it could have been worse, thanks to whoever saved us.

"Guys, Wake up!" I shook my friends up. We had to continue the race. The sun was still up, so I'm pretty sure we still have time.

Ria groggily opened her eyes, then seeing me with the forest, she bolted upright immediately. "Shit, are you okay?" She hugged me and I returned it tightly with only my right arm though. I was so glad to see her beautiful gray eyes again.

"Yeah, I'm fine, how about you?"

"I don't really know," she said touching her head, "My head freaking hurts."

"W-what happened?" Nessa's voice snapped our attention towards her.

"Nessa!" Ria and I both cried as we hugged her.

She started crying suddenly as she wrapped her arms around us. Fear, anxiety and relief were evident on her face. "I-I remember now," she began, "Y-you saved us Clarissa."

"Yes you did, thank you Clarissa," Ria added as she tightened her arms around the three of us.

For a moment we stayed like that, in each other's arms. But of course, being me, I had to ruin that beautiful, and comfortable silence.

"Okay guys, it's really creeping me out. How the hell did I save you guys? I don't remember doing it."

They both laughed as we let go of each other's arms.

"You pushed us behind a big rock before the bomb exploded," Nessa explained, her eyes wide, reliving her memory.

"Then there were men wearing tight black suits with masks on who covered us, I think they're the bodyguards who's always following us. But then you were too near the explosion, you went sideways and covered your head in your arms, that's why you have this." Ria patted my arm gently, not touching my injury.

I remembered it now, it was just as they said. Those men who saved us literally came out of nowhere then covered us from the explosion as they carried us outside. Fortunately we weren't that far from the opening.

I stood up, looking behind, and saw the big debris of rocks piled up on each other. It really seemed like something detonated it and we could have died, probably squashed somewhere in there if it weren't for those bodyguards or ninjas. I balled my fists, anger seeping into me. Prince Jarvis, you're dead meat.

Out of a sudden I felt something big and fluffy touch my shoulder. I turned around immediately and my eyes widened at the sight of the big, and beautiful creature before me.

"Oh my god it's the bear!" Nessa cried excitedly. And surely it was the bear Nessa talked about earlier, the one who would guide you to the finish line if you ever come across it.

Suddenly Ria's eyes had the look of puppy love on them as she rushed to hug the bear. Whoah, that was fast.

The bear leaned down and caressed his snout with Ria's smiling face. Oh my god, what the heck happened to the expressionless Ria?

"If you haven't figured it out yet, Ria is an animal lover," Nessa explained as she laughed at my shocked expression.

"She's totally in love." I smiled. "So I guess luck is finally on our side."

"Yay! We'll get to the finish line in no time!" She jumped up and down, her face messy and dirty just like mine and Ria's but we didn't care. We just wanted to finish this tiring race.

The tamed bear led us in a much clearer and easier path. It was probably trained to bring any person it sees to the finish line. How creative of those who made this race. But there was something weird about the bear, although I couldn't really put a finger on it.

It was getting darker, I didn't know if it was the sun going down or if it's the trees getting taller and thicker as we pursued our goal. It was getting colder too and fog was starting to creep its way. I was starting to doubt our path. Dried leaves were on the ground, molds sticking them together, there were branches and twigs too as if fallen but there was no sign of any person stepping or pushing them away. In other words, this place seemed untouched by a man.

At the corner of my eye I saw a rabbit hop ahead of us. It looked adorable and I suddenly remembered Alice in wonderland. I bet Nessa would squeal in excitement if she sees it but she was currently too distracted by the bear. Both Ria and her were beside it, skipping happily and obliviously. I looked back at the rabbit, it was a bit far away now but I could see it despite the fog almost covering it. Yes, the fog was getting thicker at the moment. The rabbit stopped suddenly and to my horror, it dropped on its side almost as if it died. What?!

I stopped my tracks and looked above as I heard the cry of the birds. Varieties of them were flying around and forward, falling on the ground one by one.

"Guys wait." I stopped them, feeling sluggish. Nessa and Ria turned around as they yawned, their shoulders sagging as if they were carrying something heavy on their backs.

"What's wrong Clarissa." Nessa yawned again and stretched her arms.

"Do you want to rest, cause I'm not going to complain," Ria added, rubbing her eyes.

Shit. What the hell was going on? What was happening to us?

"I don't think we should continue this path. It doesn't feel safe," I reasoned and stepped back, "Come on guys, hurry back!" I shouted, my eyes drooping.

I pinched myself to keep my eyes open. Think Clarissa. What was wrong with the bear? What was making us feel this way?

'Clarissa, do you remember the fire in that building?' My dad asked me before, pointing at a burnt edifice.

'Yes, daddy.'

'If you were in that fire, what would you have done?'

'I'd crawl down, shout for help, and use the fire extinguisher if I see one. Oh, and shouldn't there be a fire alarm?'

'Yes, but you're forgetting something important.' He raised an eyebrow at me.

I thought hard. 'Oh, I get it! I should cover my nose because it stinks!'

He laughed. 'You got it darling. But the reason you should cover your nose is because of the smoke. If you don't cover it, you'd faint and choke immediately. Remember to be wary with whatever goes in your system. Always be aware.'

Smoke. . .Fog. Jeez, it's the damn fog making us feel woozy.

I covered my nose in an instant. "Guys don't breathe and let's get out of here!!" I shouted but my warning was too late.

"Clarissa help!!" Nessa cried as she struggled to get from the bear's arms, Ria was already on the ground like a lifeless doll.

"Shit!"

I knew it, something was wrong with this bear. I didn't notice it before but now it was as clear as day. It had every look a bear should have but it was missing something-the growl, its animal sound, I never heard it, nor have I seen it open its mouth. In other words the bear was a fake, another of their stupid tricks.

"Don't you fucking dare do anything to my friends!" I threatened, quickly taking the knives that was strapped on my thigh. I cut part my dress and covered my nose as I charged like a soldier in a war.

Throwing knives was my specialty. When I was young, I wasn't very strong and so my dad taught me something simple and dangerous at the same time, and that was to throw knives to whoever wants to harm me. He made me practice every day until I became an expert in it. My shoulders hurt a lot back then but it was worth it.

I glared at the bear. You're going down fatso.

As I was running, I threw my knives hard on the bear's shoulder making it let go of Nessa who was screaming tirelessly. It staggered back and I used that timing to jump up and swing on the branch, using it as a leverage to pummel a strong kick on the bear's chest. I heard a groan as the fluffy bear fell on the ground with a loud thud. And it wasn't a bear's groan, it sounded like a man's.

I quickly sat on top of the bear and savagely cut down its fur by its neck. I don't know how they made the mascot look like a real bear but I didn't care. I wanted to punch whoever was hiding behind it.

"Okay, okay!" I heard a boy's voice, and the fake fatso finally took the bear head off, revealing a young, medium build, scared boy, not older than me. He had dark brown hair and big hazel eyes.

"Make it stop," I threatened and put the knife near his sweaty neck. "Make the freaking fog stop!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez, chill woman," he said and I raised an eyebrow and pushed my knife closer to his neck. He gulped and quickly pressed a button that was on his palm.

Almost immediately, the fog was gone and I could finally breathe the fresh air from the forest.

"Now you're taking us where the real finish line is." I stood up, still pointing my knife at him. I looked over to my poor friends, they were passed out from the fog or gas.

"No way, I can't do that! As you can see, you guys weren't supposed to win the challenge. Damn it. You should be asleep with them right now then you guys will wake up when the time limit is done and not remember what happened," he complained, frustrated and rubbed his hair with his fake looking real paws.

"Well guess what Sherlock, I'm not asleep." I glared at him. "Now carry my friends and get us to the finish line."

"Are you crazy? I'm going to lose my job!" He exasperated.

I rolled my eyes. "Well too bad, you're going to lose it either way. What more if I told everyone that the rumored bear was actually not a bear but a human who makes the contestants lose the challenge?"

His eyes widened. "No way, you wouldn't do that. The director is going to kill me."

"Try me."

He groaned finally giving up.

The rest of the way was easy, well I made sure of that of course. When we're finally a few yards away from the banner of K & Q, Nessa and Ria woke up feeling light headed. Ria went ballistic when she saw the bear without its bear head, revealing a boy's instead. She slapped the guy hard, blushing slightly. Well who wouldn't be embarrassed? She was practically glued to him earlier when he was in his bear form, and I bet the guy liked it. He was blushing when Ria woke up.

As for Nessa, she frowned, looking like she was about to cry of sadness because the bear wasn't what she thought it was and happiness because we finally made it.

"Congratulations to Clarissa Marie Valdez for the 50th place, Mary Riallyn Havard for the 51st, and Princess Vanessa Ulsery Pottera Blighton for the 52nd place, in the first challenge," someone announced out loud as we passed under the academy's banner and into a wide arena.