Jack: "EH? Wow thats huge, no wonder..."

Anastatia: "You're right, this is scary."

Lily: "I don't know how I feel anymore."

Fred: "Well, this is what we came for, ready?"

Ezekiel: "Yea, ready for you to shut up so Ana can announce why we're here."

With this contempt, Fred started standing upright to futher his height, looking down at Ezekiel with crazed almond eyes and a slightly open, maniacal smile. Ezekiel returned in favor times 2, almost expecting that reaction and lying in wait. Ana cleared her throat, attempting to move things along and succeeding. Since the bickering boys dispersed at her call for attention.

Ana: "Now, you guys understand somewhat why we're here right? To play a game, with the starting point and base being the crater which started the fight against our village saviours. This is for fun! So lets enjoy kay? The game is hide and seek, although this time the rules have changed and their is a condition for the side that loses is: 'Do anything the winner ask of you.'

Ezekiel: "Wait what? How is this the first I heard of this?"

Ana: "Zeke shut up and let me finish, your annoying when you speak out of turn."

Ezekiel: "What'd you say?"

Goosebumps, these ominous alerts of a sudden, unknown interference, raged all across the bodies of the children in the vicinity. Ezekiel who wore an expression of suprise, shifted to a blank, cold face with his demonic carmine eyes narrowed and unfocused. This sight was a warning of continuing on carelessly.

Jack and fred redirected Ana away from Ezekiel and took up a readied stance in front of her and Lily, facing Ezekiel. This was by no means a playful gesture, no, it was one of equal warning to Ezekiel, 'calm down'. What was worse was, Jack and Fred, even with a combined effort, would fall in a conceited battle against the youngest of the group, the leader himself. At their shaken resolve, Ezekiel's eyes widened and burst with acknowledgement of what he just incurred. His face once again, phased into a wry, gentle smile meant to disarm the current tense atmosphere.

Ezekiel: "I didn't mean to..."

Fred: "Its alright, just don't let it happen again, you might scare us Zeke."

Taking hold of Jack's role as the 3rd party mediator, a stern look came across the sunflower haired, supposed grown man. This look made Ezekiel bite his lip, the words that Fred uttered were almost fatherly, basically ridiculing irrefutably, to have such a disadvantage. Ezekiel chuckled to himself, the first arguement won by Fred came right after so many other impossibilities. Admiration step foot into Ezekiel regardless of his feelings on the matter.

Ezekiel: "Ok, please continue Ana.

Anastatia: "Right, got it."

Flipping the script, Ezekiel turned away from Fred in every sense to face his older sister. Apologizing as a pretense to ignore Fred, not giving him any leeway to satsfiaction. He couldn't help it, a sore loser can only be true to his own heart. No matter the humbleness he disguises himself with, his true nature will always arrive foremost. Fred tilted his head foward, covering his face with sopping hair, secretly glaring at Ezekiel with a mysterious gaze.

Fred never paid mind to the thought process of Ezekiel Malin, the boy prodigy he considered a brother in arms. He seemingly thought he was blessed by the breath of life, someone extraordinary with a predestined path. How lonely that must be, just what could Ezekiel be thinking all the time. Does he ever think about his crew's incompetence? Would he pay deep attention to every flaw and think of ways to manipulate it how he sees fit? Or maybe he resents being able to see things his friends couldn't? To do and live in a different dimension from the ones he cares about most, is that how someone unparalleled would think like? Freds face softened into a frown, Ezekiel paid close attention.

Anastatia: "So, here are the special rules in place, for one, creating holes in the ground and hiding inside is a no go. Second is, hiding in trees is allowed this time, so long as your ok with them being shook from below tehehe. Last rule, 4 people will be seekers and only one will hide, so it's more hunting than seeking. The hider has already been chosen."

Fred: "..."

Jack: "..."

Lily: "..."

The 3 adolecent children glared down at Ezekiel from higher ground or simply because they we're taller. They couldn't contain the mocking look of triumph they had plastered on their faces. With evil grins, they falsely chuckled amongst themselves forcing the clownish air to laugh as well. Unfair, hopelessly arbitrary to the point of revealing shamefulness. He loved it, Ezekiel reveled in every last bit of it.

His friends truly believed turning the difficulty up would leave the leader shaking in his boots, how genile. He made it a personal mission to free his mistaken comrades from the illusion they were currently under. Ezekiel thinking to himself screamed of laughter at what he would ask of his brothers and sisters tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. Shaking the weird crumpling of foreboding, Ezekiel moved foward, leaving it as deja vu.

Ezekiel: "So does that mean i'm the hider?"

Anastatia: "Mhm."

Ezekiel: "Then, does that also mean I get to ask all 4 of you individually what I want you to do?"

Ana: "!"

Fred: "!"

Jack: "!"

Lily: "!"

Confidence, the overwhelming belief in ones own ability, these aren't suppoused to be natural things. In the face of unreasonable adversity, wavering is necessary to measure ones self. Only in special occasions, there are those who are cut from a different cloth, an intricate, delicately crafted masterpiece of a cloth.

Those people shine with a different glow than the rest, they take command of every situation their in and those in surrounding can't help but bow in respect and awe. Ezekiel while under the spotlight, rather than crumple, played up to the crippling role he was given to the fullest. Letting go of a contemptious smile as the topping.

The rest had nothing but idignant thoughts in mind, sharply chiding mentally. Everyone wanted nothing more than to strike down the pompous grandeur Ezekiel was relishing in. However, even with strength in numbers, after Ezekiel's complete renouncement of loss, all were equal in the face of despair. Contemplating deeply about what Ezekiel has in mind should they lose the shameful 4 VS 1, which was planned wickedly behind the leader's back. Death, maybe death might be a better option...

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Ana: "On second thought."

Ezekiel: "Hoh?"

No one realized it until it was too late. The witholding of information from the very beginning, the plan began treading dangerous lands. Ignorant of the dire consequences of foolishness, the unknowing children proceeded without caution. Arriving towards the beast den, ready to outnumber and sabatoge the sleeping beast in its humble abode, they hear it snarl and roar devastatingly enough to send a shrill shiver up ones spine. Thinking of retreating with grace, that path suddenly erased by a natural obstacle placed by the beast. Now they were the ones trapped in a corner, being hunted.

Anastatia: "Nevermind."

Fred: "You done superstar? Let's hear you talk like that after."

Jack: "Little bro has too big of a head for his shoulders, Fred we're giving it everything."

Lily: "You're right! I already have my order set, no going back!"

As the ignorant older sister tilted her head away from her menacingly excited younger brother in a squirming manner, Fred began the rally. Jack, noticing Fred's intentions, at once, supported it and joined in suit, ready to charge forth to victory. Lily not succumbing to the fear of Ezekiel's dominance, spoke the loudest, with a yell which spoke of the goals and aspirations of this fateful night, retreat was no longer an option. Ezekiel was... gleeful, no longer in a mutated way but a truly compassionate one, ever so thankful for this misfit family of his. Still shy in showing it outwards, a heat would soar to Ezekiel's face at any attempt and deny him from doing so.

Ezekiel: "So lets begin, whats my headstart?"

Anastatia: "10 seconds."

Ezekiel: "Keke how brutal. And the ways to lose?"

Anastatia: "If your sighted."

Ezekiel: " I hope your ready for an order of equal unfairness, beloved sister."

Anastatia: "A-alright, everyone except Zeke to the center."

Hastily proceeding, all who were steadily approachng their predetermined spots. The hunters in the center of the crater, heads turned towards each other and looking downward. The hunted started in a tree out of sight, just in case someone was greedy enough to sneak a peak before the wonderful event begins. The nerves, as they moved foward time slowed slightly. The growing anxiousness and worry, the derisive impulsions of failure in sight, all shared this feeling as one. There was no going back, this is where the true terror will corrode into view.

Anastatia: "START!"

At the remarking initiation of the game,the rain suddenly stopped. As if mockingly doing the opposite of what Anastaia ordered aloud. Ezekiel kicks the sturdy branch he was crouched down upon in a ready-to-leap position, the branch violenty shakes before snapping in half. The attentive seekers tuning into their ears, hear the intrusive sound, recollect where Ezekiel initially began.

If their ears haven't failed them, they heard the noise coming from South, in the direction of the village, they noted this important fact. Ezekiel however was quite the clever innovater. Purposley making a ruckus from the beginning to give a way his position, or atleast the mirage of his position. He then shifts into silented steps, shadowy and muted, and begins heading westward, in the opposite direction he jumped towards. While leaving behind obvious traces of his false path towards the East. A simple trap to start the game off right.

Ana: "1!"

Fred: "2!"

Exactly two counted seconds passed in the interval of setting up the trap, Ezekiel bites his lip at his misuse of time, but continues on to the next step grudgingly so. The hunters would eventually find the trail they believed was right, was cold from the start. The clues on the opposite side where his limbs most likely left markings due to a self depricated type of thinking Ezekiel has: "It's not good enough, i'm not good enough." His nature of striving for the pinnacle was instinctual, inscribed in his body from birth.

Wether he wanted to or not, he must soar, at all cost. A sense of lonliness was also derived from this force of habit, slowly creating a distance between Ezekiel and his loved ones. With this fact in mind, Ezekiel fowarded into stage two regardless of his inner conflicts: the funk bombs, little light brown balls made of paper machee .These wonderful tools of disgust were personally designed and crafted by Fred. They were filled with venomous skunk glands, at the top of the balls there was a small string meant to be lit on fire, which Ezekiel hastily did with flint and steel he also brought along.

Dropping 3 funk bombs, each 5 meters from each other, the bombs began sizzling until they finally poofed a pungent, retched smell meant to burn the nostrils and disorient. This phase was more of a joke then an actual attempt at evading but the profits weren't zero. In some cases the females may reject the path of following in the corrosive gas and take a detour, possibly losing Ezekiel's path. In another possible outcome everyone would become to too disoriented or nasueous to follow the trail properly becoming lost as well. Or maybe, by some miracle, they get through it methodically.

Anastatia "5!"

Fred: "6!"

At this point, Ezekiel had released his tensed up feet which evaded noisiness while hindering his movement. Deeming himself far enough away to switch from stealth to quickness. He dropped from the branches, into the bushes and shrubs of below in order to get a full range of motion. The next course of action was taking the path towards a specific hare trap only he knew about.

The trap was made by the village saviours and kept secret by Ezekiel, thinking in the future he may catch one of his friends in it, today was that day. There was a multitude of this coniving intricasices laid all around the forest. Dominating it with an unnatural human intereference unseeing to the naked eye. Although most were far too dangerous to use on Ezekiel's companions.

Especially that one, towards the East, he should never go near that evil scent. Just thinking about it made Ezekiel shiver with deterrence influenced thoughts. Locking those memories shut, Ezekiel moved on. The trap he initially had on his mind prior was a typical bait and net type of trap that lunged upwards, catching anything foolish enough to fall for the carrot. While low and hidden enough to not be percieved by the naked eye, it was only big enough to hold Lily at best. He will just have to gamble on it.

Lily: "8!"

Anastatia: "9!"

Having implemented all of his conspicous tatics, Ezekiel darted towards a location only he was familiar with. To the North, there lied a specific tree Ezekiel was bonded with in peace. One he would often go to in order to clear his mind, or to simply escape from his boring reality of loneliness he accumulated as he strived foward. The thought of leaving his friends behind with every he step he took, in order to halt progresson too quick for Ezekiel's state of mind to handle. He would meanginglessly arrive to this specific tree and let go of everything.

From his thoughts on improving, to his pessimistic thoughts, to his thoughts on his friends and family, to what food he's going to have today, all of it receded inside his favorite tree. This location was known to Ezekiel as the Elk. Standing upright, glaring upwards at the fascinating tree, Ezekiel took in a deep breath.

The tree was an egnima in this forest of regular jungle trees one would naturally see. Its bark was white with spots of abyss blackness giving it an otherwordly look. The bark was thick but less imposing as opposed to the brown bark surrounding it. The Elk was hidden amongst the others trees as if skillfully hiding itself, only reveaing itself to those with an extended cathexis. This was Ezekiel's santuary, his partner in peace.

Fred: "10!!! Ready or not! Here we hunt!"

Booming outwardly with the obstinate approach of intimidating, was Fred. His veins bulging from the side of his head next to his ear, with an eagerness to him. The rest had already crouched down ready to sniff upon their first clue. Roaring through the air, the 4 figures steadily approached their destination until finally landing on a branch near a broken stump in one of the jungle trees. As the respective branch each child landed on shook slightly dropping only a few leafs, they all looked in the same direction. Towards the east, there was a scratch along the vast tree staining it white, just visible enough to be seen if one narrowed their sight.

Lily: "Here. Look you can see traces of Zeke, kun kun, although I can't smell him cause of the wetness."

Anastaia: "Yea if you look at the next few trees you can see similar markings."

Jack: "Then let's follow, who knows what that little evil genius has in store for us, we have to catch him before sunrise."

Fred: "Hold it."

Amongst the near unanimous agreement of the next course of action, a repudiation was sent shivering throughout the wind with a hint of authority. While the other 3 had looks of affirmation, Fred in contrast, was holding a face full of disbelief, one of caution and a tinge of repulsion. He shook his hair letting it droop along his eyes before swaying them away.

Jack: "What do you mean we have no time to waste Fred, enough pessimism."

Fred: "Jack since you're great at assuming, think back to what you just said, you're thoughts about what Zeke might have in store for us."

Jack: "Yes, what about them."

Looking upwards slightly and recounting what he just said unknowingly, he glared back down in Fred's direction, looking for his point. The beating around the bush was unlike Fred, it was starting to annoy Jack who was already losing patience. This time alone, losing was not an option, he couldn't let Ezekiel have his way. The over seeing gleam of malice, the enourmous Ezekiel which was dripping drool upon Jack from above ready to devour him whole. Jack gave a shudder at what might happen should sunrise arrive before Ezekiel is found.

Fred: "Sigh, alright, with that in mind, recall what you first heard, a large snap right here. Now we see markings showing us Ezekiel's path but don't you thinks it's strange, the absence of something our senses couldn't find?"

Jack: "Enough nonsen-"

Lily: "Are you talking about..."

Anastatia: "The sound after the starting ruckus?"

Catching on to Fred's immersive viewpoint on the behaviors of Ezekiel Malin, the two ignorant girls sparked with a sense of accomplishment at comprehending what Fred was trying to say. They began with flippant ideaologies towards Fred's enourmous caution which exuded fear, but this time. Without thinking the two girls decided to pay heed to the cowards words.

No, the boy in front of them was no longer a coward, he was a man worth paying mind too. Jack on the otherhand was stuck in a muddy sense of distraught. Having been left behind by kids all younger than he was. He solemnly decided to stay silent and continue listening, in order to diminish an embarrasement that might be in store.

Fred: "Exactly, after the first snap, no other intrusive sound came next."

Lily: "!"

Ana: "!"

Jack: "!!!"

Fred: "So, if there was no sound, who's to say that these markings weren't purposely placed to hide the true path? We have no knowledge of any sound towards the east after the first step, so how can we assume this isn't the first trick?"

Almost completely sure of himself, Fred willingly followed not Ezekiel's facade of a path, but the pavement his gut was forming for him. Anastatia and Lily were bemused by these thoughts invading their minds. Creating mutiple new scenarios they never had insight towards before. Jack was calm, recollected, and refined, on the outside of course. On the inside he was fuming with anger and rebukement of himself. How could he have allowed himself to be tricked, while announcing he might get tricked...

Fred: "Ezekiel, from the jump, was never going east, no, he definetly went west."

Anastatisa: "Your right."

Lily: "For sure."

Jack: "Then let's head out."