The Survival Gauntlet

My blood was boiling. I hated him. That guy sure knew how to irritate people. We assembled in the field and received instructions for the survival test. We were each given a backpack to put anything we wanted and needed to bring because the test could go on for days with no definite time limit. We all got worried, except for him. He must be confident, I thought. The officers left us to talk by ourselves and get acquainted. With extreme bad luck, the guy turned out to be Daniel Schultz and the "princess" Clarisse Dansleiff. Our squad did not seem promising. There was tension between the members already. We gave brief introductions then talked about the test. Since it was a survival test, it was pretty clear we needed weapons which Daniel said to leave to him. I get that he was the oldest among us. I get that he was a top student in medical school and took professional preparatory training for the military. But what I didn't get was his bossy attitude. He gave us instructions and ordered us like he was our leader, and Clarisse was acting like a loyal subject. She kept agreeing to everything he said. They've known each other for a long time, that was obvious. He's a stranger to us so his commanding tone kept rubbing me the wrong way. He gave us a few more instructions then we left to get ready.

We met three hours later at the entrance of the Western woods. The other squads were already there when Mike and I arrived. The "king" and "princess" were standing at the far left, away from the others. We joined them. There were a lot of Black Thorns soldiers in the area. I could tell by the crest on their uniforms. Even the commander was there. It was no surprise. It was the final stage and only the best could pass. One officer blew his whistle and the commander explained the task. The squads were to enter the woods and collect three special gold coins scattered all over the place. There were only twenty-one gold coins so only seven squads could collect them. From the three hundred forty-nine applicants, only twenty-eight individuals would be accepted. Aside from trying to find needles in a haystack, we won't be allowed to leave the premises until we've collected them or other squads have completed the task, or your squad gives up. Another catch was that the officers would be going into the woods to try and steal the gold coins we've found. In summary, we had to find three gold coins, survive the woods until we found them, and protect them from the officers who'd try and take them. It was an arduous task. I was thrilled. I've never felt so much excitement. No wonder only a few were accepted every year. You needed the physique and spirit to pass. I glanced at Clarisse. She did not look like someone who'd survive in the woods. She must have been pampered since birth. Daniel seemed capable but his attitude will be his downfall.

We checked everything we brought and confirmed our assignments. Clarisse was in charge of the medical kit and any essential things we would need. She brought loads of them. Daniel was in charge of the weapons. We did not dare ask where he got them considering he was obviously from a wealthy family. The officers checked the weapons and were given approval. Mike brought the tents and anything that would keep us warm at night. He seemed happy to have been tasked to carry the heavy load. I was in charge of the food. The old ladies helped me prepare them. I wanted to punch Daniel's face for the simple assignment he gave me, but my rage could wait. I also brought a few of my books in case we find ourselves in trouble. Knowledge is power after all. The whistle was blown, and we were off. We entered the woods on the far left side, away from the other squads. Daniel said we needed to distance ourselves from the start and mark our territory. We walked in silence. Everybody was probably thinking the same thing. We just had to pass the test then go back to being strangers. We kept walking deeper into the woods. Out of nowhere, a monster appeared.