07-21-2023, 01:46 PM
Here I am in a dense tropical jungle, on an island, hunting and being hunted. I have a bow and an arrow on the string. I only have three arrows left after that. How did I get in this situation you ask? I simply answered an ad in the local paper. They wanted someone to compete for a million dollar prize. I answered the ad along with my twin brother Jerry. When we went to the place, they loaded us on a van, then onto a plane, and brought us to this jungle island somewhere in the South Pacific. Only when we reached the island did we learn what the real contest was and we had no chance to back out. We were taken to a room with twenty eight other men and women where the contest was explained. At dawn the next day we would all be released into the jungle with primitive weapons to kill or be killed. The million dollars would be given to the survivor or split among anyone who lasted seven days in the jungle. I looked around the room and recognized a few friends and even my cousin Crystal. She was a year younger than Jerry and I and we grew up together. We had always shared the fantasy of dying together. It looks like we might live it out.
Before dawn the next morning we were all taken to seperate rooms where we would chose our weapons. The men were given nothing but white shorts to wear and the women were given white bikinis. I thought at the time that would make us easier targets, but then I guess that was the point. At dawn we were all sent through tunnels to come out at thirty different points on the island. I came out near a lagoon that was fed by a waterfall off a thirty foot cliff above. The lagoon was surrounded by vegetation and made good cover. I waited for a few minutes before I noticed a man at the top of the cliff walking toward the stream that created the waterfall. He was a big guy carrying a spear and shield. I pulled out an arrow and aimed where his beer belly hung over his shorts. The arrow made a dull thud as it went up into his guts. He howled in pain and bent over. He fell out of sight, but in a few seconds he fell over the waterfall and floated belly up in the lagoon. I could tell by the angle of his head that the fall had broken his neck. I heard the clanging of metal together nearby so I put another arrow on my bow and went to investigate. I was surprised to find Jerry fighting in a clearing with another man. Both held swords and appeared to be evenly matched in skill. Jerry was a tall skinny guy, but deceptively strong from his years of swimming competively, but the man he was fighting was a good two inches taller and muscles bulged around his body. I drew my arrow back to shoot, but couldn't get a clear shot. I could tell that Jerry was getting tired and his reactions were slowing down. Jerry tried to parry a thrust, but the big man turned his sword and slashed across Jerry's belly. Jerry screamed in pain as he dropped his sword and clamped his hands on his belly, trying to hold in his guts. Jerry fell to his knees with a groan. The big man spun his sword and drove the point into Jerry's chest. He laughed as Jerry's hands fell limp and his guts spilled out of his belly. I let the arrow fly and his laugh stopped in a gurgle as my arrowhead went through his heart. I went back to the lagoon where I was surprised to find the the first man I had killed was no longer there. I hid out in the bushes there for the next two days without seeing anyone. I survived on water and the fish that I could shoot out of the lagoon. It was early this morning when everything went wrong. I was almost to the lagoon when I heard a thump on a tree just in front of me. I saw an arrow stuck in the tree and immediately loaded an arrow into my bow. I looked at the arrow and tried to guess where it had come from. In a tree near the lagoon crouched on a large branch was my friend Jason. He was struggling to get an arrow out of his quiver. I pulled my arrow back and took careful aim. I'm not a very good shot, but even I couldn't miss that half dollar sized belly button. I let the arrow fly and saw the surprised look on Jason's face when it hit with a dull thump.
"Awh Pete! That's not fair." grunted Jason as he looked down at the arrow in his gut.
Jason fell forward and turned so that he landed on his back. He struggled up to his feet with both hands wrapped around the shaft. I drew another arrow and let it fly. Jason got that dumbfounded look on his face again, then fell back stiffly with an arrow in his heart. I felt in my quiver and noticed I only had four arrows left. I went over to Jason to retrieve the two in him. Just before I reached Jason's body an arrow hit near my foot. I jumped back and dove into the underbrush. I put an arrow on the string as I looked around for the person shooting. An arrow hit with a thump just over my head and ran deeper into the undergrowth.
That's how I got here. I don't know if I managed to elude the archer that was shooting at me, or if they're still out there. I saw something move in the bushes and I pulled my arrow back. The bush moved again and I shot. I heard someone gag and a man holding a sword and shield flopped to the ground with my arrow in his throat. I walked over to retrieve the arrow and another arrow hit a tree beside me, just barely missing my face. I turned and ran behind a tree. I looked all around me, but couldn't see who had been doing the shooting. I reached back for another arrow and heard a solid thump. This time it wasn't the sound of an arrow hitting a tree, but hitting something softer, then I felt the fire in my belly and looked down. I dropped my bow and instinctively reached for the arrow that was stuck about an inch above my navel. There was another thump and I leaned back against the tree as I felt fire spread out from my belly button. I heard the bushes rustling and looked to see Crystal walk up to me. She held a bow with an arrow ready to shoot.
"We may not go together, but I can make sure you get in the gut, cousin dear." said Crystal.
Crystal pulled the arrow back and this time aimed at my chest.
"Don't! Please don't kill me." I pleaded.
"Oh I killed you with first shot. You just haven't given up yet." said Crystal with a smile.
She let the shaft go and I heard the solid thud as it hit my chest and it felt like a volcano erupting. I could taste blood in my mouth and felt it run out of the corner of my mouth as I slid down the tree trunk. Crystal bent over me, grabbed the arrow in the middle of my belly and gave it a hard twist. Red hot pain shot through my whole body as I tried to catch my breathe and scream. She pulled out another arrow and aimed it down at me. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and hoped that she wouldn't shoot. She did and I couldn't help but scream as the arrow hit at the top of my shorts. Another explosion of pain washed over me, then nothing. I guess I'll never know who won the contest.
Before dawn the next morning we were all taken to seperate rooms where we would chose our weapons. The men were given nothing but white shorts to wear and the women were given white bikinis. I thought at the time that would make us easier targets, but then I guess that was the point. At dawn we were all sent through tunnels to come out at thirty different points on the island. I came out near a lagoon that was fed by a waterfall off a thirty foot cliff above. The lagoon was surrounded by vegetation and made good cover. I waited for a few minutes before I noticed a man at the top of the cliff walking toward the stream that created the waterfall. He was a big guy carrying a spear and shield. I pulled out an arrow and aimed where his beer belly hung over his shorts. The arrow made a dull thud as it went up into his guts. He howled in pain and bent over. He fell out of sight, but in a few seconds he fell over the waterfall and floated belly up in the lagoon. I could tell by the angle of his head that the fall had broken his neck. I heard the clanging of metal together nearby so I put another arrow on my bow and went to investigate. I was surprised to find Jerry fighting in a clearing with another man. Both held swords and appeared to be evenly matched in skill. Jerry was a tall skinny guy, but deceptively strong from his years of swimming competively, but the man he was fighting was a good two inches taller and muscles bulged around his body. I drew my arrow back to shoot, but couldn't get a clear shot. I could tell that Jerry was getting tired and his reactions were slowing down. Jerry tried to parry a thrust, but the big man turned his sword and slashed across Jerry's belly. Jerry screamed in pain as he dropped his sword and clamped his hands on his belly, trying to hold in his guts. Jerry fell to his knees with a groan. The big man spun his sword and drove the point into Jerry's chest. He laughed as Jerry's hands fell limp and his guts spilled out of his belly. I let the arrow fly and his laugh stopped in a gurgle as my arrowhead went through his heart. I went back to the lagoon where I was surprised to find the the first man I had killed was no longer there. I hid out in the bushes there for the next two days without seeing anyone. I survived on water and the fish that I could shoot out of the lagoon. It was early this morning when everything went wrong. I was almost to the lagoon when I heard a thump on a tree just in front of me. I saw an arrow stuck in the tree and immediately loaded an arrow into my bow. I looked at the arrow and tried to guess where it had come from. In a tree near the lagoon crouched on a large branch was my friend Jason. He was struggling to get an arrow out of his quiver. I pulled my arrow back and took careful aim. I'm not a very good shot, but even I couldn't miss that half dollar sized belly button. I let the arrow fly and saw the surprised look on Jason's face when it hit with a dull thump.
"Awh Pete! That's not fair." grunted Jason as he looked down at the arrow in his gut.
Jason fell forward and turned so that he landed on his back. He struggled up to his feet with both hands wrapped around the shaft. I drew another arrow and let it fly. Jason got that dumbfounded look on his face again, then fell back stiffly with an arrow in his heart. I felt in my quiver and noticed I only had four arrows left. I went over to Jason to retrieve the two in him. Just before I reached Jason's body an arrow hit near my foot. I jumped back and dove into the underbrush. I put an arrow on the string as I looked around for the person shooting. An arrow hit with a thump just over my head and ran deeper into the undergrowth.
That's how I got here. I don't know if I managed to elude the archer that was shooting at me, or if they're still out there. I saw something move in the bushes and I pulled my arrow back. The bush moved again and I shot. I heard someone gag and a man holding a sword and shield flopped to the ground with my arrow in his throat. I walked over to retrieve the arrow and another arrow hit a tree beside me, just barely missing my face. I turned and ran behind a tree. I looked all around me, but couldn't see who had been doing the shooting. I reached back for another arrow and heard a solid thump. This time it wasn't the sound of an arrow hitting a tree, but hitting something softer, then I felt the fire in my belly and looked down. I dropped my bow and instinctively reached for the arrow that was stuck about an inch above my navel. There was another thump and I leaned back against the tree as I felt fire spread out from my belly button. I heard the bushes rustling and looked to see Crystal walk up to me. She held a bow with an arrow ready to shoot.
"We may not go together, but I can make sure you get in the gut, cousin dear." said Crystal.
Crystal pulled the arrow back and this time aimed at my chest.
"Don't! Please don't kill me." I pleaded.
"Oh I killed you with first shot. You just haven't given up yet." said Crystal with a smile.
She let the shaft go and I heard the solid thud as it hit my chest and it felt like a volcano erupting. I could taste blood in my mouth and felt it run out of the corner of my mouth as I slid down the tree trunk. Crystal bent over me, grabbed the arrow in the middle of my belly and gave it a hard twist. Red hot pain shot through my whole body as I tried to catch my breathe and scream. She pulled out another arrow and aimed it down at me. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and hoped that she wouldn't shoot. She did and I couldn't help but scream as the arrow hit at the top of my shorts. Another explosion of pain washed over me, then nothing. I guess I'll never know who won the contest.