Promises (TP 6)

Bonus chapter 2: October

They walked aimlessly through the maze for a while getting nowhere. The more times they met dead ends the harder they laughed.

Kristi said, "No one is getting drunk this way."

Tessa didn't care, because it was fun walking and laughing outside. Everyone they saw commented about their shirts. They reached a sign with a number one. "What does this mean?" Tessa asked.

"Clues. We forget a clue sheet, it tells you which way to turn." Megan threw up her hands.

"I grabbed one." Alison said, "I lost track of the number of field trips I've chaperone here. "The arts. Number one who won best actor in 2020? Leonardo DiCaprio, turn right. Chadwick Boseman, go straight. Anthony Hopkins, turn left."

"Who knows?" A chorus of not me.

"The clues are too hard."

"Google."

Kristi said, "There's no service in the middle of nowhere!"

Maddie said, "Come on. We can do this. Not Hopkins, he's ancient."

"These clues are ancient." Jen said.

Megan said, "It can't be straight so right."

They set off sure of themselves. "Another clue is ahead. Fuck, it's number one."

"Straight then?"

Alison said, "Left. I remember telling Cole who Hopkins was. Maybe he had won."

Kristi said, "Okay, Clarice."

Her sinister voice made Jen scream. "Stop I'll have nightmares."

Kristi said, "Alex will save you."

Megan said, "No, in the corn field because we're sleeping here."

Everyone laughed, as the walked in circles, but didn't find the one again.

"It's a table!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Wine. Thank God."

The helpers behind the table told them to put their white ticket in a basket. In exchange they got a cup of white wine and a piece of chocolate.

"Yum. Chocolate." After one sip, Maddie split her wine up pouring a lot into Tessa's glass.

She drank it feeling as if they had earned it. They posed at Kristi's insistence for a group shot at table one. "A huge accomplishment."

The helpers asked if they could take a picture of their shirts. They moved on as the wine sloshed over the cup on to Tessa's hand. They reached the second clue but once again didn't know the answer to the question. Kristi ribbed Alison for her choice but she gave it back to her. "At least I grabbed one."

They saw a light through the stalks and heard voices. "Wine!" They picked up their pace.

Pleased with themselves they had found table two, the helpers said, "We knew you were coming. We saw a picture of your shirts."

Tessa ate her chocolate. She needed energy as they plowed on with red wine in a cup. The path was darker and Kristi complained about needing the bathroom. Tessa worried about laughing too much. Without warning, Jen turned around with a headlamp on her head.

"Oh my God, look at you!" Kristi shouted.

Tessa thought it was a smart idea. Jen said, "Alex suggested it."

Kristi said, "Hot and practical."

They found the third table and began to feel confident as they wandered in the dark