Princess; b.parish (EDITING)

Chapter Ten

The competition seemed easy enough. Each squad would receive a paintball gun, some protective gear, and a target. The goal was to get the flag from the opposing teams "fortress" which was really just shambles of wood and nails pulled together to make a 4 floor maze. The competition was to find our squad leader, and not that Princess needed it, she wouldn't mind getting it.

But there was a voice in the back of her head that told her not to, and the voice sounded a hell of a lot like Lola. Lola told her she had no idea what she was doing and Princess believed her. But she needed this position, the power, to feel in control of something. If not her life then maybe a squad of a couple rag tag kids.

The plan was to charge for the other teams flag but have a couple of members guard our own flag. Dumbo, Poundcake, and Oompa volunteered immediately to guard our flag. Princess assumed that the other job was too intense for them. The rest of the squad would head for the flag and try and take out as many opponents as they could.

Both teams assembled at the start line, ready to run and conquer the field. Reznik raised the starter pistol, and the shot rang out. But almost nobody heard it over the scuffling of feet beginning their sprint towards a fortress. Princess ran side by side with Zombie attempting to take out as many opponents as she could.

By the time she made it to the fortress, Poundcake had been taken out by an opponent and was headed back side by side with someone from squad 19. The boy had been splattered in the back with green paint pellets, the ones belonging to Squad 53. The purple on Poundcake's back stood out like a sore thumb.

The kids kept running, trying to ignore the yells of confusion and adrenaline. Zombie threw open the door to squad 19's fortress and the kids immediately fell into action. Hoping with every step that their plan would work. Flintstone and Tank, the partners in crime, were to trail far behind the rest watching for an opponent who may try and attack them. Nugget and Teacup were to stay with Zombie and Princess, using their small size as possible advantages when trying to get the flag. Zombie and Princess were to blow in, full force, no mercy, to try and win.

Princess felt as though she wasn't in her body, experiencing what was happening. Princess knew what she was doing but on the inside was absolutely clueless as to how that is possible. She had no idea how she had the confidence to throw herself over tables and push through the simulation of merciless warfare she had been put in.

The 4 kids made it to the second floor, where it was assumed to get progressively harder to navigate. They stepped into a room that someone looked like a lounge when "shots" began to ring. Purple paint splattered all over the furniture, and sadly, Teacup. She huffed softly and jogged out of the room, and eventually the fortress.

Zombie ran to the window, kneeling just beneath it, shooting aimlessly at whoever shot at them. There was no telling if he got anyone but there was no time to spare to find out. The remaining three ran up the rickety stairs to the third and final floor. From the middle landing they could see the bright purple flag, propped up on a table. Princess let out a breath of relief and kneeled briefly. They had done it, they were so close to victory, and for her; possibly the leadership title.

Nugget perked up, and ran forwards towards the smaller table next to the flag with a soft giggle.

"Hey Zombie, check this out!"

He reached under and pulled out a Spider-Man Figurine. Zombie and Princess yelled at him to stop but by that time it was too late. Nugget had set off a booby trap that released purple paint. When the "explosion" had cleared, Princess paused to asses herself. She (thankfully) had not been hit by any paint. But at the last second Zombie had thrown himself in front of Nugget, who crawled out from behind him paint free. A silence hung in the air until there was a loud rumbling from the stairs.