𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎.

𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒

I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT GRASSHOPPER CO. WAS JUST A PEICE OF SHIT. I wasted time, hours, minutes, and seconds trying to crack the digits of the number I had to call to complete the final stage of the scavenger hunt. I sought out completing the ambiguous tasks of Grasshopper Co. out of sheer boredom. In the middle of a Apex Legends the black box appeared again, telling me now I have entered the eidikós scavenger hunt of Grasshopper Co.

The box wouldn't go away and Andrew's abrasive shouting stop blaring in my headphones, so I continued to enter the scavenger hunt stage. It had me up all night thinking , why does the box come back, where did this black box come from, and how did it pop up on my specific computer? And Google hardly could answer my questions about Grasshopper Co. (just links to websites about grasshoppers) or any 'virus' that contained having a black box show up on your screen.

Now I was at a payphone, since the number didn't work when I called on my mobile
or my house phone so this was my last resort. The number consisted of an answer from a math equation. (6*2 (1+2) =?), then the mean of a phone number that belonged to a pluming service in Nashville, and so on and so forth. I dialed the number and glanced around me. A blue jeep began to pull off and a couple crossed the street. "You ordering tonight?" "No way, I'm cooking now" I was cut off from their conversation as the phone begin beep. The paper in my hand that had the number scribbled on started to shake as my nerves began to come back.

Maybe this is an bad idea, and whoever is on this other line is either some identity thief, or this whole Grasshopper. Co is a hoax and I'm not gifted or one of the 'selected individuals'. Before I could continue my denial in my head the phone answered.

"Jake Williams?"
***
"And it was fucking crazy" I was following Nisa, a boxes of Juicy Fruit stacked in her hands as she carried it over to the cash register. "Mmh, please tell me more about your stupid scammer" she let down a defeated huff setting the boxes of gum next to the register. I leaned over the counter, continuing "well I don't know that yet, anyway, anyone could have been calling how did they know it was Jake fucking Williams!".

"Maybe because you were the last one time to sign up for their scam" Nisa shrugged . As I opened my mouth to protest, she shouted over my shoulder. "What did I say about you guys pulling that fuck ass shit in here Monty!" I whipped around to see Monty Davis and Patrick Will, hands filled with snacks a gut feeling in me knowing they weren't gonna pay for. Nisa crossed her arms, with an expression that read she was ready for disputation.

I knew Nisa was strong from the first three seconds when she saved my life. Just as Monty Davis was about to plow my face in she interfered, a gift from God itself saved me from getting my ass kicked in the 5th grade for accidentally not grading his math quiz right. "Monty, Jesus, would you fucking stop he's choking on dirt it's gross!" I wasn't choking on dirt but I would rather do that then get my ass kicked by an ADHD Anger issued 5th grader.

"What we doing?!" Monty testified, smirk growing on his face. I decided to keep quiet for my own safety as she whispered to me "this fucker thinks I'm actually playing with him" though, Monty hasn't said anything to me after 5th grade, only that time in middle school where he called me a fag out of anger. I brushed it off quickly knowing it was just Monty drowning in his anger and he needed something to latch onto.

I turned to look at Nisa trying to read her expression. She was growing a grin. "Monty i'll give you 10 seconds" she crossed her arms firmly. Nisa no later than a year older than me, 16 though it felt as if she was years older than me. She had hidden wisdom she probably gained from keeping her parent's corner store time to time and dealing with hooligans like Monty and Patrick.

I had a anxious feeling fill my stomach, along with her wisdom she was unpredictable, someone I never knew I needed in my life until I met her, she wasn't a chain reaction she was the reaction. She often did things after her vast Knowledge about life (of what she gained in her 16 year) or her fast thinking. But the side effect of this she was stubborn. So damn stubborn. "What are you gonna do" I whispered through my teeth, she shook her head while leaning under the counter to grab something.

"Want me to count for you? because you obviously can't do that" she teased. Though Money and Patrick still stood there, this time laughing to each other like they did in class because everything to them so was damn funny. I barely batted an a eyelash, too anxious, too worried about what Nisa was going to do next.

Monty scoffed picking up another bag of Doritos, placing it in triumph in his arms. Before I could finish taking a breath Nisa pulled out the gun her dad always kept stashed behind the register and pointed it dead at Monty like she was an skill assassin from an action movie. My bag of skittles slipped out my hand, rainbow candy scattered across the store floor.

Even though my mind was an anxious mess, I almost let out a chuckle seeing Monty and Patrick's smirks turn into faces like deer in headlights. He was left wordless and speechless for the first time. "Now I'm gonna ask you to put back everything you got and get the fuck out my store"