Leave the World Behind

Bazaar

I was so happy that we were finally in the crowded streets of the Bazaar. "What are we supposed to be doing?" Fridge asks.

"Looking for the missing piece of the map," Martha looked around.

"So we just start asking around for it?" Fridge wanted to know the game plan.

"No, I don't think we should draw attention to ourselves. Maybe one of the vendors has it." I look at the booths. Most were selling food or clothes.

"I agree with Jenny. We look around, scope the place out, but most importantly be discreet." He made sure to look at Fridge when he said the last part.

"Rations! Get your rations!" A man waves a loaf of bread around.

"Does anyone have any money? I'm literally starving." Bethany whines. I handed her a ten-dollar bill.

"Thank you." She and Martha move through the crowd to get to the man.

"Guys, I think the game is trying to tell us to keep our health up." Spencer smoldered as he said, "We need to eat."

"Okay, stop doing that." Fridge said.

"Someone upset that someone else is the chick magnet and not them." I went to get a piece of bread.

"Oh, my God, this is so good. I haven't had bread since I was, like, nine." Bethany moans.

"Are you serious?" I gasp.

"How do you think I got these abs?" The vendor looks at Shelly's large stomach in confusion.

"Let me try some of that." Fridge took a piece from her. He took a big bite and got a concerned look on his face. "Mm. Wait, what...? What is this?" He asks the vendor.

"That's my famous pound cake." He smiled.

"Cake?" I backed up not wanting him to explode by me.

"Bethany, you said this was bread." Fridge kept the cake in his mouth, not daring to swallow it.

"It's been so long, I forgot what it tastes like." She shrugs apologetically.

"How do you forget what...?" He accidentally gulped it down. "What's happening... is something happening to me?" He turns to ask me.

"No." I shook my head.

"Am I... Am I shaking?" I shook my head. "Am I breaking out?" He felt his face.

"No, clear skin," I told him.

"Am I still black?" He looks down at his hands.

"Yes." I nod.

"Okay. Okay, right? We're fine. Everything's fine." He smiles, although none of us are convinced. "It's okay. It probably just meant that I love cake, that I couldn't resist it. Yeah. Hey, it's all good..." He moves over to Spencer before exploding. I duck behind one of the pillars to protect myself from the blast.

The game chimes and rumbles, sending Fridge down from the sky. He went through the roof and landed in someone's booth, breaking a table and having a shelf fall on him. "God! Oh! Ow! What the hell? Ugh!" Fridge yells.

"Like I said, it's important to be discreet," Spencer lifts the shelf off of him.

"Hey, you also said eat." He snapped.

"Rations! Get you..." The vendor waved the poundcake in the air.

"You better shut your ass up!" Fridge growls, making the man run away.

"Dr. Bravestone. Thank goodness you're here. Jumanji needs you." A little boy wearing the local clothing ran up to Spencer.

"Uh, thanks. Good to be here." He nods, not knowing what else to say.