“Thanks for doing this, Calla,” Arnie said for the hundredth time. “My claustrophobia really acts up in the dark. My head knows it’s just a blindfold, but my body thinks I’m trapped in a box.”
“It’s fine,” I insisted. Funny howmetrying to comforthimwas doing a halfway decent job of calming me down as well.
When Rita had shown up after breakfast and taken usoutside, I’d been excited about the challenge. The grounds were stunning and, according to Brady, we’d only get to spend time out here during the challenges.
Any excitement I’d felt had dissipated the moment they’d brought out the blindfolds.
Arnie had tried to be brave at first, but as soon as the blindfold went over his eyes, he stiffened and started hyperventilating. I’d offered to take his place, which was how I became the only girl in the group who would be doing the sightless portion of the challenge. Eli, Grant, and Danny had all been quick to volunteer. The last I saw of them before darkness consumed me, they all looked composed and ready to wipe the floor with me.
“Alright,” Robert boomed loudly. He was the groundskeeper of the lodge, to whom we’d been introduced when we’d arrived. “Now that everyone is properly blindfolded, the rest of you can guide your partners over here and follow me.”
Shay and Brady had informed us that, while Rita would introduce challenges for the camera, Robert would be the one to go over any safety aspects of the events and be on hand to monitor everything. Which was a relief, considering Rita had arrived today in six-inch stiletto cowboy boots.
Arnie held onto my arm so gently I could hardly feel it as we took careful steps toward the sound of Robert’s voice. Ever since my revelation about Michael’s death at breakfast, he’d been extra cautious with me. His words were soft and his movements slow, as if I were a feral cat he was trying to rescue from a street corner. My toe hit a rock, causing me to stumble.
“Shoot, sorry, Calla.”
After only a few seconds we came to a stop.
“Are we here? What is it?” I asked.
“It’s kind of an obstacle course.” The other teams talked amongst themselves, but I did my best to tune them out and listen only to Arnie’s voice as he released my arm. Normally I’d be grateful, but right now the lack of contact made me feel like I was floating away into a void. I breathed in through my nose, savoring the fresh air. It had a chill to it, even though it was only early September. I breathed in again. This would have to ground me, since my sight couldn’t.
“Okay, everyone. Listen up.” Robert said. “Before Rita gives her spiel, I want to go over a few things. Make sure your helmets are tightly fastened. Make sure your knee and elbow pads are securely in place. Once you’re in the obstacle course, there will be absolutely no sprinting. You can move at a quick pace, but that’s it. And no messing with the animals.”
“Animals?” I hissed. But before Arnie could answer, someone shouted, “Action,” and Rita’s voice commanded our attention.
“Contestants! Today we will be working on our communication. Communication is the backbone of a strong relationship. Since you all are just getting to know each other, now is the perfect time to build this crucial skill,” Rita said.
As if stumbling around blindfolded was a better way to get to know someone than simply sitting down and having a conversation.
“One of you has been blindfolded, which means you’ll have to rely on your partner’s senses to get you through the maze in front of you. There are obstacles in your way, but you’ll have to work through them together. Tensions might get high, especially with everyone yelling all at once, so it’s on you to tune out the excess noise and listen for your partner.
“The first team through the maze will receive a special date night, where you’ll get to know each other better. As forthe rest of you, your finishing order will determine the order in which you’ll choose your partners for the next challenge. You can stick with your current partners, or do a little swap.” There were hushed murmurs throughout the group. I wasn’t sure what everyone else was thinking, but I knew I couldn’t lose Arnie.
“Now, those who can see, I’ll give you a moment to prepare your partner,” Rita finished.
I felt a light touch on my arm.
“Okay,” Arnie said. I focused on his voice, even though the hurried words of the others were already filtering in. “It’s a relatively simple maze made of hay barrels. They only come up to about knee-height, so don’t go too fast or you could trip over one.” He paused, likely assessing the maze to figure out what else to tell me. “There are some obstacles too. I can’t quite make them all out from here, but one looks like a kind of seesaw. There are a few horizontal sticks you’ll have to duck under. A bunch of goats?—”
“Goats?” I exclaimed. “Robert wasn’t kidding. There are actually animals?”
“Yeah. They’re just standing there eating hay. Looks like you’ll have to go around them for the most direct route to the end.”
Great.
“Any other farm animals I’ll need to avoid?”
“That’s it,” he continued. “I’ll try to keep my instructions simple. Straight, left, right, duck. Just listen to me and we should be good.”
“You make it sound so easy when you’re the one who can see,” I said.
“Sorry about that,” I could hear the wince in his voice and I regretted sounding bitter. It wasn’t his fault he had a phobia.
“It’s fine, really,” I added, hoping I sounded friendlier this time. I couldn’t lose my only ally.
“Contestants, line up,” Rita called.
