Ashes

Guys! I’m thinking of something... What if it’s something crazy, like they show in ‘Escape Room’? You’ve watched it, right?" Maryam said, her voice filled with intrigue.

Komal, munching on an endless supply of fries, nodded excitedly.

I mean, that movie drives me nuts... and honestly, it gave me similar vibes when that lady said it was a simulation."

"Guys, chill out... Don’t talk about stuff like that," Jesse said, his tone a little dramatic. "We just got Sk back from that fake death, and I don’t need any more crazy news. Let me focus on my Twinkies for now... And honestly, this pizza from Papa John's isn’t bad at all."

Sk, completely absorbed in his slice of pizza, added, "But I heard they use expired pepperoni, and their staff stinks..."

Maryam shot him a look. Her eyes and shoulders screamed, "I mean, really? What the heck, boy!" without saying a word.

Sk exchanged looks with Maryam, and responded, "I’m serious. I read their reviews online... Papa John's has some of the worst ratings!"

Komal chuckled softly, catching the drift of both Maryam and Sk’s conversation.

"Seriously? Are we really talking about expired pepperonis right now? I'm talking business, Sk! For real... What if they’re planning something evil? Like in ‘Escape Room’!" Think 'bout it...

Maryam’s eyes locked onto Sk, demanding an answer. Sk nervously chewed his bite, then mumbled, "Okay, okay! Let’s talk business... You’re right!"

Jesse, sensing Sk didn’t quite catch what Maryam was getting at, raised an eyebrow and asked, 'What?' with a grin."

Sk, trying to keep up, broke the silence with a clueless grin. "I ... I mean, What the heck is ‘Escape Room’ now?"

That was it. It was the chortlecloud moment The room exploded in laughter. Even with the tension, Sk's innocent question cracked everyone up. Laughter swirled around them, contagious and unstoppable. Komal screamed silently, clapping her hands as she giggled uncontrollably. Jesse was on the floor, gasping for air, while Sk laughed, clueless about what just happened. Maryam, struggling to stay serious, playfully hit Sk, still chuckling.

[Thud, Thud] Time's up, guys! I hope you've had your fill... Looks like you’re all having a great time," the manager of the simulation team said, breaking the chortlecloud that had settled over the group. Everyone quickly straightened up, quieting down, and turning their attention toward her.

She powered on a screen that flashed the challenges for the second round, introducing some new rules this time.

The screen displayed a deep jungle, filled with ferocious animals, setting the scene for a more dramatic and intense challenge.

Komal, wide-eyed, muttered, "Holy cow! This isn’t real, right?"

Jesse, halfway through another Twinkie, nearly choked when the screen showed a blazing fire in a particular part of the challenge. "Hell no! Fire? I hate this part!" he exclaimed, clearly displeased with the fiery challenge.

Komal leaned in, whispering to Jesse, "We’ll get through it... Don’t worry! It’s fake, remember?"

Jesse’s expression softened as he nodded, his earlier panic subsiding.

Maryam, engrossed in the screen, turned to Sk and said, "You should’ve watched 'Escape Room.' I swear, this is just like one of those games!"

Sk, still processing the scene, glanced at the manager. "It’s a game... I mean, a simulation, right?" He turned to the woman for reassurance, "What are the security measures?"

She smiled mysteriously but didn’t say a word. Sk and Maryam exchanged eager looks, both waiting for her to confirm, "Of course, it’s safe for you to continue." The uncertainty of the Escape Room had them both desperate for clarity.

Meanwhile, Komal and Jesse were deep in conversation, whispering about strategies to get through each stage. Jesse, on his 12th packet of Twinkies, was already planning his next move, eating speedily because of nervousness.

"You survived till now; you'll do the same in the next round. No need to freak out, Sk," the manager said firmly, her tone full of confidence.

Komal shot to her feet, clapping her hands like she always did when something fired her up. "You think we’re scared? Boys, and my little girl, let’s get up!

Let’s show them the power of Mask RoKo!"

she said, grinning and holding her hand high in the air.

"What... Mask RoKo?" the manager asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"It’s Maryam, Sk, Rowan, and Komal," Jesse said with a proud smirk, emphasizing his pen name, Rowan. "Cool, right?"

All four of them shared a smile, feeling like the legendary Four-Leaf Clover—rare, lucky, and stronger together.

"Let’s cue that montage!" Sk joked, pretending to strike a heroic pose.

Komal joined in, raising her fist. "Let's cue that montage!"

Before they could say more, the team was quickly loaded into a truck and whisked away toward the jungle.

Inside, each of them was handed a bag. Jesse wasted no time unzipping his and pulling things out like an excited kid. He stared of like;

"Hey guys! I'm unboxing this cute "Survival bag" given to us by the team", pretending to be recording a YouTube video.

Here's what we've got:

• A bottle of water.

• A few coins.

• A hammer.

• A Twinkie—yep, that one’s mine.

• And this..." He held up a sealed envelope with flair. "‘Open me in a “Life” or “Death” situation.’ Dramatic, huh?"

As Jesse continued his unboxing performance, Komal rolled her eyes with a fond smile but quickly noticed Maryam acting strange.

Maryam’s cheeks were puffed, and she clamped her hands over her mouth, letting out muffled sounds. "Mhhmmmmmghhg! Uuuhmmmmm...!!!" Her wide eyes darted between them, trying to signal something desperately.

"Maryam? What’s going on?" Komal asked, leaning closer. "Are you okay? What’s with your mouth?"

Before anyone could figure it out, Sk pulled out a plastic bag from his own bag, oblivious to the situation.

"Hhuurrgghh... BLURRRGGHHH!"

The sound of heavy vomiting filled the truck as Maryam couldn’t hold it anymore. The pizza she’d eaten earlier made a dramatic reappearance—all over the truck floor.

"...a plastic bag," Sk finished blankly, staring at the mess with zero reaction. 🤐

"Seriously?!" Jesse exclaimed, clutching his Twinkie like it was his lifeline. "We’re starting this adventure with vomit?!"

"Jesse!" Komal snapped, though even she couldn’t hide the corner of her mouth twitching.

"What?!" Jesse held his hands up defensively before turning to Maryam. "Hey, are you okay? Don’t worry about the mess—or my shoes. They’re not even mine; they’re Sk’s." He gave a cheeky grin.

Maryam, still pale, managed a weak laugh. "I’m fine… I think. And Sk, I guess you were right about that pizza. Should’ve listened to you."

Komal handed Maryam a water bottle and rubbed her back gently. "It’s fine, Maryam. Really. Just breathe. We’re good now, right?"

Maryam nodded, taking a small sip of water. "Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks."

Sk, meanwhile, was staring at the floor, still processing what had just happened.

"The jungle’s just a two-minute walk from here," the driver called out.

Without hesitation, everyone scrambled out of the truck. No one wanted to spend another second trapped in that situation.

"From here, you're going alone... all four of you," said the driver with a flat tone before speeding off in his truck, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

"Where are the cameras? They must be monitoring us, right?" Komal said, her sharp instincts kicking in as she scanned the area.

"You're right, Komal, but let's just... start this adventure," Sk replied, though his voice hinted at unease.

As they moved forward, a massive sign followed their path:

"From here, you must go your separate ways.

Each of you will take a different route—1, 2, 3, or 4.

Your journeys will be individual, with unique challenges tailored to your strengths and weaknesses. Only by completing them will you have a chance to reunite at the end.

Remember: We know all your strengths and weaknesses; survival depends on focus. Good luck!"

Maryam’s face twisted in frustration as she read the sign. "This is NOT helping! Are they serious?!" she practically yelled, anger boiling in her voice.

Sk threw his hands up. "No, no, no—this is the part I hate! Separate ways? What the truck, man?!"

Jesse looked ready to bolt. "Guys, I have an idea! Let’s run back. We don’t have to do this. We can’t do this alone. Nope. Never."

"STOP!"Komal shouted, snapping everyone out of their panic.. "Can you all please keep quiet for one second?" She took a deep breath, then glared at 3 of them. "One minute you’re all hyped up like champions, and the next, you’re falling apart like kids fighting over Twinkies. And Jesse? Don’t you dare think about taking anyone else’s snacks."

Jesse instinctively hid his Twinkie, looking guilty.

Komal began pacing in circles around the group as they threw themselves to the ground, their hope visibly draining. After a moment, she stopped and clapped her hands.

.

"Guys! I know what to do..."

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Read Part I:

By Rowan Finley :D

You're gonna get amazed! Read it...

Part 2 by Komal : 😍

It's BONKERS!

Part 4(The End): Sk Parihar... 🤠

You'll be hooked by the Ending!

(Spoiler: I died!)

Author's Note:

Twinkies never get Old! Right? Separate ways? Damn it!