Reservoir
Scavenger Hunt.
The had the list and camera. John drove, she navigated. They were going to win this one this time. The last time their friends gathered to have one of these, Tania and John were only one item away from winning before Tim called and said Garrett and Melanie beat them. Neither John nor Tania believed the two played fair, employing his brother to gather half for a low price. This time though, they were prepared.
John took a left on Nixon Street, keeping his eye out for the Red Rock Grille sign as Tania readied the camera so they wouldn’t even have to stop. It was one of the strategies they’d developed to cut extra time off their trip so even if people cheated, they still had a chance to win.
“There.” John yelled, pointing at the sign and she snapped it quickly, checking the photo before marking it off the list. They were good at these things, where teamwork was necessary. Some of the couples failed at that skill, spending the time fighting and eventually leaving to have their own fun instead of working at the mission.
“Next is the yellow bench in Mitchell’s Park.” Tania read, glancing up at John, “Do you know where that is?”
John shook his head, handing her his phone quickly. “GPS it.”
“That’s cheating.” She mumbled as he pulled up to a stop light, John’s foot easing onto the break. “We don’t cheat.”
He shrugged, leaning across the middle console and pecking her lips. “Once won’t kill it. And I know for a fact that Garrett called Trey to help.” He muttered, looking at her. “So one little hint won’t hurt, right?”
She didn’t bother staling any longer, pushing at the buttons on his phone and learning the route. “Left of Deacon, and then the park’s entrance is beside St. Joseph’s Church.” She read, clearing the browsing history.
They drove, John’s hand twisting with hers. They discussed who had a chance. There were only six teams and they knew Emily and Kennedy had already quit over a fight. Garrett and Melanie wouldn’t quit. Tim and Dani were strategic but her temper could end their competing. Jared and Pat teamed up because Jared’s girlfriend was out of town and no one else would take Pat. Max and his girlfriend had quit too, not over a fight but because they had had some prior commitment they forgot about. Tania and John had a good chance at winning this time.
John pulled into the park, parking his car in the empty lot as she jumped out. “C’mon,” She said quickly, pulling his hand. “I wanna win.”
They roamed the part for ten minutes, looking for the yellow bench but not finding it. John ended up collapsing on the ground, shielding his eyes from the sun. She groaned, backtracking a little when she noticed him not moving. “John, let’s go. We gotta find this.”
“Whose list did we get?” John questioned, picking up some grass.
She looked at the name on the bottom. Every time they had a scavengers hunt everyone brought a list of things to find throughout the city. It kept it fun, so no one would overlap or be able to team up. “Team 3. So, um, Gar and Mel’s I guess.”
John scoffed, sitting up quickly. “They made that bench up, I bet. They would, fucking cheaters.”
She giggled, falling to the ground too. “Should we call Tim and tell him or...”
Her words were stopped when he flipped up so he was hovering over her, hand snaking up her side, dragging the t-shirt she wore up with it. “No.” He muttered, kissing her lips, jaw, neck, before continuing. “We’ll stay here and have our own special scavenger hunt. Let the cheaters win.” He giggled.
John took a left on Nixon Street, keeping his eye out for the Red Rock Grille sign as Tania readied the camera so they wouldn’t even have to stop. It was one of the strategies they’d developed to cut extra time off their trip so even if people cheated, they still had a chance to win.
“There.” John yelled, pointing at the sign and she snapped it quickly, checking the photo before marking it off the list. They were good at these things, where teamwork was necessary. Some of the couples failed at that skill, spending the time fighting and eventually leaving to have their own fun instead of working at the mission.
“Next is the yellow bench in Mitchell’s Park.” Tania read, glancing up at John, “Do you know where that is?”
John shook his head, handing her his phone quickly. “GPS it.”
“That’s cheating.” She mumbled as he pulled up to a stop light, John’s foot easing onto the break. “We don’t cheat.”
He shrugged, leaning across the middle console and pecking her lips. “Once won’t kill it. And I know for a fact that Garrett called Trey to help.” He muttered, looking at her. “So one little hint won’t hurt, right?”
She didn’t bother staling any longer, pushing at the buttons on his phone and learning the route. “Left of Deacon, and then the park’s entrance is beside St. Joseph’s Church.” She read, clearing the browsing history.
They drove, John’s hand twisting with hers. They discussed who had a chance. There were only six teams and they knew Emily and Kennedy had already quit over a fight. Garrett and Melanie wouldn’t quit. Tim and Dani were strategic but her temper could end their competing. Jared and Pat teamed up because Jared’s girlfriend was out of town and no one else would take Pat. Max and his girlfriend had quit too, not over a fight but because they had had some prior commitment they forgot about. Tania and John had a good chance at winning this time.
John pulled into the park, parking his car in the empty lot as she jumped out. “C’mon,” She said quickly, pulling his hand. “I wanna win.”
They roamed the part for ten minutes, looking for the yellow bench but not finding it. John ended up collapsing on the ground, shielding his eyes from the sun. She groaned, backtracking a little when she noticed him not moving. “John, let’s go. We gotta find this.”
“Whose list did we get?” John questioned, picking up some grass.
She looked at the name on the bottom. Every time they had a scavengers hunt everyone brought a list of things to find throughout the city. It kept it fun, so no one would overlap or be able to team up. “Team 3. So, um, Gar and Mel’s I guess.”
John scoffed, sitting up quickly. “They made that bench up, I bet. They would, fucking cheaters.”
She giggled, falling to the ground too. “Should we call Tim and tell him or...”
Her words were stopped when he flipped up so he was hovering over her, hand snaking up her side, dragging the t-shirt she wore up with it. “No.” He muttered, kissing her lips, jaw, neck, before continuing. “We’ll stay here and have our own special scavenger hunt. Let the cheaters win.” He giggled.
♠ ♠ ♠
January 19, 2011.