The Tale of Player 101 by Noora Ali Abdualrahim Ali Alhosani

Change as the sky started darkening into a grey hue. The sun's gold color was being covered out by large pillows of cloud, when I was close to my house, the first splatter of rain fell on my nose. I quickly took refuge under a big old oak tree. as I watched the heavy rainfall, I couldn't tell what time it was as I don't own one of these fancy little clocks that you place on your arm, minutes have passed by and I started shivering from the cold weather as I stood there under the tree with my soaked clothes as a hand brushed my arm scaring me in the process.

'Hello, there young lady' the voice has spoken to me as my heart started pounding at an increasingly rapid pace, I looked back immediately to see a man with blue piercing eyes and a stare capable of freezing even the warmest of hearts in a single glance. With neat blonde hair and a clean suit holding a blue sparkly umbrella, I replied hesitantly 'I am doing fine sir'.

'Why are you standing here alone without an umbrella, young lady?’ as the man moved his umbrella closer to my head.

'Well I was walking home and it started raining heavily so I decided to wait until the weather to clear a bit.'

Such a silly young lady, why haven't you checked the weather app before you leave?'

'A weather app?' I asked curiously, the man pulled a box-like device out of his pocket as he touched it, it started to light up, he lifted it next to my face and said

'This is a weather app it tells the prediction of the weather over the next few weeks, I gasped as I held the device, confused enough the man asked me, 'Don't you own a phone, young lady ?'

I looked back at him and asked 'So you call this a phone?' the man nodded his head, 'No sir they seem so expensive' as I gave him his phone back worried I may break it.

'May I ask young lady how do you pass your time?'

'Reading books and solving the math papers that the students leave in the library' he remained there with his eyes wide open, unable to close them, he stood there as if he was completely paralyzed.

'May I ask where do you live, young lady?’

'I cannot tell you that sir, your just a stranger', as he began to chuckle, his cheeks flushed red.

'Well young lady I can see that you are not up to date with technology, I am Elijah one of the top 100 wealthy people in the city'.

'Cool', I replied with envy.

'Well young lady you don't have to be jealous of anything’

I replied with quick anger filled in me 'How don't you expect me to not to envy you, your people are taking advantage of my people making us work day and night for few dollars and if we talked it up with anyone you would end up threatening us or...' at that moment I realized I should've not said that my life is on a thin line right now.

'Young lady, I see you have got a lot in your mind right now, and I can tell you have a lot of potential in your life, Olivia...', I stood there shaking in my place, how did he know my name I have never mentioned it, the man started giggling in a very fade tone.

' You don't have to be scared Oliva, I am here to help you I've been watching you for a while and lets just say I am quite impressed with your intelligence, you can solve university level mathematics in your own age' I started having a fearful feeling in me as I started thinking of a excuse to move away from this man, I felt my sweat warm up my cold face as my heart started racing. 'Let me help you and your family Olivia, trust me its something so simple that can change your entire life'.

I looked at him and asked 'Help me by what?'

'Every year one of the 100 wealthy people host a mind game for fellow underprivileged people like you to participate the winner of the competition has his life changed entirely they enter the life of the high-class society, this year ill be hosting the game and I want you to play it’.’

What makes you so convinced that I want to register in your little silly mind game?' I furiously replied.

'Well, you would be foolish if you didn't consider joining the game young lady, its a lifetime opportunity to transform the way you exist, think thoroughly about it, and if you made up your mind to join, the games would start on Friday night in that big building' as he started to walk away from me he said 'Well it seems like the weather is starting to clear up, I am hoping to meet you soon Olivia’.

I found myself just standing there speechless staring at the building he pointed at and started wondering what if he is right, what if this was a good opportunity to help my family, it won't hurt playing, wouldn't it? such nonsense I thought to myself he's a stranger in the end and I don't even know if he's telling me the truth, the rain appeared to calm down as I started to find my way home, I couldn't seem to stop thinking about have the man told me, at that point, I made up my mind to join and win the game I'm up to take the challenge, I am sick of the poverty lifestyle I am living in, its time for a change and ill be the reason of that. As days started passing by I finally found myself in front of the building on a Friday night, I've lied to my mom telling her I'll be helping the library to reorganize the books overnight. I feel guilty for lying to her but if I can get myself to win then it would be worth it, as I started heading toward the building I heard Elijah saying: 'Well seems like you are smart enough to come here',

'Let's get over with it, what should I do?'

He chuckled as he walked past me, 'Everything in its time young lady, follow my lead'

As we approached the building a strong odor bashed my face, the aroma of the building was the most exquisite scent I have ever smelt in my entire lifetime, as we approached a big room he glanced back at me and laid a small tag on my right shoulder and said ' Are you ready Player101?' I nodded my head in approval, behind these large doors an enormous shiny yet elegant room decorated with gold-like material many people were waiting for the games to start, I was surprised with the number of people in the room, all here to compete against each other to win the grand prize of living in a superior life, I felt helpless I had no clue what will happen soon, a loudspeaker has started to announce that the games will start shortly, Suddenly for a quick moment the room turned black it felt as if the floor was moving, once the light has shined bright I was isolated in a room full of graffiti around me with a table in the middle that had a paper and a pen on it, as I approached the table something was written on the paper 'the strongest it can be, but when a metal goes through it, it loses its strength, as helpful it can be we don't pay consideration to it' I looked around the room confused this can be anything I thought to myself, a red 5-minute timer flashed on the only white wall in this room, I started feeling anxious as I looked closely small corner in the side,' the drawing…’.

It seemed so familiar to me in shock I realized the drawing was of me under that oak tree the night that man approached me, as time was running so fast I had no choice but place an answer immediately. A blackout has happened as I wrote my final answer the room has flashed green. I jumped from my place when a hidden door creakily opened wide, I got up carefully to see what was behind the door a suitcase with a paper on top of it that said ' It was faith, that night you were standing under the blessed oak tree as it listened to our conversation it made sure that you would have a better life than you do right now '.

I happily glanced over the paper I wrote my answer on, ‘Oak tree'.