There he was again. In the scary, creepy maze running and trying to find the big round area, where he already was with Hakan. And he hoped to not meet another wild animal again. But then he came to the path, where…
Don finally woke up. He had a scary dream. Like every Sunday night. And like every Monday morning he thought a few minutes about it before getting ready for school.
It was a normal school day. Don came in and saw the Quarterback of the High School Team, James. Don didn't really like him because he thought that James was the biggest wannabe in the world, and he was. So Don just ignored him and went through the school hall where he saw Marie. He really liked her but he knew that she was dating James… that dropped his interest. Finally he arrived at his Language Arts room where he has his first Period. He liked Mr. Bolst because he thought that he made his lessons pretty funny and that was why the student are able to learn better. But the best thing was that he was allowed to sit next to Hakan. He was his best friend. “Hey! What’s Up?” Don asked as usual and took his earplugs out.
“Actually, nothing… Did you study for the Test Mr. Bolst wanted to give us today.”, responded Hakan and looked away from his Language Arts Study Guide book. Don’s face was as red as a tomato as he didn’t responded nothing and just kept the silence.
After school Don asked Hakan to come over and Hakan says yes. Like every time when Don asked him… When they arrive home Don’s mom did Burgers. Don always said she has the most delicious combination of pikelets, salad leaves, bacon, meat and buns. But the total highlight for Don were the Mushrooms on the Burgers. But anyway, he liked Sushi more.
When Don arrived next day at school every single student was in the hall. The principal had a speech but suddenly Hakan came up.
“Hey! You will not believe me about what happened! Mr. Thompson, the new principal, said there will be “The Survival”. Everyone can sign up who wants to, but…”
“Wait… what is “The Survival”?” Don asked excited.
“He says it could be dangerous and that we should watch out… but he says to that we can only sign up if we know what we are doing. It will be in a maze and there will be instructions we have to follow. If you follow all of them and if you are the fastest who finishes the Survival, you win. I am kind of curious what the dangers are. I guess we’ll figure them out when we are running around in that maze” Hakan answered with a creepy whispery voice. For a few moments both of them were looking at each other.
“Do you know who already entered?” Don asked secretly and with a little sound of scare.
“Yes…”, Hakan whispered “James”. Don became red and his thoughts were absolutely crazy, his face was like unreadable, because he was staring at just one point. Like most of the people do when they are thinking. he was thinking about his uncle, but his thoughts stopped when wanted to ask Hakan something.
“Well, will you enter?” Don started to speak like Hakan never heard him before. That’s why there was no answer of Hakan when Don talked with fear and nervousness that you could hear his braces tremble against each other. He had braces since one year. Blue eyes and blond long hair. “Justin” was his nickname because of his hair. But he doesn’t like Justin Bieber. But right now he had more important things about to think then Justin Bieber. “I will enter”, Don shared his minds with Hakan, but Hakan had a little smile on his face.
“I already did”, whispered Hakan. Don looked pretty annoyed at Hakan, but before he could respond the school bell rang and Hakan and Don went to Language Arts with Don’s favorite teacher, Mr. Bolst.
After school Hakan asked Don if he would like to come over, because his mom did Doener.
“The most delicious thing on earth”, as Hakan always said. When they finally arrived at home Hakan told his mom about the games, as she said “But if your Principal said that the games are dangerous, I think you shouldn’t go.” Hakan was quite bored about what his mom said. But Don was pretty interested about what she said. Well, at least his face said that but probably he just wanted to be polite and made a curious face. As they went up to Hakan’s room, Hakan began to be nasty about his mom
“Dangerous? Seriously mom? I am not a baby! Believe me, I can look after myself!”.
“ But probably she’s right. Don’t you think so?”.
“No, she’s just annoying!” shouted Hakan. Don was a bit shocked that Hakan acted so aggressively.
”I think she’s right”, responded Don with a bit brave voice,” We shouldn’t participate!” screamed Don.
“Maybe you are right, but I don’t  want to show James and Jack that I am scared or something like that. That not only because they are in the school football team, they can win everything and that they are recognized as heroes everywhere. You know what I mean?” asked Hakan camly. Don already noticed that Hakan have the same thoughts a he do.
“I don’t care about James… Well, maybe I do but he is just the biggest wannabe on earth, and you know that. Even if he is cool, and all the girls like him, he is only a little fish. I will think but if I want to enter the games. I’ll tell you tomorrow, OK?” said Don while looking on the ground.
”I will think about it, too. I mean, it won’t be too dangerous I guess, because if it is, the principal wouldn’t invite us to enter” added Hakan.
The next day everything like always. Don saw James, Don was annoyed. Don saw Hakan and was in a normal Mood again. Don thought of Language Arts and was happy. But on that day Language Arts wasn’t normal.
”Hey Hakan. Did You thought about entering the The Survival?” started Don.
”Yeah, I will enter. I think it’s a great physical and physiological challenge. What about you Don?”, added Hakan, but Don’s answer was missing. He looked like the shy boy he used to be. With his scared blue eyes, and his thin body.
Don thought about how his uncle was killed. That’s why he never takes risks, because he is scared to end up like his uncle. He thinks about his aunt, crying in the corner. His uncle standing in another corner from the small grey room. And then the man with the gun. He is pointing the gun at his uncle. When he shoots a loud noise appears and his aunt starts to cry and shout at the same time. Don just saw the blood spurting out of his uncles body. Don was two years old when he had to see how his uncle was murdered while a foray.
“Yes of course I will”, Don answered after a while. But obviously Hakan could see how the tears and sweatdrops rolling over his face. He could see Don’s eyes staring at one point.
“You don’t have to enter. The only ones who entered are Jack, James and me. Nobody would call you a chicken if you don’t enter. It’s all fine, man.”
“But, I want to enter anyway. I don’t care! Do you think I am not strong or good enough for that?”
“Of course not Don! You know that I would never think so and that I am your best friend, but if you want to enter, go ahead, I would never stop you to.”
“Well, first of all I am sorry Hakan. I totally overreacted. And I mean we are only four boys having a competition. There should be nothing out of control I guess” excused Don and smiled lightly.
“Hakan” suddenly a loud male voice shouted out of the speakers. “You are the main competitor of the Survival! And guess what? The Survival will start that afternoon after school. Isn’t that great?” Mr. Bolst and the whole Language Arts class where looking at Hakan excitedly and  Hakan was figuring out what to do.
After school Don, Hakan, James and Jack were called to the principal’s office.
“Hey guys! How are you doing? Are you excited because of the Survival?” saluted them the principal.
“Well, actually not because it’s clear who will win… obviously I will.” Jack started to boast.
”Oh obviously. Well we’ll see in the maze who’ll win.” countered Don and shaked his head so his blond hair would move away from his eyes. “Guys guys, I know you are excited but stop fighting. So, do you want to join me to the maze?” Said the principal before all four of the competitors agreed.
When they arrived at the maze the principal repeated,”So, you will start at four different points at the maze. Then you get a instruction you have to follow. The student which is the fastest to get through the maze wins. But there will be some things which will stop to reach the end. Could be everything. So watch out for everything. And if there is any danger where you think you can’t get out. Just hit the emergency button I will give you before you will enter. And remember: Watch out for everything that could be a danger. Are you guys ready to enter?” Everyone said that the Survival should start and so it did. Don was really nervous and thought about the dangers which could be inside the maze. He looked around and saw Hakan who was at one of the other starts. The whistle sounded and Don ran. The maze’s walls where more or less ten feet tall. In the first path there was a man which gave him a little note. He talked to Don in a very strange and creepy voice,
”This is your instruction. You better don’t lose it.” Don grabbed it and kept on running and wrote the little note:
The lonely wolf in the treeless forest will be the champion…
But a wolf with his horde, will see the bears soon.
After seeing that letter Don got a bit scared. He turned to the left and to the right but he was pretty lost and he didn’t know how to get out of that maze. He thought once again about the words of the principal, Mr. Thompson. “Then you get a instruction you have to follow. The student which is the fastest to get through the maze wins. But there will be some things which will stop to reach the end.” Don thought. But he still couldn’t figure out what the letter should mean. He had the thought that the bears are maybe the stuff that stops you to reach the end but for the rest. He had totally no clue about the rest. By the way he thought of Hakan and hoped that he is fine and that he still didn’t meet the “bears”.
But then Don saw at a corner a little circle on one side and a rectangle. “That had to be a sign,” he thought. But suddenly there was something rustling in the bush in front of him, so he went some steps back. The rustling leaves on the floor made Don have even more fear. The rustle in the bush went louder and louder, as all the sudden a tiger came out of the bush. Don was just staring at the big black and orange striped tiger and thought of running away, but that would make the tiger probably more aggressive. So he tried to just stand still and don’t move. At least that is the thing experts told him to do when he went to Thailand. But the tiger didn’t stop moving forward and Don saw that the path would end soon. The tiger opened his mouth when his spittle was dropping out and his white teeth where coming more near to Don’s face. Don couldn’t move backwards because the path was already over. The sweatdrops were running down Don’s face and the tiger’s teeth were coming more near to his throat and soon he only would be less than a half inch close. Don closed his eyes and was hoping that nothing bad would happen. He didn’t want to die. he just thought of what Hakan’s mom said. That he and Hakan shouldn’t enter the Survival. But it was too late now. Why did he had to die like that? .Don could feel now the tiger’s teeth and his tears rolling down his cheeks.
”Don! Watch out!” It was Hakan. And the tiger took his teeth off of Don’s throat. Don was so happy to see him.
“Good timing bro!” thanked Don and wiped off his tears. And suddenly the tiger ran into his bush again.
“Oh man that was close! How did you Survival start?” asked Hakan.
”Well, pretty exciting I should say. Yours?”
“Fresh! Well maybe because I had no tiger who tried to kill me…”
“Yeah I really thought he would kill me. What is you little letter about?”
“It is pretty weird. If you want check it out, but I guess you won’t understand it.”
As Don wn Hakan’s letter he realized that it was exactly the same:
The lonely wolf in the treeless forest will be the champion…
But a wolf with his horde, will see the bears soon.
“Hakan, I got exactly the same! And a few moments before I saw the tiger I noticed that on every corner there is a circle and a rectangle. Maybe if we follow the circles we’ll find the end.”
“God idea man! So probably we should watch out for every rustle or every single noise.”
“Yes, I want to get out of here… alive.”
After making their plan Don and Hakan went every single time to the “circle side” until they came to a corner with two circles.
“Hakan what should we do?”
“Just chill. I guess one of both sides would be fine.”
So Hakan guyed Don to one of those sides. And there it was. The treeless forest. A very big round area with no trees. Just gras.
“Wait… Don, run!” screamed Hakan and started running “The lonely wolf will be the champion, but a wolf with his horde, will see the bears soon!” Hakan continued. Don had no clue for what Hakan just said, but he just followed him into the maze.
”What do you mean?” Don asked.
“Don’t you understand? We are the wolfs! We are supposed to come alone, but we came both at the same time!” screamed Hakan. And just some seconds after he said that, the bears were already right behind them.
“How can we get those off?” screamed Don. he was scared because the bears were already close behind them.
“We should go where you saw the tiger. It is pretty close from here and the bears are much faster than we are!” answered Hakan screaming. “OK.”So, Don and Hakan tried to run away from the bears until the tiger would hopefully start a fight against the bears, so they could hang them off. So they did but the bush wasn’t there where it was before.
“What is this?” screamed Don, “where’s the bush?”
“It’s a maze Don! Why didn’t i think of that earlier, we are lost!” Don was scared so tears rolled down his face, so that his blond hair became light brown because of the sweat.
“Let’s try to hang them off! We have to separate us! You’ll go to the left I’ll go to the right!” advised Hakan, when they did so. Don ran to left just like Hakan advised him. He ran as fast as he could until his feet hurt. He looked behind if the bears are still there. They weren’t. Now it was the perfect moment to press the emergency button. Don was seriously close to die twice today. He surely didn’t want to risk it again. But the survival changed him. The Survival made him more brave and Don had that feeling that the Survival can’t hurt him. He decided to go for it. Finally Don had this feeling someone has when he wakes up at a nice shiny summer day. So he just took a break. Don tried to remember where the big round area was. So he tried to run the same way back as he ra there where he was now. So finally he arrived at a path which he knew. But he just couldn’t  remember from where he knew the path. So he entered it and started to remember. He knew that path from his dreams. So he went through and there he was again. In the big area with no trees. And in the middle of it was Mr.Thompson. Don knew that he finally won the Survival.
After a few minutes Hakan and Jack came in, too. But the only person who was missing was James.
“We’ll go and look for him in the helicopter. It’s pretty late, so do you guys want to go home with the bus already?” offered Mr.Thompson. Don, Hakan and Jack agreed.
The next school day James came to Don and said,”You won with luck, nuby. Don’t think you are a hero.”
“I don’t think I am a hero anyway. Where were you yesterday?”
“Why do you care nuby?”
“Well, because we all were there. Only you not.”
“OK. I had some problems with bears. I guess someone lure them into the maze, because Mr.Thompson said usually they are only in a certain area.”
“Well, I don’t know nothing about these bears.” said Don and couldn’t hold his laugh, but before James could say something mean about Don the bell ended the conversation.
After school at night Don put his pyjama on and went to bed.
There he was again. In the scary, creepy maze running and trying to find the big round area, where he already was with Hakan. And he hoped to not meet another wild animal again. But then he came to the path, where he knew that he just need to go through, to win the Survival. Just like he did the day before.