"Ooh, Jingle bells! Jingle bells!" Jasmine suddenly began singing.
"Jasmine?! Why are you singing carols?!" Elizabeth asked, surprised as the group cycled through the desert that night.
"I just wanted to excite the group. You know, the one we're part of?" Jasmine replied.
"And who do you think we are?" Nick asked, curious.
"Obviously, not some boring group members!" William joked hysterically.
"We're some kind of lucky, perhaps chosen, people for this mission!" Jasmine said suggestively.
"Guys, stop that! You know Nick needs some peace of mind... No one ever wanted any of this to happen! Loneliness is depressing, but familiarity breeds contempt. It's a tough situation for anyone to understand what a leader goes through sometimes in decision making!" Tiffy complained, concerned about Nick's mental health.
"Are you talking about Nick's mental health?" Elizabeth asked.
"Exactly! If Nick or any of us can focus on this journey, we might be free from mental illness after taking the right steps in decision making. Right now, we've had to change plans because hybrids are following us, but we'll get back on track once we feel safe!" Tiffy explained.
"Okay, but how does that relate to everything around us?" Jenny asked.
"What do you mean, Jenny?" William questioned.
"I mean, Tiffy said loneliness is depressive but familiarity breeds contempt. I didn't understand the context." Jenny replied.
"What I meant is that, regardless, we need to keep each other company. We may have contemptuous differences as we get to know each other better, but we can't afford to separate ourselves by making small mistakes. We have to be cautious in how we relate to one another. Mental illness can easily break us apart and ruin our mission." Tiffy responded.
"So, are we switching up our game again?" Jasmine asked.
"You could say that, from many historical perspectives! History may repeat itself. Leaders often have to find alternative ways to get things done." Tiffy replied.
"Enough with the switching positions or game theories—we need to focus!" Nick insisted. Silently, the group cycled through the cold desert night. Later releasing the captured bats, just to lighten up their luggages in such despairing situations.
"Wow, who led us into all this mess?" Tiffy suddenly asked.
"What do you mean? The secret societies wanted to see if it was possible to add another game plan. We had no choice but to give in to their desperate pleas! Are you giving up because of the harsh weather or because you're discouraged?" Jasmine replied sharply.
"I definitely feel discouraged. Seeing is believing. We all chose blindness—we have to admit that!" Tiffy said softly.
"Can you explain, Tiffy? Choosing blindness? You're the mother of my kids, right?" Nick asked.
"Blindness to everything. I'm pregnant. We all left behind our families, school, careers, and we don't even know if we'll make it out alive. If we're ever going to be heroes, we must carry our own crosses and be ready to suffer for our mistakes. At the same time, if we succeed in reversing evil in this country, the perpetrators must suffer for theirs. It's a two-way crisis: either this way, or the highway. That's the blindness I was talking about, Nick, no matter how you look at it." Tiffy explained.
"Okay, so we all admit that none of us can see our mistakes clearly. But that doesn't mean we abort the mission, right, Tiffy?" Nick asked.
"You're right! Being a two-way crisis, justice will be served either way!" Tiffy affirmed.
"Being a mom in these situations is not easy, Tiffy. Pray you don't end up like me—you know... giving birth in the middle of a... crisis," Jenny added.
"How did it feel? You speak like you went through a lot with your baby!" Tiffy asked.
"The baby was very demanding. In prison, I was anxious for my baby's welfare after he was born! Just worried if we'd make it out alive. Billy was just born, and my postpartum depression surged during that crisis!"
"Postpartum depression? You mean like feeling like harming your crying baby?" Tiffy asked.
"Exactly. I know from experience what I'm talking about. It was just too much to bear." Jenny replied.
"Well, I have seven months to bear this baby! If we make it out safe and alive, all will be well that ends well." Tiffy said hopefully.
"Okay guys, I think there's a valley ahead called Hell's Valley!" Nick said, looking at his phone.
"Hell's Valley?" a couple of them exclaimed ominously.
"What the hell is Hell's Valley?" Jasmine asked curiously.
"According to my search, it's one of the driest regions, surrounded by scavengers like vultures, snakes, and stray hyenas." Nick explained.
"Why would scavengers surround that place? Is it cursed?" Elizabeth asked.
"No, but flash floods and wild attacks have mauled visiting tourists who came for the historical site." Nick elaborated.
"Okay, but that still sounds cursed!" Jasmine agreed with Elizabeth.
"You could say that. At this point, we may need some divine guidance. Tiffy, our girl guide—do you have any idea how to get safely past such a dangerous place?" Nick asked.
"Hahaha! You still call me girl guide? I like that! But I'm your legal wife, so first—are there any alternative routes on your map?" Tiffy asked.
"Nope! We have to go through many waters, the valley of shadows of death, or fires—call it what you will." Nick replied.
"In short, a looming crisis," Jasmine summarized.
"Then we can't go through at night. We must camp somewhere! Just in case our enemies catch up, we'll still have to face the music." Tiffy suggested.
"Camping in the middle of nowhere at night? That sounds crazy!" Elizabeth said.
"Okay, girl guide, did you bring camping materials for emergencies?" Elizabeth asked.
"Just pillows and warm bedsheets for everyone. I'm not sure how safe this place is. Our three guys got bitten by camouflaged snakes! Iguanas and other desert creatures might be around—don't ignore that!" Tiffy warned.
"Okay, don't panic! We don't know if we're off the hook yet. As Tiffy said, strange creatures are camouflaged in this zone! We need to find a steep region to camp." Nick said.
"From a steep spot, we can monitor the situation. Good idea, Nick! But who volunteers to keep watch all night?" Lama asked.
"That's where divine intervention comes in! Monitoring spirits are still active! Remember the looming sandstorms and everything else." Tiffy added.
"I've got exorcism spells. A lantern might work—we just curse the lit lantern as the cave writings say! Tiffy, do you have a lantern?" Elizabeth asked.
"A girl guide never misses a lantern! At least now we know how to protect ourselves from spirits. We must find a safe spot!" Tiffy said.
"Does the curse keep spirits from attacking, or... I don't get it?" Jasmine asked.
"The curses create a foul spiritual stench, like mosquito repellent, that keeps the spirits away." Elizabeth explained.
"So the sandstorm will be diverted too, just in case?" Jasmine asked again.
"Yeah! But if the lantern runs out of oil, it stops working. Combatting spirits is hard. This is going to be one hell of a journey! Wish there was a permanent solution." Elizabeth said.
"We'll just have to find another confusing solution, don't worry. Let's be optimistic!" Nick encouraged.
For thirty minutes they cycled silently, searching for a steep place. By chance, they found one.
"Okay, guys! Here we are! Let's camp!" Tiffy said as she unpacked supplies.
"My lantern has little oil. I hope it lasts all night. I have some spare bottled oil in my backpack. Liz, let's do the spells!" Tiffy urged Elizabeth after everyone settled down.
They performed the spells and lit the lantern, placing it in the middle of their sleeping line.
"I hope this works," Elizabeth said, the last to lie down in the uneasy silence.
The cold night pinched them painfully. Tossing and turning, folding their arms, they tried to find warmth. Jenny rattled her teeth as she stayed close to her bag, where her baby lay safely.
At dawn, the sky spread an orange haze across the horizon as the sun rose. Tiffy was the first to wake, clapping her hands loudly.
"Okay, everyone! Sleep time is over! Wake your asses up!"
Lazily, everyone rubbed their eyes, exhausted from the uncomfortable night.
"Can we at least sleep more? That was really short and cold!" Jasmine complained.
"Come on, Jasmine, no time for this! It feels like we're still fighting." Tiffy urged.
"Sorry if it feels like that. But honestly, you led us here! How do you expect us not to face the consequences?" Jasmine shot back.
"Birds cry every day. It's normal if we struggle daily too! What choice do we have? We must move on." Tiffy said firmly.
"Okay, I hear you. Let me wash my eyes. Got any spare water?" Jasmine asked.
"I do! But use it sparingly," Tiffy warned.
She handed out the water and everyone refreshed themselves before having a quick snack, then mounted their bikes again toward Hell's Valley.
"So, what's the plan, Tiffy or Nick?" John asked nervously.
"We cycle as fast as we can. If predators catch up, what choice do we have? Should we waste our weapons?" Tiffy asked.
"Yeah, what if they catch us? Is the goal survival or to get the relics? This could become a heated debate." Elizabeth said.
"Should we vote? Looks like we need to." Nick suggested.
"Yeah, the sooner the better." Elizabeth agreed.
"Okay, by show of hands, who thinks we should save our weapons and prioritize survival over relics?" Nick asked, looking around. Five voted for survival, four for relics.
"Alright, you guys value your lives! Get your weapons ready!" Nick commanded.
Arriving at the valley, the group readied their weapons, bracing for the predators.
"Here goes nothing!" Nick said, leading the way.
Fire erupted, driving off vultures, hyenas, snakes, and other desert creatures during their harrowing crossing.