Next morning we got a call from holiday activity organiser of woods saying that we are going to play treasure hunt.

All of us finished our breakfast and excitedly waiting for the activity organizer to come.

Rahul opened the door when someone rung the bell. A 35 year old guy named Jayanadh entered in holding a glass bowl filled with folded paper chits.

"Good morning all", he wished us with a big smile on his round face.

"Morning!!", we wished back and waiting for his next words.

He placed the glass bowl which he brought carefully on the center table of living room couch and said, " Today you are going to play a fun game treasure hunt as I informed in the morning"

He continued, "Now you are going to select the chits from this bowl. Whoever gets the same number on their chits will pair up for this game"

"That sounds interesting", Sameera said folding her hands.

"And the clues to find the treasure starts from your first chit itself", he ended detailing it.

"What if we end up at unknown place and don't know how to return back", I asked in a terrified tone.

That won't happen ma'am. Hopefully it had never till now. Even if it happens you will be provided with blow horns to indicate us the place you are missed in.

"Oh.. That sounds safe", I sighed.

He shuffled the chits in bowl thoroughly and placed it again on table.

"Pick one to find your lucky teammate", he pointed to the bowl.

We all grabbed our chits eagerly to find our partners.

"I got 3", Rupa shouted.
"Baby!!!! come on....", Rahul shouted back showing his chit with 100 candles of light on his face

"Lucky charm!!", Karthik punched Rahul with a teasing smile.

"Who Is number 1", Sameera asked eagerly looking at Karthik as she want him to be 1

"It's me!!", Keerthi replied showing her chit.

But Sameera didn't seem not so happy with her luck.

"Who is number 4?", Nancy asked looking at remaining three.

"It's none other than the great Arun", Arun started praising himself showing his chit to all

"Shut up idiot", Nancy patted his back a bit hard taking advantage of their best friend bond

Me and Karthik remained in room looking at each other for a span.

Karthik showed his chit to me with a bright smile that I haven't seen before.

I too showed my chit and smiled back at him.

"What is that a winner team get?", Rupa asked curiously.

"Winner team will get a chance to spend one full day in floating cottage at swan lake", he replied.

"Floating cottage!!!!", everyone's jaws almost reached the floor.

"It is the nicest and finest place you could ever see", he added to it.

We all wide opened our eyes with excitement.

"Yes, will look forward for that lucky team", he said with a big smile as always

"Okay guys, time limit is 90 minutes. Now it's 10'O clock. You have to be back here by 11:30. You can carry your water bottles and required things with you. Am I all clear in instructions??", he questioned like a math lecturer.

"Yes, it's clear", we replied back like a bunch of good students in the whole class

He handed route maps to all the teams and left the house wishing us all a good luck.

We took all our required things and left the house in different paths leading by our clues with the help of route maps.

"Did you play treasure hunt in your previous holiday to woods?", I asked Karthik maintaing my walking pace along with him

"No, I think they started this lately", he replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay.. Okay.. Let's concentrate on game. We can finish this off together", I said excitedly

"Sure!!"

I flipped the chit back reading our first clue, "If you listen with ears, I am the loudest noise. But you do the same with heart, I am the divine natural music. By the way I never look back in my journey. Who am I?"

We started thinking seriously.......

"Lodest noise. Divine music. It has to be in woods.... uh... A river?", I shouted.

"Umm... But what about that look back. River can flow in both the directions right?" he started questioning like a physics lecturer.

"Then.... May be.......", I was muttering.

"Waterfall??.......Yes it's waterfall", he shouted with widen eyes.

His widen eyes filled with excitement made him look more handsome.

"Ahh..yeah exactly!!", we ran towards the waterfall where we had fun on the first day.

We found our next clue under a half opened rock. I opened the chit as fast as I can to find the next clue, "I wake up when sun kisses me and sleep when sun leaves me. Lake is my hometown and water is my friend. Who am I?".

"Sun kisses me........", Karthik was repeating the words again and again.

"Trees?? Or something like that", I said.

"But why they wake up when sun kisses", he questioned thinking deeply.

"Uhh..... Let me think... let me think....", I said tapping my fingers on my temples.

"Haha, come on Ishitha think.... think", he teased me at my seriousness.

That made me laugh back at him. I don't know why.

"Sunflower?", I asked.

"Umm....... But, how could the lake be sunflower's hometown?", he questioned me placing his hand under his chin.

"Yeah, then...... ummm.... Lotus?", I screamed literally.

"Wow, superb Ishitha!!

"Thanks, but where can we find a lake?"

"Come on, open the route map"

"Observe carefully. There are only two lakes here. One is mentioned as floating cottage lake. Means the lake he mentioned that winners get a chance to spend one full day.", he started explaining.

I added up, "So there is no chance for lotus to grow when a cottage is floating in that lake."

"Exactly baby!!"

Wait, did he just say baby?

"Come on let's go", he said inturupting my thoughts.

We ran towards that lake to find our next clue.

I opened the chit to read, "I am lean....and tall......
But I am the home for a gaint food loving animal".

"What must be that", I questioned constantly staring at chit.

I didn't get any response like I am the only one at that place.

I turned back and found Karthik plucking lotus from the lake carefully without getting drowned himself in water.

"What are you doing?", I shouted at him like I cant see what's happening there already.

He came closer to me soon with a bunch of lotus in his wet hands.

"Beautiful flowers to the prettiest lady!!", he offered them to me bowing.

The love that I have on flowers and the way he struggled to get them for me brought an amazing feel.

I took the flowers thanking him with a big genuine smile.

He took the chit in my hand smiling back

"So what might be the answer for this clue?", he asked reading the clue for himself.

"What is the food loving animal?", I asked

"Umm....elephant??"

"But it can't live on trees right?", I asked him touching the soft petals of lotus.

"Food panda!!..... Pandas!!", he shouted.

"Yes, and they live on bamboo trees which are lean and tall!!", I extended the answer for the clue.

We high-fived each other excitedly opening the route map to find out the location.

A gaint river is dividing the whole woods into two separate areas.

These bamboo trees are just other side of the river.

"So, we need to cross this river to get our next clue", he explained.

I stayed silent looking at him for a moment.

"Shall we go?", he asked again.

"Umm.. mm.... I think.... I can't play this game anymore", I replied facing down

"But why?", he asked with a confused face.

"Ahhh.... I told you right that I have a phobia walking on bridges.", I told him in a low tone

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot that. I am really sorry"

"It's okay, actually I have to say sorry for quitting in the middle", I said sadly looking at him.

"Who said that you are quitting", he asked strangely.

"I mean, I have a phobia......", I tried to repeat the same as if he didn't get it.

He cut me in the middle of my words and said, "Come on Ishitha, life is very short. We should brake our fears and experience the beauty that we never thought we could"

"But..??", I tried to explain again.

He interrupted me again, "Come on Ishitha, it's just a few meters bridge at few meters height".

I started biting my nails to keep down my tension levels.

He came closer to me holding my left hand.

"You can do this and we are crossing it", he said heading me up to the place.

I followed him like a lost puppy still boring my right hand nails.

And so sooner we reached the bridge.

"Come on!", he said pulling my hand gently.

"No.. No I can't", I tried pulling back my hands.

"Can you let me help you in overcome this fear?", he asked looking into my eyes.

"Yes.... Please"

He came closer to me leaving an inch gap between us looking into my eyes for a span. He lifted me up in his hands gently scooping me like a baby.

Not even a single word came out from my mouth. All I did was staring hard at him.

He started taking steps to the bridge. I closed my eyes as hard as I can and knotted my hands behind his neck.

"Closing your eyes can never let you overcome this fear Ishitha. Do you trust me?", he asked looking into my eyes

"Yes, I do"

"Then look into my eyes", he said moving slowly ahead.

We forget whole surroundings reaching a different world looking into each others eyes.

I can hear his heart beat so clearly as my ears are close enough to his chest even in the noisy sounds of floating river under the bridge.

He smiled at me to make me feel comfortable. I smiled back still looking deep into his eyes.

"And We did it", he screamed maintaining that smile.

I looked around curiously and found the bridge a few meters away.

He gently landed me on grass.

"Thank you so much Karthik. This is one of the best moments in my life so far", I told him.

"It's my pleasure pretty lady", he replied bending his head again.

I like him whenever he does that.

"Shall we go?", he asked pointing towards bamboo trees.

We were lucky enough to found the chit so sooner.

He opened the chit and started reading, "Climb the hill and grab your treasure".

It was written so clearly as it was the last clue.

At last we found a key hanging to a tree surrounded with hanging dolls and a congratulations card written.

"We made it!!", I shouted hifiing him.

We took the key and reached our house as fast as we can.

We saw Nancy's team and Sameera's team already at home except Rahul's team.

"So, you people got the treasure?", Sameera asked looking at the key and card written congratulations in my hand.

"Yes!! What happened to you people?", I asked them.

"I gave up dude", Nancy replied with tired face having a glass of juice.

"We did the same Ishi", Keerthi replied and congratulated me with a warm hug.

"Where is Rahul and Rupa?", I asked Keerthi.

"They haven't come yet", she replied searching them at surroundings.

And suddenly the game organizer appeared God know from where.

"Congratulations team!! You finished it with in the time", he said with a big smile.

"Thank you", we replied him excitedly.

And I found Rupa and Rahul coming towards us from far.

"Hey they are coming", I pointed at them.

"Where have you been man?", Karthik asked Rahul giving a punch into his chest.

"Just over there.... And you chased the treasure!! Congrats man", Rahul punched back into Karthik's chest.

"So you got the treasure. Congratulations darling!!", Rupa hugged me.

"Okay guys!! Winner team is going to spend one full day in floating cottage super soon", Organiser said and left the place.

Karthik and me looked at each other for a moment.

"Come on cheers to the winners", Arun said.

Everyone started shouting and hauling.

Hello readers 🤗

This chapter took a lot of time to get thoughts💭

Hope you enjoy it!!

Let me know how is it

Please vote and comment 😁

Love you all💝