(Author's Note: I'M WROTE THIS EARLY AND RELEASING THIS EARLY FOR YOU GUYS!)

"Each clue will lead their respective group to a severed finger. After each finger is found, the group must return to their hand and put it back to the bone to receive the next clue. There's an additional puzzle by the pump station that holds one of the Lazarus coins needed to open the Lazarus Box. It does not need to be completed to win, but if a hunting party manages to open it, they'll not only get the coin but also be moved ahead to the final clue, even if they haven't solved the others," the group reads the challenge note while looking at the missing fingers on each team table.

"Maybe we should get a head start. Team one over there, team two over here," Mortimer and Calliope guide the team to their spots.

"Everybody, grab your notes," Mortimer says.

"Both teams may now read their first clue," Calliope says, standing next to Tara's team, while Mortimer is by Ethan's team.

"Stand between the sun and moon, and view the tree that died too soon," Sam reads the first clue out loud to her team.

"Remember a tree that dies too soon, and a sun and moon," Sam reminds her group, who take mental notes in their heads.

"Eight sides to feel the air, a romantic place to stop and stair," Anika reads the note out to her team.

"Okay, so stairs that are romantic, and eight sides," Anika reminds the group what to note in their heads.

"It's probably the gazebo," Anika says, about to run off to find a gazebo. The other group was going there too, but they spotted the tall man and decided to search for a red light instead. Meanwhile, Ethan had dragged her and their group with Mortimer to one.

"Guys, where is a red light at?" Amber says as they struggle to find one.

As Ethan stands under the red light, he waits until the tall man passes by them completely, hoping the man doesn't try to pull any tricks as he goes. Meanwhile, Ethan and Chad decide to look for what Anika was talking about earlier. At the same time, Quinn and Anika head toward the pump station with Mortimer.

As Chad and Ethan reach their destination, they begin looking around the area, checking under some stairs and searching all around.

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While Tara's team decides to stick together and figure out their clue as a group, they run straight away from the other group, trying to find the sun, moon, or tree. Luckily, while running, Mindy points out the horizon they had seen earlier, identifying it as the sun.

"Okay, that has to be the sun, now where is the moon?" Tara says before spotting the tall man chasing them. They have to once again run away from him to avoid any potential trouble.

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While trying to look around the pump station, Tara's team sees the other team passing by. They turn their attention back and notice the tall man is now chasing the other team. Concerned for their safety, Tara's team keeps their distance and continues searching for clues.

"He's too close; we probably need to leave," Quinn says as she, Anika, and Mortimer decide to take a shortcut that was close to the Tallman in order to run away. They realize they might have enough time to reunite with the other part of their group. Quinn runs really fast despite being in boot heels, with Anika running right behind her, although not as fast. Mortimer almost gets caught by the Tallman, but luckily manages to evade him and stand under another red light.

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While looking for the moon, Sam points out a tree that looks like it had died too soon, which was a part of their clues. Excitedly, she runs towards it and spots the missing finger. Sam and her team quickly grab the clue before sneaking away, hoping to stay ahead of the competition and the Tallman.

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While still searching for clues, Ethan spots the tall man approaching their location. Concerned, he goes over to Chad to warn him about the approaching danger.

"Chad, he's coming! Come on," Ethan says urgently, grabbing Chad's hand and dragging him towards a red light. Quinn and Anika spot them and quickly join them at the same light. The four of them decide to stick together to stay safe instead of splitting up.

"Okay, the gazebo has 'Eight sides to stop and stare.' But does it mean just stairs, or a stair also? And is it real or fake?" Ethan questions, seeking clarification on the clues they have gathered so far.

"Perhaps it is still the gazebo. It's the only thing that really matches the clue when you think about it," Chad says, considering the evidence they have gathered so far while the tall man just stares at them before walking away.

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Tara's group quickly runs to their designated spot and places the missing finger on the hand. "Now, where's the next clue?" Amber asks as they all start to search their area for any sign of the next clue.

While searching for the next clue, Sam spots the tall man and urgently yells to the others to warn them. "RUN THE OTHER WAY!" The group doesn't even hesitate or look back, knowing exactly what she's talking about, and they sprint towards another red light that's in their sight. 

As Sam and Tara run off to find a clue, Mindy and Amber decide to stay under the red light. However, Amber notices the Tallman chasing after Sam and Tara. Feeling a sense of urgency, she decides to take a bold and risky action.

"Excuse me, soulless-looking person, I'm over here," Amber says as she exits the red light while posing but quickly gets back in when it gets really close to her.

"Guys, I got the next clue!" Sam yells as Tara joins the two girls under the light. When she sees the tall man heading to Sam,

"Are you over six feet tall? Come to Mommy if you are," Amber says, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible. She and Mindy start dancing randomly but quickly return to the red light when the tall man almost snatches them.

The next clue for their team is, "Fifteen doors on both sides, but in one, a secret resides."

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Ethan's team was still trying to figure out their first clue, looking over at the same spot again, but this time, they examined it together.

"Maybe I need to break this," Chad says, attempting to hit a fake rock on the stairs.

"Chad, Babe. That's a fake rock," Ethan says, not realizing he said "Babe."

"Well, never mind. Also, thanks, Babe," Chad says, winking at Ethan, who was turning into a tomato at the moment.

"Okay, let's focus on the task at hand and not gay shit. Also, you two should consider dating if everything works out, and none of us are in danger," Quinn says, breaking up the moment with an awkward realization that their lives are still at risk.

Both snap out of their trance, looking around the area. Quinn's eyes scan the surroundings, and she finds the finger hidden beside the stairs.

"I found it!" Quinn says as she and her team run over to their spot to put the finger back on the hand.

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When Sam got the clue, she read it out loud for her friends, which helped them find the doors and another finger that was stuck in one of their doors.

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As Ethan's team put the first finger on the head, the next clue popped up for them, which said, "Burn and churn and pour in more."

"Maybe, the gas station?" Anika suggests, contemplating the clue.

"Maybe," Ethan says as they try to run to find the clue. However, they spot the tall man and quickly retreat back to their area and huddle around the red light that was close to them.

"We can either find another finger there or the Lazarus coin if we can't find the finger," Ethan suggests, and the group agrees to the plan. As the tall man walks away, they seize the opportunity and swiftly run to the gas station.

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When Tara's team puts the second finger on the hand, they quickly grab the note and make a swift escape when they spot the tall man behind them.

"What does the clue say?" Sam asks as they run.

"88 keys open the door. Its tune will leave you wanting more," Tara reads the clue aloud to the team.

"88 keys? Like on a piano?" Amber says, clearly puzzled and not getting the clue at all.

"There's a piano in Fat Man Slims," Tara says, running to Fat Man Slims as the others follow behind her. They reach the establishment, enter the entertaining room, and rush to the piano. Tara picks up the last finger they needed.

Tara then runs out of the room and shows the finger to the others. "Good job, Tara!" Mindy says as they all quickly exit the place. However, they end up under a red light, and their excitement fades when they spot the tall man nearby.

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Chad reads the clue out loud to the group as they stand by the gas station. "There are 500 coffins and 500 men who need them. The undertaker asks the first man to go to every coffin and open it. Then he asks the second man to go to every coffin and close it. The third one goes to every third coffin, and so on. How many coffins are open?" Chad finishes reading before standing back up.

"That is a lot to process," Chad says.

"We can skip them for now," Quinn agrees with him as they decide to move on to the next clue at the gas station.

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"Amber, do your thing," Tara says as she runs to go put the finger on the hand. Amber nods, and with determination, she starts working on the next part of the puzzle.

While Mindy and Sam stand at the red light, Amber devises a plan to distract the tall man. She waves her hands and calls out loudly to get his attention, trying to lead him away from their group without putting herself in harm's way. Once the tall man starts moving toward her, Amber quickly retreats back into the red light, joining Mindy and Sam. They wait for an opportunity to proceed with the next part of their plan safely.

Tara manages to grab the note and key she receives from putting the finger on the hand just in time and dashes away toward the red light, narrowly escaping the tall man's grasp. She joins the others under the red light, catching her breath and feeling relieved they got away safely.

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While searching for the clue, Quinn discovers the finger hidden behind one of the gas pumps. She signals the rest of the group to follow her.

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"I live beneath the faces of the dead, finding me will get you a step ahead," Tara reads the clue aloud to the group, pondering its meaning.

Excitedly, the group follows Mindy's lead and runs to the spot where she pointed out the skulls. Upon closer inspection, they find the next clue hidden beneath the skulls, just as the riddle suggested.

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"Round and round and round we go, where we stop, no one knows," Ethan reads the note aloud to the group after they successfully put the finger on the hand. The enigmatic message leaves them wondering what it could be referring to next.

"Carousel, the Carousel!" Anika exclaims, realizing the connection. The rest of the group follows her lead as they rush to the carousel, eager to find the next clue.

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While searching through the bones, Mindy decides to check an unexpected spot between two stairs that were covered with leaves. She carefully moves the leaves aside and discovers a hidden box. Excitedly, she grabs the box and quickly runs to the red light to reunite with the rest of the team.

"Guys, I found it! I need the key," Mindy exclaims, and the group quickly gathers around her. They use the key to unlock the box and are thrilled to find the valuable gems inside. Realizing that they have successfully completed the challenge, they celebrate their victory with joy and excitement.

"We won!" Tara cheers with excitement as they all run back to their hangout spot. The team shares hugs of celebration, even Calliope joins in, wearing a smile as she appreciates the team's accomplishment. They savor the moment of victory and camaraderie after a challenging adventure.

This meant Ethan, Quinn, Chad, or even Anika could possibly be dead next...

(Author's Note: How do you feel about Ethan's Team? Who do you think might die next? How do you feel about this chapter? Did Ethan's team face any unfair challenges? Any feedback here!)