PLZ HELP It was probably the most bizarre, utterly confusing, and absolutely amazing field trip our teacher had ever proposed.
"Next week we are going to the Massive Mystery Maze to complete the final phase of research on the mystery genre. Up to this point, you all have read mystery novels, watched mystery theater, and even acted out a short mystery play. But now you will have the opportunity to actually be in a mystery!" Mr. Vakili, our teacher, exclaimed excitedly. Then, he showed us a promotional video from the Massive Mystery Maze website, and I could hardly believe what I was seeing. The video showed nearly 100 acres of 12-foot-high walls of corn stalks, flanked by enormous stacks of hay bales, all covered with twisting vines. The corridors of the maze looked to be about six feet wide, and were illuminated by odd-looking rods of light, similar to giant glow-sticks; walls shifted unexpectedly to reveal hidden doorways . . . this was going to be the most phenomenal field trip ever!
A week later, we all piled onto the bus to travel to the mystery maze. In what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived. It was even more spectacular and massive than I imagined . . . it was almost the size of a small town!
We shuffled off the bus and my friends and I met in a group, just outside the main entrance. As I was turning to talk to my best friend, Micah, I heard Mr. Vakili say, "Okay, now for your team assignments."
I thought to myself, Seriously, assigned groups? We aren't in kindergarten anymore. Why can't we pick our own groups? But, my silent pleas went unanswered and Mr. Vakili began calling out names. I was grouped with three other students I had hardly spoken a word to all semester. Rodney, Aliyah, and Fran all moved to join me by the entrance. Oh great, I thought, I don't know any of these people . . . how could we possibly work together to solve a mystery when I didn't even know their names until just this minute?
Then, Mr. Vakili distributed a mystery card to each group. He said, "Here is your challenge . . . a historic artifact has been stolen from the local museum and hidden somewhere within this enormous labyrinthine maze. Your job is to work with your teammates to not only locate the artifact but also discover who the thief is! You will be timed, and the first group to solve the mystery will win. Your time begins now!"
Then Rodney spoke up, "Let's read the clues and determine a plan of action."
He read through each clue, and when he was done, Aliyah said, "Okay, I think we should start by entering through Massive Mystery Entrance Three."
"No!" I exclaimed, "Everyone else is entering through the first doorway, so that is the one we should take."
"Actually," Fran interjected, "three is likely the best option. I looked up an aerial view of the maze online last night, and I think Aliyah is right, that will be the quickest way to the first clue."
I was dismayed, how could I possibly get stuck with these people? Didn't they know anything? If everyone else was going through the first door, they must know something we didn't know . . . and I was in no mood to be the last team to solve this mystery. But my teammates started walking toward entrance three, and despite my better judgment, I followed.
In virtually no time at all we arrived at the first clue, far ahead of any of the other groups, and I started to think, Maybe this group isn't so bad after all . . . we might actually be able to win this thing!