$1 million., page 1

Toby knew his leg was broken almost imediately.Sharp shooting pains ran up his body and made him feel physically sick.He resisted successfully his body's desire to let go and pass out.He looked up the rocky slope he had been running down and cursed his stupidity and lack of care.Then he looked down at the two large bolders his leg was trapped between and cursed them too.He peered into the gap that his leg was in.After a cursery examination he realised that if he could get his boot off he may be able to extricate himself but he couldn't simply undo the lace.He would need his hunting knife.He looked up the incline where only ten feet away lay his rucksack within which,as he well knew,was his hunting knife.He didn't bother to reach for it.It was too far he knew that.Surprisingly perhaps,after all the cursing he had done,it was only at this point that he cursed the day he had opened that damn e-mail.

Only one month ago it had been.Toby had entered the offices of the Security firm which he had joined when he had left the armed forces.He made himself a coffee while he chatted with the boss' secretary about a movie that had been on the night before.Then he'd made his way to his desk,and logged on.-You Have Mail-read the message on his screen.Nothing unusual so far.He look through the list in his inbox.One mail title stuck out.-Application:Seargent Tobias Spence-He opened it and read slowly after reading the short message he paused and then read it once more.It read:

-Seargent Tobias Spence-

You are being offered the opportunity to apply for an unusual but potentially rewarding contest.All applicants must undergo a physical examination.The successful applicant will qualify to enter the contest and could win $1 million.

In order that the $1 million should be tax free we ask you to adhere to strict confidentiality.

e-mail [email protected]

Toby finished reading it the second time and moved his right hand to delete the message but he did not click to delete.Instead his gaze was fixed on "$1 million" .He pressed Reply instead.

He twisted his body around slightly and a wave of pain washed over him and he once again almost passed out but he held on.10 years he had been in the Army and in that time he had been in a few scrapes but nothing like this.The Army had taught him many survival techniques but the most important thing he'd learn't was attitude.Never give up and Keep a cool head.Looking around him he saw a number of rocks about the size of fists.He collected all that were within reach and looked uphill past his rucksack.He spotted what he was looking for 12 feet beyond the rucksack.On the rocky slope rockfalls and disturbances had left some areas unstable.It had been one of these areas that had caused him to slip in the first place.Aiming as carefully as he could he started to cast stones at the unstable area beyond his rucksack.

It had been 1 week before he received a reply to his application.Not by e-mail this time but by post.The letter contained an appointment in another week at an health clinic only 10 miles away from where he worked.As the date of the appointment aproached his curiosity increased.At the appointed time he was met by a doctor at the health clinic who spent an entire morning monitoring his breathing,pulse,and far more as he was put through a rigorous physical examination.He had kept himself in good shape but he was pushed to the point of exhaustion.He was dissapointed to find that the doctor apparently knew nothing of any contest or of UltraExperience.com.He left the health clinic very tired but none the wiser.

The exersion needed to cast each rock twisted his body.The pain was almost unbearable.Atlast he hit the target he was aiming for.Initially only a few rocks slid down the slope and he thought that it would not be enough but those few rocks collided with others and a small avalanche had started by the time it had reached his rucksack it was fairly large and quickly growing.It swept the rucksack towards where he lay.Immediately he realised that in order to recover the rucksack he would have to risk injury from the falling rocks and bolders.

There appeared to be a pattern with his correspondence with UltraExperience.1 week after his appointment at the health clinic Toby received another letter this time imforming him that his application had been successful and giving him a set of coordinates where he would be required to meet a representative of UltraExperience at midday one week hence if he still wished to compete for $1 million.

The rucksack came towards him quickly carried on a wave of rock and debris.Guarding his face with his left arm he reached out with his right for the rucksack.As dust enveloped him his hand felt the canvas bag.He bought it to his chests and lay as flat as he could as rocks pummeled his body.

Toby had checked the coordinates on a map at the first opportunity and found that they crossed at a point approximately 125 miles to the North East of where he lived on a dirt road in the middle of a mountainous wooded area that stretched for at least a 100 miles in either direction.Travelling 10 miles to a health clinic was one thing,travelling 125 miles to God knows what was quite another and Toby started to have second thoughts.His searches for information about UltraExperience had all come up blank but every time he wavered and considered forgetting the entire thing he thought once more of the $1 million tax free.
On the morning of his rendezvous he got into his car and started to drive North East.

Blood seeped out of a fresh wound on his forehead and ran into his eyes.He wiped it away,sat up as best as he could and opened the rucksack.He found the knife and reached into the gap between the bolders and started to cut away his laces.When this was done he loosened the boot as much as he could and gripping his leg with both hands as low down as he could he pulled his leg out of the gap slowly.Once free he lay for a short moment recovering.

As Toby approached the the rendezvous point he noticed a black van parked by the side on the road.He pulled up behind it and as he did so the van door on the drivers side opened and one smartly dressed man stepped out.Toby stepped out of his own car and met him.The man was smiling and held out his hand.
"Very pleased to meet you Seargent Spence"
"Retired"corrected Toby "I hope there is no mistake and you wanted a serving soldier"
The smartly dressed man smiled.
"No,no mistake Seargent Spence but one never really leaves the forces,does one?
Toby laughed.In a way he was quite right.
"I guess you're right.Did you serve?"
"Yes,long time ago though."
Toby felt a bond.It was indescribable but he always felt it when in the presence of others that had had similar training and experiences.
"What's the deal?" asked Toby.
Ahh,about the contests?Simple really.I have a number of clients all ex-service,some getting on now"he laughed and toby laughed with him.Old soldiers never retire they only tactically retreat."but all rather wealthy.they like to keep their eye in.You know the sort of thing,incase the British ever come back" again they both laughed.Toby felt that he'd enjoy having a beer with this guy.Perhaps after this was all over he'd ask him.
"You served for 10 years.In that time you must have done exercises where you survived and avoided a searching enemy in an hostile enviroment.right?
Toby smiled at this and nodded"Many times.I've spent some of the most coldest and miserable nights during those exercises"
The smartly dressed man smiled with him.Toby got the impression he recalled similar experiences with the same mix of unpleasant memories and nostagia.
"Well the same thing here really.Only this time at the end if you avoid my clients for one week you win $1 million not just a pat on the back and a hot cup of coffee."
"And if I don't avoid them?"
"Then I'm afraid all you will get is a pat on the back and a hot cup of coffee"Again they both laughed.
"When would you want me to start this exercise?"
The smartly dressed man look at him straight."Now."
"Now?but I'm not dressed or equipped for it."
The smartly dressed man led Toby to the back of the van and opened the door.At the front were two wooden cases.The first had his name on it.The smartly dressed man slid back the top.In it were combat clothes and a rucksack.The rucksack contained a compass,map,flint,matches,2 days rations,a sheathed hunting knife,twine,a canteen,a woollen blanket,and a plasic ground sheet.
"Only 2 days rations?" asked Toby once he had looked through the contents of the case.
"Your military records show you've had plenty of survival experience.For $1 million it has to be a rigorous test.Oh and about the money"
The man slid back the top of the other case revealing bundles of used $20 bills."Just to show we are serious.Touch it.Count it if you like.It's all there.It will still be waiting for you when the exercise is over
"
Toby was dressed and ready to set of within an hour.
"You will have 6 hours headstart.I said some of my clients were quite elderly but I can assure you age hasn't blunted their keenness.I'd use that time efficiently if I were you."
Toby didn't wait to be asked to start twice and he headed quickly into the wilderness.

Having freed his broken leg and rested briefly Toby cut the leg of his trouser away.A compound Fracture.The whiteness of the bone had pierced his skin.Then he could hear the dogs again.The deep barks of a couple of bloodhounds.He looked down the rocky slope at the bottom he could see a fast running river in flood.He couldn't walk let alone run and with those damn dogs on his trail he couldn't hide either.There was only one chance for him to get away.He must crawl to the river and let the current take him down away from those that hunted him.It would be dangerous but it was his only hope.Again he heard the dogs and he even thought he heard voices.Slowly he started to crawl and slide down towards the river.

For the first 3 days Toby would have been hard pressed to say if anyone was hunting him or not.It was on the fourth day that he first heard the occasional howl of the bloodhounds.Then he knew they were on his trail.Still he was still young and very fit and he was confident that he could stay ahead.By the fifth day he was becoming more and more tired.He heard the dogs often now and feared that they were closing on him.His rations had run out of course so he was eating whatever he could find.Since he had first heard the dogs he had been afraid to light a fire and he was both hungry and cold.

He was now about 10 yards away from the river's edge but there was much less of an incline.Dragging his broken leg behind him he clawed his way towards the water.Each foot closer took an effort of will but slowly he made ground.

It was on the morning of the sixth day that the whole contest took a frightening turn.It was mid morning and the occasional barks and howls seemed nearer than ever before and for the first time he thought he could hear voices calling to each other.He had reached a clearing of about 100 yards and as quickly as his fatigue allowed he started to cross it.He was about to enter the woodland once more when he heard a shout.He turned to see a few men enter the clearing one handling the dogs.As he did so a shot rang out and he felt a sharp pain in his upper arm.He didn't wait to ask questions.Adrenaline raced through his body and gave him new strength and with it speed.He ran,he estimated,for about 2 miles before he examined his arm.The wound was not deep but there was a fair bit of blood.He took off his belt,placing his hunting knife in his rucksack as he did so,and wrapped it around his arm above the wound.He did the buckle up as tight as he could and headed off as quickly as he could away from where he had seen the men.

Toby was only a couple of yards from the waters edge.He could hear the voices calling to each other once again.He clawed frantically at the rocky ground.Each inch closer to survival.

Stumbling blindly through the woodland Toby came across the rocky incline and the river below.Thinking vaguely that if he could get to the river he might be able to hide his scent from those damn dogs.He headed down at full tilt.He didn't feel himself slip.His legs were like jelly.In a cloud of dust he found himself suddenly and painfully trapped halfway down.

Toby's hand touched the ice cold water.It gave him a stronger determination and with a struggle half of his body was in the water.He could hear the sound of boots on the rocks and gravel behind him aproaching slowly,no hurry it seemed.Then he could hear the panting of a dog and then warm breath and a cold nose on his cheek.Still he struggled into the water.The boots were very close now and the noise they made changed as they too entered the water.A boot pressed against his side turning him over with a splash.
Toby looked up at an elderly man who was levelling a rifle at his face.His face seemed familiar.A retired General?He thought he recognised him.In politics now?Toby tried to speak.He opened his mouth but any words he uttered were lost as the sound of the rifle shot echoed in the wilderness.

The elderly man turned to his comrades smiling.They patted him on the back and turned to walk down river together.

The body of Sergeant Tobias Spence's lay lifeless in the cold water. Red clouds of blood washed down river.