Around ten p.m. he was standing outside with a small bag and a balaclava. It was time for his first challenge.

He had received a message hours after he had said he was in for it. Maybe the answer was late because they didn’t expect him to agree. Which, to be honest, was a surprise. He knew that too.

Oliver was catching up with his friends out of town so the house was empty again. It was the perfect scenario. He went to the movie theatre and bought a ticket for the movie at ten p.m. It was some long action movie of four hours long, so he’d have enough time. Sebastian knew he was probably paranoid and this was all unnecessary, but he wanted to be prepared just in case. And how could he know what was necessary and what was not? He had never broken in before and stole something. Let alone by and from his parents. 

The first challenge sounded simple but was the opposite: Get your mother's golden necklace and deliver it to the old house at the side of the woods.

The necklace in the message was his mother’s favorite. She got it on her wedding anniversary from a friend. And since she got it,  she has been obsessed with it. Oliver mentioned sometimes how she still wears it. Every day. So, actually stealing it would be a challenge. But he wasn’t going to steal it, don’t worry. He just planned on borrowing it. 

After the text, a location was sent. He knew where the old house was, he used to go there a lot as a wild teenager and was ready to take action. He drove to the other side of town, hands shaking the closer he got to his childhood house.

The house looked as lonely as it did in his memories. His parents were out of the house, having a business party, so getting caught by them wasn’t going to happen. He opened the door with an old key he still had lying. Once inside, a wave of nostalgia and sadness hit him. Sebastian would never admit this out loud, but he sometimes missed this. It had been four years since he had been here. He never came to Christmas celebrations or Thanksgiving. He just didn’t want to be here again. And yet, he was because some crazy person wanted to play a game. And he said yes. 

When he had turned on his flashlight, he went up to the stairs, careful not to make a sound. He passed his old bedroom door and forced himself to walk past it. It would only waste time and good memories if he went inside. He reached the bedroom of his parents and hesitated before opening the door. Is it too late to back off? Probably, he thought.

He opened the door, slowly, not quite sure. He felt like a stranger in his old house. The room was dark but he still knew where everything was placed. As chaotic as his parents were, they couldn't stand change. The room had been the same since the house was bought. He searched through all the closets, drawers, and cabinets, trying desperately to find the necklace. He was still unsure of why he chose to do this, or why he was even here. Maybe it was the desire to have revenge, or just wanting to see the house again. Maybe a bit of both. Sebastian didn’t know. 

After looking everywhere, he stumbled upon an old, small box. It had a beautiful woodcut and colors all over it. Sebastian opened it and felt like he’d just won an award. He carefully took out the necklace with a napkin and lifted it. The necklace had a golden chain that looked like it was braided. It was short and small, which gave off an elegant look. Perfect for his mother, Sebastian thought. The friend that gave it to her, must have known her taste pretty well.

Taking a deep breath in and out, he folded the napkin around the chain. He did his best to be as gentle as possible with it. If he would deliver it back to his mom, and it was damaged, he would never forgive himself for it.

He put the necklace away in his pocket and made his way outside. 

He did it. He actually did it. 

Sebastian checked the time, it was almost midnight. His car was parked around the corner of the street. Just far enough to not stand out, but close enough to be fast in his car. He was getting tired, so, he made his way to the house in the woods. 

Once arrived, he stepped out of the car. The cold air hitting his face sent shivers down his spine. The small house was luckily not far away, and he found it quickly. When he reached for his phone, his hands almost froze. 

Sebastian Jones: I’m at the house with the necklace, what now? 00:22 AM

Anonymous: Take a selfie with you wearing it, send it to me, and leave the necklace in the mailbox. 00:23 AM

He blew hot air on his hands, trying to warm them up, while reading the message. Wearing the necklace seemed like a bad idea to him. If his mother ever saw that picture, he would be a dead man. Before he could start overthinking, Sebastian made the clear statement that that would never happen to him and that he should just do it. The prize at the end of the game was worth more than spiraling. 

He took a selfie, hoping he didn’t look all too bad in it, and sent it to the anonymous number. The person had completely taken over his mind for the past two days and now he had stolen something from his parents. The ones who he had completely abandoned from his life. He didn’t feel like himself. It was an uncomfortable and strange feeling. 

He left the necklace in the mailbox and made his way out of the forest. Once in his car, he checked for new messages. To his surprise, he didn’t receive anything. Was it weird that he wanted to get some validation for what he did? He had just broken into the house of his parents and stole a piece of jewelry from his mother because someone said he had to. He felt regret rise to his head. How did this happen? Pressure started to build up in his chest, almost like his lungs were being filled with water. With shaking hands and pressure on his lungs and head, he took his steering wheel and drove off to his home.