The Systems Challenge

Despite the hostility he was used to receiving from Kim, Elmo was overjoyed that she was on the mend. Although, that didn't mean that he was spared from having to help cook in the kitchen at the inn. While he'd thought that it was just for the first night, Jonas quickly disabused him of that notion when he made it clear that he was to help with the food preparation until they left.

So, he found himself in the hot kitchen doing what the cook told him to do, even if he didn't really understand the reason for whatever direction, he found that the knowledge of Kim pulling through and recovering was enough to keep him in good spirits. Although, he still wasn't too happy about having to be in the hot kitchen, especially with how warm it seemed to get during the hotter part of the day.

The only time he seemed to have for himself was the brief periods when he was able to go eat himself or when he was finally done for the day. Which wasn't usually until well after the sun went down. Elmo wasn't sure if he'd be able to survive the pace, since at the end of the day, he was completely worn out. He estimated it was primarily because of the heat, but he wouldn't be surprised if at least part of it was from the physical demands of the job.

He'd heard the announcer at the start of that day telling all of them that the next challenge had to do with saving the king from being assassinated, but he couldn't say that he was particularly concerned about that for the moment. Right then he was more worried about doing his part in keeping those of his team situated in the inn while they waited for Kim to recover.

Though, he also wondered if they might also remain there until Heather and Sonya started to get better. He wasn't sure what was wrong with them, but wasn't sure what could be done for them either. Not that he had much energy to worry about them anyway.

Elmo started to tune out the announcements from the announcer at the start and end of every day as he continued to do his part in the kitchen wile Elin seemed to flourish as a waitress. Elmo was starting to wonder if this might be a good place for them to live if they ended up not being the ones who were able to return to their own worlds. After all, this wasn't such a bad life.

Owen's group left the inn the day the next challenge was announced and Patrick and Patricia arrived later that day. There wasn't much for them to talk about, and Elmo was wondering if they'd remain at the inn for a while or if they'd be like Owen's team and leave the next day.

Of course, they were like Owen's group and were gone by the time Elmo came out to eat his breakfast after the people who stayed at the inn, even in the common area, had eaten. Elmo felt like it was a loss for them to have left, but couldn't say why. It was almost like there was something nagging at the back of his mind that he just couldn't quite place, but didn't know what to do about it.

The days continued to pass and Kim seemed to get stronger each day, but it was clear, with how she still needed help from Elin part of the time to move around, they weren't likely to get out of there for a while yet. Others that they'd recognized as member of whatever contest they had been pressed into passed through the inn, though none of them seemed to recognize them. Even Stanley's team didn't seem to know who they were, despite having been saved by the team Elmo was on. Elmo wasn't sure how the others had been able to pay to stay at the inn, but he also knew that it wasn't his concern. It wasn't his business to run.