“Team Coco and Jetson, we hope you come prepared for the grueling task ahead of you. We will test body,” Jetson huffed, “mind and spirit. Enclosed is a riddle to lead you to your starting destination. At every stop you make, there will be an envelope very much like this one with another clue. There are ten clues, ten destinations. At the final stop, you will find the 8:15 pm train to the clubhouse awaiting you. Be warned, if you do not make this train you are instantly disqualified, as there is no way of getting back. Good luck.” Jetson looked up at Coco, her eyes were gleaming with the spirit of competition and she was moving her fingers frantically, clawing at the envelope in his hands. “All right!” He cried. “All right, calm down! Here,” he handed her the thick creamy piece of paper, folded neatly in half. She unfolded it slowly. Her eyes flitted up and down. She huffed. “I’m no good with riddles, Jetson! Read it, tell me what you think!” She handed it to him. His eyes scanned the page, and he read quietly…
By Nora Maarleveld 16-08-2010, Queen Margaret College
 

"Beyond the building full of history, there is a fountain, blue like the sea. By the fountain there is a box with a clue from me." Jetson scratched his head. "Do you know what it means Coco?" he said. "No idea." she replied. Teams were already rushing off in different directions. Jetson looked around and spotted a sign advertising the local museum. I've got it! he shouted. "Its the Peacock Fountain behind the museum!" "Of course!" said Coco. "Lets go! They both sprinted off towards the museum. When they got to the fountain they couldn't find the box. Jetson looked behind him, other teams were gaining on them. Suddenly, he spotted a sign. "Coco! Come here!" he yelled. She rushed to his side. He pointed to a sign that read: 'Flip a coin in, to have more chance to win. He pulled the gold coin out of his pocket, kissed it and threw it into the fountain. Suddenly a trap door opened beneath them and they fell into darkness. Coco was rubbing a grazed knee and complaining when she spied a shinny red box. She ran over pulled out the envelope and read out the clue. It fell to the floor and Coco looked at Jetson with a stunned look in her eyes.
By Madison Hill 16-08-2010, Villa Maria College
 

“What is it?” asked Jetson worriedly. Coco looked at Jetson with fear showing her large brown eyes. “WHAT?!” asked Jetson again, starting to get a bit agitated at Coco. “Oh, Jetson,” she sighed at last, “I think I know where we’re going.” Jetson squinted at Coco, even in the dark, musty room he could tell that she was scared. “Jetson, I know where we’re going, we’re going to the graveyard.” she stammered. They both stood there in silence for a few minutes, finally Coco broke the awkward silence “how are we going to get out of here?” she asked suddenly. Jetson looked around. They were in a small dark room with no doors, just a bumpy stone wall. The place where they had fallen down from seemed to have sealed itself. They felt their way around the perimeter of the wall and suddenly Coco shouted out. “Jeston! Quick! Come here!” Jetson ran over to Coco and looked at what she was staring at, some paintings on the wall. They were paintings of grave stones and there was an arrow pointing forward. Coco traced the arrow with her finger then suddenly the wall disappeared showing a dark, narrow pathway. Jetson looked uneasily at Coco, but she was already sprinting down the pathway. He had no choice but to follow. The path led to a big, shiny black box. “Jetson, I think we have to open it,” whispered Coco. She placed her hand on the brass gold handle and began to pull it open. Jetson suddenly realised what the box was, a coffin. He helped Coco lift up the lid then gazed inside. Coco screamed. Jetson just looked at the thing in there in total awe. A decomposed human body. He reached past it and pulled a silver envelope tucked in behind the skull. He read it then showed it to Coco. They looked at each other, horrified.
By Mollie McGeorge 17-08-2010, Villa Maria College
 

Coco made a small disgusted sound in the back of her throat. "Ew" she shuddered. "Was it really necessary to hide it in a coffin? Especially when there's a..." she glanced nervously at the coffin and lowered her voice to a whisper, "a dead person there!" Jetson raked a hand through his hair and re read the note. " It says we have to "dial the dead" He wrinkled up his nose. Coco frowned. "Here pass me the phone. " she punched in the number supplied on the paper and grinned at Jetson. "If there's one thing teachers teach you, it's to learn to text better with the phone hidden under the desk!" she joked and waited as the phone rang. At the last minute she chickened out and gave the phone to Jetson. He heard a click then a droning, ominous sound. Coco looked confused. "Hey why can i hear a phone ring- "Hello" Jetson jumped and Coco screamed. The dead person was sitting up, a phone pressed to his ear. "Like the costume kids?" he looked amused at their fear. "Well done, you're the first to reach me. Here's your next clue. He cleared his throat: Beneath a tree, tall and proud, hides a note, still to be found. But which tree? you may ask. Here's a hint: in the east end of the park." He grinned at them again. "sorry, the rhyming's a bit lame, i made it up myself." Coco, first to recover from the shock, gave a small smile. "your rhyming's fine" she assured him. "We better go noe so um... thanks!" The man nodded. "Good luck kids!" Coco and Jetson hurried away. They followed a passageway until they caught a glimpse of the welcoming light of day. There was a large stone blocking the entrance. Jetson groaned. "guess this is what they meant when they said they were going to test BODY, mind and spirit." Coco laughed at his dismay and they began heaving the rock, huffing and puffing. Suddenly they heard footsteps coming down the passageway. "Hurry!" hissed Coco. She slipped through the tiny gap and gestured for Jetson to follow. He squeezed after her then gave a small yelp. "Coco! I'm stuck!" The footsteps quickened in pace.
By Alice Burton 18-08-2010, Kawhia School
 

Thump, thump, thump. The footsteps drew nearer. “C’mon Jetson!” huffed Coco, frantically trying to heave him through the gap in the stone wall. With one last effort, Jetson squirmed free, sprawling forward and toppling onto a startled Coco. Panting and puffing, the duo got up, relieved to be as far away from the footsteps as possible. But although the rock wall was between the pair and the intruder, the footsteps continued to increase in noise. Thump, thump, thump. Jetson hastily helped Coco to her feet, before they darted off down the corridor, not even daring to look back at their pursier, because the footsteps were still in earshot. Thump, thump, thump. All of a sudden, another noise came from in front of them, another set of footsteps. Thump, thump, thump. Coco took a sharp intake of breath. “Back this way,” she hissed, grabbing Jetson’s hand and dragging him back the other way. Then she realised that there weren’t only one set of footsteps, but two. People were coming for them from both directions of the spooky tunnel. Thump, thump, thump. Two masked figures dressed in black appeared at either side of the pair. One scooped Coco up into his arms, holding her like a sack of potatoes. She screamed horrible, insulting things at him, but nothing broke his firm hold on her. The other man wrapped his hands around Jetson’s wrists. Jetson too tried to fight, but the man’s grip was like iron shackles, strong and unbreakable. Coco and Jetson feel a blindfold being slipped on, and their vision was totally obscured by the dark piece of fabric. The next thing they know, Coco ad Jetson are in a car of some sort, the blindfolds off but the windows too dark for anything to be seen outside. “Where are they taking us?” Coco whimpered, her body shaking violently. “I don’t know,” mumbled Jetson, equally as afraid. Suddenly, the car screeched to a stop, and the door to the car is opened. “It’s the park!” exclaimed Coco, relieved to be somewhere familiar. She noticed that all the other competitors were here too, just as confused as they were. They’re ushered into the hall and told to sit down. Coco’s fears lifted when she spied the ‘Carrot’ enter the stage and speak into the loud speaker. “Welcome contenders,” he squeaked, “you have been brought here today because you’re twelve hours is up. Nobody completed all the tasks, nobody found every clue, and you’ve all run out of time. But thank you for entering and we hope to see you all next year! Off you go now.” Jetson and Coco were awestruck and disheartened. “I can’t believe it!” spluttered Coco, as they exited the building, “how can nobody complete the task, its ridiculous!” Jetson smiled and shrugged, “Oh well,” he grinned, “there’s always next year!” Jetson wasn’t feeling too disappointed about their loss. The challenge had strengthened their friendship and made them better people, and that was better than any cash prize they could give. He ducked under the umbrella with Coco. It was still raining. Just as Jetson predicted.
By Aimee Stevens 20-08-2010, Tomarata School