Issue 5 Magazine News

Assassins Game at Las Lomas

Whoever said that Nerf guns were for kids clearly has never heard of Assassins, the popular game that has found its way into the traditions of Las Lomas. So, if you start seeing some suspicious-looking juniors and seniors patrolling downtown loading cartridges full of neon foam bullets, don’t worry – it’s all part of the fun. 

Assassins, a privilege reserved for juniors and seniors, is a game in which groups of three try to hunt other assigned groups of three. According to senior Alle Carrol, leader of the game this year, “‘kills’ happen when you shoot someone on the team you are assigned to hunt, or on the team assigned to hunt you.”

“Kills” are achieved by hitting your target with Nerf guns. Basically, you try to “kill” the people you’re hunting or are being hunted by, without getting yourself “killed,” in order to continue on with the game.

Why do students play? First off, there’s a fairly significant cash prize for the winning group, so teams have that incentive to encourage them to win. Also, it’s an upperclassmen-only opportunity, so “kids tend to like taking advantages of those kinds of privileges,” Carrol says. “Freshmen and sophomores aren’t allowed to play… and it makes upperclassmen want to take advantage of being able to play when they can.”

“I enjoyed Assassins because it was a fun and exciting way to learn about people who you normally wouldn’t see outside of school,” says senior Flora Blandl. “It’s a group effort, so you can bond with your friends, and at the same time, you might learn the names of people you didn’t know before.” As for the paranoia that might come with being hunted: “Even though it’s scary to feel like someone could be following you at all times, that nervousness can be equally exciting.” 

Hunting at Las Lomas begins on February 11th; however, school campus is a safe zone during school hours, meaning that you are not allowed to play the game on Las Lomas grounds. Assassins has been a tradition at Las Lomas for at least the past four years, so by following school rules and making sure this is a fun and safe opportunity for everyone, the game can be continued for years to come. Watch out!