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Chapter 10: Let the Games Begin!


I didn’t sleep much that night. I kept dreaming. Dreaming of running in darkness with Ashley beside me. As we ran, a horde of demons came after us and were gaining fast! I suddenly pulled out another chain scythe and destroyed them all in the nick of time!

That’s when I woke up. My right arm had a burning sensation, but I ignored it and took it as a good dream. My eyes stayed closed for a minute, as I lay there, but I soon jumped out of bed. Today was not the day to sleep in. Morning routines were followed by the longest shower I could’ve possibly taken. I wouldn’t be this clean for a while! I got myself dressed, and then headed to the kitchen.

“Good morning!” Mom greeted. She seemed extremely happy to have her only son, the baby of the family at that, travel across major land masses including a mountain, plains, and a forest and a major body of water. Not to mention battling demons no ones ever seen who’s lived to tell the tale.

“G’mornin’,” I mumbled with a sleepy smile. She fed me a light breakfast and I ate, I finally noticed the stillness and quiet of the house. “Where is everybody?” I asked her.

“They took your stuff and went ahead!” Lira explained rushing around the house. Even my weapons were gone and I had noticed only because I had returned to my room. “Let’s go!” I heard her call from outside. I ran outside and hopped in the car. Ashley’s house was dark, meaning that she had already left.

We made it to City Hall quickly. The parade went from there to the starting line after a short ceremony. Each city had a float with the teams and their families on it. I ran out of the car to meet the rest of my family as well as Ashley and hers. “Here’s all your stuff!” Ashley said hanging my chain scythe around me. Kimi handed me my katana which I fastened to my left hip. Finally, she hand me my bow, and a new set of arrows! “Kimi! Where’d you get these?” I asked admiring one.

“Come on little bro, you know me!” she said with a wave. “I got people left and right! Now make sure they end up in some monster’s brain!” she instructed me. I nodded and we continued to get on our float. Once we were on, the driver told us that even though we’d be moving at a relatively slow pace, we were not to move around too much. But we were free to wave and smile and all that stuff.

The ceremony had begun and the mayors of all three cities spoke briefly. Once they were done, Jenny was there to brag about me, Ashley, and Anthony. To my surprise, our class rep, John, who’s also a good friend of mine, was there with a speech he had prepared against his will. This was Jenny’s doing, as this was her way. He finished and handed me a book. “It’s a bestiary,” he explained. “I know it’ll come in handy sooner or later!”

“Thanks dude! I’ll keep it close!” I thanked him. The float finally began to move at its aforementioned slow pace down the streets. The masses produced an unreal level of applause and cheering that felt as if the city itself was shaking. It would’ve been kinda scary, had I not been so excited!

“This is the best!” Ashley said standing next to me. She waved with both hands and the biggest most beautiful smile I had ever seen on her. “I feel like beauty queen! Oh, wait, I am!!” she laughed.

I laughed with her, putting my arm around her shoulders and waving. I saw a group of people from school with banners and signs screaming our names! It was one of one of the moments I’ll never forget, though I don’t know what I won’t forget.

Finally, when just outside the city limits, the parade was over. We got off of our floats and walked to the starting line. Tom appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. His expression was dead serious. “Say your last goodbyes! Pray that come back in any state besides dead!” he shouted.

We all turned to our families. We all hugged, cried, and kissed for a while that seemed too short. Our last contact, again, for a very long time. The six of us took our time returning to the starting line, pressure and tension at their peaks. Everything became quiet. Even the breeze had stopped as if wanted to give everyone a fair chance at the start. I thought I had gone deaf until I heard Tom shout, “Set……..GO!!!” and the shot of the gun. Let the Demox Race begin.