by Vera Strange
Hector hesitated. “Listen, it sounds really great, but if I’m going to win the Cup, I want to do it on my own merits.”
“Ugh, so heroic,” Hades said with annoyance. “You remind me of that other hero guy.”
Hector had no clue who he was talking about, but didn’t ask.
“Listen, kid, that girl you’re up against? She already played dirty to win, remember?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I should,” Hector said, even as doubt seeped into his heart.
Making it worse, Pain and Panic morphed back into shadows, reenacting the scene from the preliminary race. He watched as Mae pulled him off the wall and into the mud trap.
Splash.
Wow. Had it really looked that bad? Hector felt humiliation surge through him like red-hot fire, just as searing as it was the day he lost to her. The same thing could happen again at the big race.
Hades sensed his opening. “Hey, if you don’t want the deal, no biggie,” he said shrewdly. “I can always take it to the girl—”
“No, don’t do that,” Hector said right away.
“So we have a deal?” Hades prodded, leering at Hector.
“Just tell me one thing,” Hector said, stalling. His mind reeled as he thought it through. “Why do you want the Zeus Cup so bad?”
“Fine.” Hades rolled his yellow eyes. “The Cup is the key to releasing me from the Underworld. My annoying older brother imprisoned me down here,” he added, cocking a thumb toward the Zeus statue. “And well, kiddo, it’s a small Underworld, after all. I’d like to get out, stretch my legs, breathe the fresh air for a change.”
Hector knew that older brothers could be pretty annoying. But still, he hesitated, unsure if he could trust Hades. He was the God of the Underworld, after all.
“But what are you gonna do when you get out?” Hector asked, still suspicious. “Why now? Sounds like you’ve been locked up down there for a long time.”
Hades’ hair flashed orangey red again, but then he controlled himself, breaking into a charming smile. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. It’s just some god stuff,” he added with a wink. “The usual Mt. Olympus family drama. It doesn’t concern mortals. So what do ya say? We help each other get what we most want? Or should I talk to the girl?”
Hades raised his eyebrows while Panic held up the potion vial, tempting Hector with it.
He thought the deal over. He couldn’t stand to lose again. His whole family was counting on him. Plus, if he didn’t take the deal, then Mae would definitely accept it. All the training he’d done for the last two years would be for nothing. The thought made him feel sick.
Hades was right. Mae had been willing to play dirty to win.
Why shouldn’t he do the same thing? It was just a little help. And no one would ever know.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” Hector said at last. “I’ll drink the potion.”
Really, he didn’t have a choice. This was the only way he could ensure that he’d win the race.
“As you wish,” Hades said, gesturing to Panic.
Before he could second-guess himself, Hector snatched the potion from Panic’s hands. He removed the stopper, took a deep breath, then drank it down in one gulp. The liquid tasted bitter and foul, almost like rotten eggs, and it singed his tongue and throat.
Then, suddenly, searing, burning pain shot through his entire body. His muscles cramped and bulged, rippling and feeling like they were tearing apart.
“Nooooooo!” Hector screamed, writhing in pain and falling to the ground. “What did you do to me?”
He flailed around on the ground, his whole body burning. Stars danced in his vision. He was starting to black out from pain.
What did I just do?
Hades’ cruel laughter filled his ears. “Sorry, I forgot to mention that getting superstrength and speed might hurt just a little bit.”
A little bit? Hector thought. He was in the worst pain of his life, worse than when he fell off the wall in practice and lost consciousness, worse than when Mae pulled him into the mud trap. His body twisted and contorted while his muscles bulged out and rippled.
He tried to cry out again, but no words escaped his lips.
Then his vision went dark.
“Noooooooo…I take it all back…” Hector gasped, waking up in a blind panic. He thrashed around in pain. “I shouldn’t have drunk that potion!”
Searing pain still rippled through his muscles, though it began to fade as his eyes adjusted. He looked down. His body was twisted in his damp sheets.
He blinked in surprise—he was back in his little bedroom.
Not the town square.
How did I get back here?
He searched his memory and glanced around. Pale dawn light streamed through the curtains. It was early morning.
Not the middle of the night.
It must’ve just been a terrible nightmare.
But it had all felt so real. The demons casting shadows on his wall and talking to him. The Hades statue catching fire and coming to life. Making that deal with the God of the Underworld for the Zeus Cup, then drinking that nasty potion.
Usually, he didn’t remember his dreams. But that one was vivid in his mind like it had actually happened. He took a deep breath, then another. His pulse began to slow.
Demons weren’t real. And even if they were, they certainly didn’t talk like the ones he’d met. Also, statues couldn’t catch on fire and come to life, or give you godlike powers. That meant one thing.
None of it was real.
Hector relaxed, the pain fading away completely. He flexed his muscles, expecting to wince.
But he actually felt…pretty good. Especially considering he clearly had a night fraught with fear. He decided he must be stressed about the upcoming race. Even that thought sent waves of anxiety running through him.
“Hector, get up for school!” his mother called, her voice echoing in from the kitchen.
“I’m up!” he called back. “Chill out,” he added quietly, feeling annoyed.
He never got a day off. His weekdays were filled with homeschooling and training, then weekends were just entire days of training, or worse—race days.
Hector glanced at the calendar in his phone, even though he already had it committed to memory. The appointment stared right back at him—Mt. Olympus Spartan Run.
It was this Saturday, in two short days. He shut his phone, then glanced mournfully at his camera bag slumped on his desk. All he wanted was to take pictures and spend a whole day to himself, wandering around without a strict schedule and someone yelling at him to focus.
But it wasn’t going to happen.
Still groggy, Hector climbed out of bed. But something felt different. His body moved fluidly, effortlessly. He felt the taut strength flowing through his limbs. He peered down at his body—then reeled back in shock.
His arms rippled with fresh layers of lean muscle.
He tore off his shirt and studied his reflection in the mirror. What he saw in his reflection was…not possible. He looked as if he’d grown stronger overnight. He flexed his biceps, amazed at how strong and supple they felt. Next, he tried his calves and hamstrings with the same results. They looked and felt stronger, too.
Hector grinned at his reflection. Until understanding hit him. This wasn’t possible. Which meant…
His nightmare hadn’t been a nightmare at all.
Hector felt a chill remembering the blue flames exploding from the statue. It had actually happened.
But no. It couldn’t have. These new muscles were just a result of his hard training. His efforts were finally paying off, and right on time for the big race.
His brother was a talented coach. And he’d been eating a ton of protein. That was all. Hector stared at his reflection, flexing again and feeling the power in his body. He felt more confident than ever. The self-doubt that usually stayed curled in his gut also seemed to have vanished overnight.
Now that he thought about it, he did feel
kind of like a god. He grinned at his reflection again. This was just what he needed to win the race and bring home the Zeus Cup.
I can’t wait to race! he thought, maybe for the first time ever.
Hector felt confident stepping onto the field. He searched his mind for any glimmer of his usual self-doubt but didn’t feel any of it, even though it was crunch time. Just two days before the big race.
“Excited to train today?” Phil said with a wink. Even he noticed the change in Hector’s demeanor.
“You betcha,” Hector replied, returning the wink with a cocky smile of his own.
He stretched to limber up—but really it was just for show. His body already felt loose and smooth as butter. He sauntered up to the start line of the practice course, crouched down, and waited for Phil’s signal. His heart beat calmly, not even a bit on edge. That also was out of the ordinary.
Woot.
Phil blew his whistle and hit his stopwatch in sync. Hector took off like the wind was carrying him. He effortlessly blew through the first few obstacles. Usually that rope climb got him breathing hard, but not today. When he dropped down to the ground again, he glanced at his hands and feet in amazement. He wasn’t the slightest bit winded.
“Keep it up!” Phil shouted.
Hector gritted his teeth and turned on the speed. He practically flew toward the climbing wall ahead. He scaled it, flipped over the top in a somersault, then landed on the other side in a graceful crouch.
How did I just do that? he thought.
But he didn’t have time to waste marveling at his abilities.
He sprang up and booked it for the finish line, sprinting down the field. He blew through it as Phil clicked STOP on the stopwatch.
Phil glanced down, his jaw dropping. He scratched his head, rechecked the time, then checked it again. “I just don’t understand it…” he muttered under his breath as he jotted it down on the clipboard where he recorded all of Hector’s race times.
“Uh, what’s wrong?” Hector said, watching his brother’s confusion. “Did the stopwatch quit working or something?”
“No…it’s working fine,” Phil managed to get out. “Just…wow! Dude, you beat your best time!”
“Oh, I did?” Hector said, trying to act casual about it. “Awesome.”
“Not just awesome! Amazing! Incredible! Wondrous!” Phil said. “You definitely earned your nickname today, Wonderboy.”
“Thanks,” Hector said with a smile. “I sort of feel like a superhero today.” This all felt like a dream. He pinched his arm to make sure it was real life.
While Phil compared the times and made some calculations, Hector glanced across the field. Mae had arrived and was busy warming up.
Even she shot him an impressed look. His performance had caught her attention. Their gazes met, but then she furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes.
He studied her expression, trying to decipher it. It was…worry.
She was worried she could lose to him. It was the first time he’d seen her look anything but confident about beating him.
Phil clapped his shoulder, drawing his attention back.
“You beat it by a full thirty seconds!” Phil told him, looking up from his clipboard and shaking his head in disbelief. “Bro, how’d you get so much faster overnight?”
Hector just shrugged, trying to hide a sly smile. “It must be your coaching! How else do you explain it? Plus, my hard work. It’s all starting to pay off.”
He glanced back at Mae, but she’d returned to focusing on her own training. She didn’t look back at him again. She might have been his friend—but she was also his competition. He couldn’t treat her any differently from any other racer on that field.
I’m going to win that race, Hector decided. Nothing can stop me now.
He went to the public bathroom at the track. It was empty and smelled like mildew despite the undercurrent of chlorine and bleach clinging to the air. The smell was comforting, however, in its total familiarity.
He washed his hands, then stared in the mirror at his new physique. He left the water running. It was just a weird dream. No way Hades was real.
“It’s just my training,” he repeated to his reflection. “That’s why I’m faster and stronger—”
Suddenly, black smoke filled the air, gushing out of the water taps.
Hector coughed hard, then struggled to shut off the taps. His cheek brushed the mirror. His eyes burned from the sulfurous fumes.
Flash.
A blue flame ignited, dancing in the mirror. Two yellow eyes glinted out of the depths, boring into him. There was a sudden flash of Hector holding up the Zeus Cup in celebration, but then it erupted into flames.
Hector leapt back in fear, his heart practically exploding in his chest as a familiar voice echoed out of the mirror.
“Don’t get cocky, Wonderboy! Remember our deal! Win the race—and bring me the Zeus Cup!”
Hector backed away from the mirror in fear…Hades was real!
He did make the deal with the God of the Underworld. It wasn’t just a nightmare. The amazing practice he’d just had, the thirty seconds he’d shaved off his time—it was all because of Hades and that awful potion.
And the god’s message was clear—What was given could be taken away.
The blue flames turned red, erupting out of the mirror and singeing his face, while toxic smoke kept flooding the bathroom, choking him and stinging his eyes.
Hector coughed and sprinted for the door, when suddenly—
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Someone knocked on the door, making him jump back.
A familiar voice called out.
“Did you fall in or something?” Phil yelled, sounding impatient. “You still have to train. Hurry it up, daylight is wasting—”
Hector burst through the door, gasping for breath. The fresh air hit his lungs. He bent over, gulping it down like water.
Phil shot him a weird look. “Uh, I was totally kidding about the falling-in part. You okay?”
“Don’t you see the fire?” Hector rasped.
Why wasn’t Phil freaking out?
Phil held the bathroom door open and peered inside. Hector edged up behind him timidly. But the bathroom looked perfectly normal.
No flames.
No smoke.
No sign of Hades.
Nothing.
But it had all felt so real. He was sure about what he’d seen in there—what he’d felt and heard. Regardless, Hector couldn’t let anyone know about the deal he made with Hades to win the Cup.
“Uh, I’m fine,” Hector said, trying to catch his breath. “Just did some extra squats in the bathroom in front of the mirror, and I think the smell in there got to me.”
“That’s the attitude!” Phil said, clapping Hector’s shoulder. “I knew you’d learn how to focus. But I’m sorry about the smell,” he added, scrunching his nose.
Hector took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then followed Phil, passing by Mae on the way back to the field. He still felt rattled from his encounter with Hades.
She caught his eye. “Hey, what’s gotten into you?”
Hector shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. He couldn’t let her know that he’d made a deal with a god to win the race. Not that she’d even believe it was true. She’d probably just think he was going crazy.
“Just nervous…about the race, I guess,” Hector mumbled.
She studied him for a long beat, not exactly buying it. But then she shrugged it off. “Aren’t we all? My dad is all over my case about it. May the best hero win out there.”
She held out her hand to shake on it. He grasped her fingers, feeling the warmth of her strong, steady grip.
Their eyes met. They shared a moment of mutual respect—the bond of their friendship sealed in their handshake, which made Hector feel even guiltier about making the deal with Hades to help him beat her.
But what choice did he have? Besides, someone had to win.
He reme
mbered Hades’ warning in the mirror. The flames exploding and singeing his face. The black smoke choking his lungs. What would happen if he actually made the god angry?
He didn’t want to find out.
Two days later, Hector lined up for the race. This was the biggest moment of his life. Everything was riding on what happened over the next few minutes. But as he got into starting position, he didn’t feel nervous. He just wanted to get this over with, win the race, and get on with his life.
He looked over at Mae, but she was focused on the course ahead, her jaw clenched in determination. Hector almost felt badly for her. She had no idea that she had no chance today.
Beep!
The starting buzzer went off—Hector shot off the starting block like he had wings on his heels. He’d never felt this strong and swift before. It was almost like he was riding a magical Pegasus.
Mae broke behind him in a tight second place, but Hector quickly outpaced her and widened his early lead. The other kids fell in a pack behind them.
“Go, Wonderboy!” His family cheered from the stands. Mom and Dad waved wildly. Even Juan and Luca were getting along and not squabbling for once.
Phil watched him excitedly from the sidelines, clutching his clipboard and stopwatch.
“You’ve got this!” he called out. “Just stay focused!”
Hector flew through the first few obstacles easily. Sure, he’d been fast and strong before, but this was completely different. It didn’t even feel like he was trying hard, nor did he break a sweat.
This isn’t racing, Hector decided as he ran even faster, this is flying.
Was this what it felt like to be a god? He remembered Hades saying that drinking the potion would give him godlike powers. Wow, I never wanna go back to being mortal, Hector decided. This was way better. It was effortless.
Mae never stood a chance. Hector’s lead grew bigger and bigger with each stride of his strong legs. He reached the final obstacle—the big wall with the treacherous mud trap underneath it. This was where she’d tricked him in the preliminary race, but not this time.