by Samuel J Fox
I swiftly look to my side to check if my dad has appeared. But I can’t see him anywhere.
Another thump catches my attention. I turn back around to see Sparky bruised to a pulp. Blood pours from his nose and his eye are already swollen to the size of a peach. His chest inflates and deflates rapidly, shuddering every so often.
That’s when the Hunter turns to pick up the spear sparky used to kill his companion.
It suddenly hits me that Sparky will die if the hunter isn’t stopped. The moment I feared from the beginning is about to happen, and it’s never felt more real than before. Without even realising my hands are in my hair and I’m shaking my head with my mouth hanging wide open. I feel trapped, in a bad dream and I know how it’s going to end.
The Hunter slowly circles Sparky like a shark, who struggles to lift his head. He stands in silence holding the spear loosely in one hand, looking down at Sparky. His life rests in the Hunters hands.
The Hunter bows his head and kneels in front of Sparky.
“You made my first time something I won’t forget Sparky. It’s a shame you won’t be around to remember it either.”
The Hunter then grabs the spear firmly with both hands and stabs Sparky in the chest, piercing through his skin like butter.
I feel my soul leave my body as I watch on.
Sparky remains silent, his eyes find mine from the arena floor and he slowly nods his head. He grabs hold of the spear firmly, before he turns back to the Hunter who towers over him.
“You’re worth nothing,” Sparky mutters, gritting his teeth. “You will die a painful death soon enough.”
He continues to groan in pain.
“I applaud you for being so brave,” he replies. “But courage will get you no-where, as you already know.” The Hunter hysterically laughs, echoing throughout the silent arena.
“How about we finish this?”
Finish this. The words run through me like a sandstorm.
The Hunter walks towards a loose rock, not large, but big enough that I could just about hold it up. He grunts as he picks up the rock and walks back to Sparky.
The rock hovers above his head.
I can’t let this happen. My brother doesn’t deserve to die like this. He defended me throughout my entire life and I have to do the same.
Without hesitation, I push myself over the edge. My body flops over onto the floor but I land on my feet well enough to keep my balance. I force myself to gallop towards the Hunter, ignoring the shouting and screams coming from the crowd. The Hunter still stands over Sparky without realising my presence.
I charge towards the Hunter with adrenaline running through me. I’ve never felt this sort of energy in my life.
My body feels seconds behind my head, but I run, and I run, faster and faster, aiming directly at the Hunter who looks larger than he did from the stands.
In the heat of the moment I begin to scream as I barge into the Hunters from the side. We both collapse from the collision, but I get to my feet faster than he does. I stand in front of Sparky not knowing what to do next.
What have I done.
19
‘Brother.’
“Arrgh!” the Hunter screams. His eyes lock on, burning a hole inside me. He pushes himself off the floor and begins to approach me, stepping over the rock he was about to use to kill Sparky. “Who do you think you are? No one has permission to enter the arena, unless you wish to die?”
I stand firm, trying to show the least amount of fear possible. He feeds on it.
“If you come near Sparky I swear I will kill you where you stand!” I feel my voice shake but I continue. “Forfeit the game now or you won’t live to see another day! Do it!”
The Hunter stares at me in disbelief, and then he cruelly smiles.
“You think you’re going to stop me?” He replies. “He will die soon, he has a spear lodged into his chest. You’ve wasted your time here, you have just allowed yourself to die alongside him!”
He suddenly begins to walk towards me. In the heat of the moment I think of the only thing that’ll save me, a weapon.
I quickly remember the bat which the Hunter threw to the ground. The sharp instrument catches my eye just behind me. It feels heavier than expected, but I guess the Hunter is a lot stronger than me.
As I look up the Hunter is already charging at me, so I charge back, yelling at the Hunter as I gallop.
Just before his powerful arm strikes me, I duck and slide onto my kneecaps underneath him, swiftly pivoting back around I swing the bat, ferociously colliding with the back of his head.
His free arm swings around impacting into my neck, knocking me sideways. The bat flies away from my grasp onto the floor and I collapse in pain. A deafening screech floods my ears and the light around me becomes bright white.
Before I can get up, the Hunter stands over me with his hoof pressed into my throat. Blood gushes from his head, pouring down his neck onto his naked chest. His giant body covers the light above just enough so that I don’t squint anymore. He holds the bat in both hands, although loosely.
“You should have stayed up there, kid.” He mutters. Blood drips from the inside of his mouth, a warm drop of blood lands onto my cheek.
I shut my eyes tightly as he raises the bat above his head and images of my mum pour into my head. All the memories and pictures remind me of how much I miss her. If she was here everything would be fine, I miss her so much.
I wait for the sudden blow; the thought of death scares me. But now we’re face to face, I don’t feel so scared. I feel like it’s time, I couldn’t have left Sparky to die there. I’m ready for this.
That’s when I hear the sound of someone’s breath being snatched away. I open my eyes to see a spear stabbed directly through the Hunters heart. It sticks out from the Hunters chest, and blood drips from the tip of the sharp spear. I watch as the life drains out from the Hunters eyes, a life which didn’t deserve to live on these lands.
He collapses onto the floor, revealing Sparky who stands behind him, pressing his hand against his open wound. Dark red blood pours from between his fingertips.
I scramble to my feet and rush to Sparky just before he falls to the floor from exhaustion. I catch him mid fall and he lays in my arms, his body feels cold and loose.
“Sparky,” I struggle to get the words out as I look down at him. His eyes stare up at me, and a tear rolls down from his cheek to his chin. “You saved me.”
He smiles and releases a subtle laugh.
“You saved me Felix, he would have killed me with that rock, but you stopped it.” Sparky replies as he rests his hand on my cheek. I’ve never seen him so helpless. My tears uncontrollably stream down my face, dripping onto my arm. “Be careful out there Felix. I won’t be around to watch your back. I couldn’t have asked for a better brother.”
“No, no, no Sparky! Don’t leave me please! Sparky please, I can’t do this without you,” I begin to scramble my words together. “I’m scared Sparky, don’t leave me please.”
He squeezes my cheek and brings me closer.
“Be brave Felix,” he whispers. “I’ll be fine, I finally get to see mum. Remember I’ll be watching you, and I’ll always love you brother.”
I feel my brother’s life drain from his body. His grip loosens as I pull away to see his eyes staring up into the ceiling of the cavern. I cry, harder than I’ve ever cried before, my brother lies dead in my arms. My mouth hangs wide open as I sob. I struggle to breath as I strain to scream, but I can’t. I wish I could start all over again, revisit the happy years of my life. A life with my mum and brother in.
My dad appears from the gate and runs over to me. He slowly collapses onto his knees in front of me and screams. First his wife and now his son have been taken away from him, a feeling a dad should never feel. His arms wrap around me like a warm blanket and I lean into them.
I will never hear Sparkys voice again. I will never wake up one morning to his face pressed up against mine in hope to
scare me. I will never fight over who should wash Peach. I will have no one to talk to at midnight when we can’t sleep.
I will never have my brother back.
20
‘May the stars guide you all.’
My body feels numb. I stare at the floor still in disbelief. My dad stands next to me still fiddling with his ear, like he has for the past few minutes. Monni and Pell stand behind us, who haven’t spoken since me and my dad were dragged out from the arena by Barnni. Dragged away from Sparkys body which still remains there.
The atmosphere in the Great Hall is different this time, much more tense and silent. The rules were broken and the result turned out different to how everyone expected it to be. None of us know how the King will decide who ventures for the Kunzite stone now. I anticipate something is going to sting us harder than we expect.
“As you all know, the rules have been broken today,” King Helfer stands, now wearing a glimmering silver gown with a dark belt buckle strapped around his waist. “I’d like to remind everyone that rule breakage is a serious crime, especially when they apply to the Hideout. Most of you would have witnessed this certain act which was committed during the last few moments of the dual. This has not been overlooked. I also do realise that for the first time, a Hunter has been successfully defeated by one of the selected Hiders, in which case emphasises that a known associate or family member from said Hunter, will be chosen to locate the Kunzite stone.”
The King briskly shoots his hand into the air.
“But,” he says as he retracts his fingers one by one back into a fist. “The Hunter was distracted by an out of bounds participant. Who by decided to involve themselves within the Hideout and clearly altered the outcome. I have hereby decided that up until the point of physical distraction, the Hunter would have therefore completed his task of eliminating all six Hiders. So, therefore I have taken it upon myself to designate a family member of each Hider to converge together and form an alliance to locate and return the Kunzite Stone. Any neglect or voluntary action offered by any chosen participant or their known associates or family members, will be punished by death.”
His smile so fictitious I cringe.
I had a feeling it would come down to this. No matter what, the King wants the Kunzite stone. My thoughts now surround the King decision.
“I have decided the following initiates that will venture for the Kunzite stone at dawn will be, in order of the deceased family member throughout the Hideout, Hurk.”
I suddenly remember Hurks dad was killed at the start by the tiger, effectively ruining the plan. I spin my head around but can’t see him in the densely-packed crowd.
“Tag,” he continues. “Olive, Lara, Potarki.”
I recognise none of these centaurs.
King Helfer abruptly stops and rests both hands behind his back. Both our eyes suddenly find each other in the crowd, and I know what he’s going to say next. He straightens his back and lifts his shoulders.
“Finally, a young centaur who bravely saved his brother from a grisly death. Felix Solokite,” we continue to stare at each other, not breaking eye contact even if we tried. I feel a fire ignite within me.
“May the stars guide you all.”