Elevatia

7. Shooting some b'ball outside of the school

That night, I spent a few minutes explaining my plan to my friends. Then Sky then spent a few hours explaining why it was a terrible plan and outlining an alternative. We decided to go with her plan instead.

The next day, Lady Hanson addressed us all in the great hall.

"Today is the first of three ceremonial basketball matches against the High Class. Our bravest and best players have been selected to represent the honour of the Mediums."

The players stood at the front of the hall; the weight of the District's honour was on their shoulders.

"Through height comes glory, through lowly defeat comes abject misery. Our standing is yours to uphold."

Most of the players were visibly sweating. I think one of them was about to faint.

"Today, may we measure up. High five!"

We all returned the salute and exited chatter broke out all over the hall.

"You know, I really think we have a chance this year," Jayla suggested hopefully. "We have a really excellent centre forward."

"Oh Jayla," Sky scorned. "You must know that the High Class always win. It's a cynical "bread and circus" strategy to entertain the masses and simultaneously underline the natural superiority of the High Class."

"But I thought maybe this time..." Jayla trailed off.

Munk gave her a quick hug.

As newly Sized Mediums, we had the traditional privilege of seeing this year's match in person. After a short journey, we arrived at the massive stadium out of town on neutral ground. It was an impressive affair, gleaming in silver. We all knew the stadium; we'd seen footage of the games played here even back in the Unmeasured compound. The High Class made sure that everyone saw their triumphs.

"Does it give you chills seeing it up close for the first time?" I asked Chip.

"Hmm oh yes. It's beautiful." He agreed but I think he was looking at me again. What a dimwit.

The Mediums were filing into the stadium, taking their seats, checking out the leaftlets that were circulating. It was time.

"Oh my stars, it's legendary point back Sharn Dawilliams." I yelled pointing.

"I see him! Sign my hat, Sharn!" Chip chimed in.

The crowd erupted in excitement, people crowding to have a look. My friends slipped away unnoticed in the confusion to take their places per our plan. I yelled out a few more names of famous people and some fictional characters to confuse things even more then followed my friends, unnoticed by the Upright.

Hugging the stadium walls, I hid in the shadows. Then I took a deep breath and elegantly executed a series of backflips as I made my way round the stadium to the High Class's entrance. As I flipped, I grabbed a long striped purple gown from the hands of Jayla who had been waiting in the shadows with the clothes she had purloined from a Lowlie laundry van. I pulled the robe on in mid-air. As I continued to backflip around the stadium, I picked up a false nose from the waiting Chip and a blue wig from Munk and put them on too. I approached the second stadium entrance where the wall was only just above head height. Here, I did a particularly high flip and was able to reach over and pluck the yellow hat from an unsuspecting member of the High Class and place it on my own head, then continue with my flips around the outside of the stadium's walls. I finally came to rest in the shadows again by the High Class entrance - impeccably dressed and only panting a little bit.

"Very good," Sky said dryly, taking the comically large false nose and blue wig off me and pulling the hat down instead so it better obscured my face. "Though I'm not sure why that was all necessary. Now will you change your height please."