the game

ken

there are ten minutes until 7 pm. we are next to the opposing base by the jail cell.

"we better head," snarls our fearless leader. i smile and pull out my hover board. katie is already on hers. she skitters away into the sunlight, golden hair rustling in the wind. i race after her smiling. the sun is warm and bright compared to the night. it feels good on my skin. and i begin to wonder what it's like to be in a world that lives during the day. and it reminds me of kassie before the first day of senior year. before we knew who's kid she was. we all talked about the human world like it was a joke, but is it? is this all that i'm made for? killing?

i've never had these thoughts before. i usually don't care if i die, as long as i'm fulfilling my purpose but somehow this makes me feel different. it's almost like there is a purpose to all of this.

i laugh to myself before picking up speed. someone brushes past me. an ice summoner throws ice at her after. i try to shield it but she's too far away for me to reach. i can't do anything but watch in horror as she falls limp to the ground. she stays there. i watch as they attempt to move her body into a nondistinguishable place. i gulp and veer off course of the base towards katie's kidnappers.

i hear them sliding away on their own hover board. i make my way to where they hid her, hoping no one would find her.

i lean down so i can look her in the face. they laid her in some bushes. and then i hear her groan. slowly she opens her eyes and looks towards me.

"let me help you up," i say caringly. she looks at me as if she should suspect me too. for some reason this hurts even though i know it's exactly what i'm going to do. hurt her.

she takes a deep breath as she tries to get to her feet.

"there's no time for this," i complain reaching down to help.

she pulls away.

"your board won't carry both of us. just go back to base, i'll be fine," her voice is softer than usual. i clench my fists.

"you're being unreasonable," i snap. "just let me help you," i continue.

she on the other hand is trying to get to her feet using a tree instead of my outstretched hand.

"go," she commands, her voice darker and more menacing.

"why won't you ever let me help?" i will not back down. "is it because you don't trust me!" i snap. my heart is racing in my ears. i know i hate her. i know that i'm supposed to hate her. but i am also supposed to make her love me. i'm supposed to make her trust me. but i can't even get her to need my help.

she looks me in the eye long and hard. i clench my fists. "please," i take a deep breath and ask in what i hope sounds like a calming voice even though i'm anything but.

"stop being stupid and head back to base, there's only a few minutes left until they kill those left on the opposing side. come on, get going," she snaps at me.

i don't.

"put your arms around my neck i have an idea.

she gulps. i sigh and do it. granted, i've only been able to control it once before. but since the summer i've started to be able to turn into a bear. apparently each crystal has an animal they resemble from the real world that they instill in their crystal holder. mine was a bear.

i take a deep breath and then let myself shift. it's painful to have my bones shift but i've felt worse.

i nudge her with my nose.

she blinks at me and then sighs. slowly, she gets on top of me and wraps her arms tightly around my neck. too tightly.

i start running.