Friday Barnes one shots

The IYA games (pt 2)

Game 1: Paintball

Ian sat in the flimsy metal stands that had been set up in the quad. It was so dark that they had set dozens of lanterns around the place. He watched silently as Friday slid on her armour.

For those of you who don't know, paintball, is painful. It's like getting hit with little golf balls. To protect yourself, you're usually given armour that covers your whole body. But Highcrest was on a budget so the armour tonight  included a chest plate, a back plate and gloves.

He watched Friday tighten the armour around her small frame. She had no idea what she was doing.

Friday was relived when Aiden came over to help her.

"What are you doing?" He asked, smiling.

Friday looked up. Aiden was all armoured up. He had hooked his paintball gun into his belt and was inspecting some blue explosive tablets.

She laughed nervously. "I don't know what I'm doing. I've never played before."

He came over and helped her. The Headmaster of Gorge Stanley college, Headmaster Jane, tapped the microphone she had been given.

"Thank you all for coming to support your school." She said. Everyone in the crowd cheered. There were at least 200 students in the stands. Her stomach churned.

"The rules are simple. As you can see, each player has been given a colour. Should a player be hit with a paintball or a paint grenade that does not match their own colour, they are out.  The last person standing looses."

Everyone nodded.

"Oh I almost forgot!" She continued. "The game will be played in the dark."

This got the everyone talking.

"When a shot is fired, should it hit another player, a flash will go off from the device they have been given, singling that the hit player is out. Mr Quicksilver, Miss Barnes, if you would be so kind as to show us."

Leon stepped forwards and took aim. Friday stood with all her strength. The urge to turn and run was stronger than anything she had ever felt.

Leon shot and it hit her square in the chest. A bright green flash went off from the black keychain like device hanging from her belt.

Headmaster Jane continued, "As you can see, Highcrest is green, Gorge Stanley is orange, Dicksons is purple, St Sebastians is Blue and St Rajahs is Yellow. Should a flash of green go off, we would all know that Highcrest is out of the games."

Four young women in a black blouses walked over to the group of four. "We will be taking you to your starting positions." One of them said.

The youngest one tapped Friday on the arm and started leading her away from the other players. 

Headmaster Jane was speaking to the crowd.

"The game will be played in the main building. Players will start at different locations and be let out into the tree floors to find each other. We can see everything they are doing on the security. With it hooked up to this TV, you can observe them."

Friday felt like an animal being forced to fight for people's enjoyment. And the knowledge she was being watched was even scarier. If....when she messed up, everyone would be able to see.

The woman leading Friday took her up a flight of stairs to the second level of the main building. The windows were all open so she could hear everything.

The woman left and Friday pushed down her fear. She was practically shaking with nerves.

She would do this. She wanted to prove that she could at least hold her place in the games for longer than one challenge. Plus, $500 would be nice.