Demon Games

Chapter 3

“There cancelling classes? That like never happens.” Sephy said with awe in her eyes,

“Think the last time was when one of the kid classes managed to set Adult 546's Weapons classroom on fire” replied Fi,

“Haha, I forgot all about that! He completely freaked” I said with a smile in my voice. We were only in our first Kid year when that happened so you can understand why we would be so excited about having a day off.

“Come on you lot, we've got to be at the border in an hour and I need to put something warmer on” I stated, getting up from the table and following Fi out of the hall with Sephy and Fliss in tow.

                                                               ***

Fifteen minutes later we emerged now in sturdy shoes, various good luck charms and thick jackets in case it gets cold and started making our way to the border. I was now wearing my bear tooth necklace my Dad had made me years back.

The border was our name for the boundary between the royals half of the kingdom and our half. It was a huge gate that was manned 24/7. You had to have a pass to cross over but the only way out of the kingdom was in their half so the hunting parties crossed every other week.

On our way there we passed the government nursery. Seeing Nurse 24 in the window I waved and shot her a big smile, which she returned. In fact everyone we walked by were smiling at us in a proud way as they went about their business. They knew it was the day of our hunt- norms do not skip school in the Kingdom. Walking through the streets I was reminded of how much I love my life here, being a switch baby the Kingdom literally raised me and I loved it for that, I would serve the Kingdom until my dying days.

My Mother decided she wanted to stay in contact with me when I was born, but after my Dad died, she remarried. I was five, and since then I only saw her on Birthdays and Holidays- if that. Turns out new Hubby didn't think too highly of the scandalous switch baby, him being as close to the throne as he was. She only really crossed my mind when I was going to see her or the extended family. She should be here today, I thought, wondering if she would turn up. Everyone's parents would be at the border to send them off, it's such a momentous event for us, so pivotal as well- how you do in the hunt is worth more credit than the final exams at the end the year.

We walked past one of the large Adult apartment blocks, the sun was bouncing off of it making the big complex look almost beautiful with all the Ivy growing up it. They apartments were where most of the norms on this side of the Kingdom lived, only the high ups didn't live there. Our few representatives and those in charge of the school got to live in their own private block, but the most coveted place to live was the head hunters cottages. It was a small cul de sac just across from the tennis courts covered in trees and flower beds where five fairytale-esque wicker cottages stood. One for each of the leaders of the five hunting parties. Every time we were out on the weekends we always walked by the cottages. Walking past the tennis courts now I was reminded why- peering down the foliage shrouded lane I saw everything I wanted. That was where I belonged, one of those cottages would be mine one day.

When my dad died and my mum just stopped visiting I had a lot of stored up anger. Fortunately in an environment like the Kingdom you're provided with a lot of opportunity to use it. I threw myself into combat classes and was quickly transferred to the next year ups class- I've been in fifth year combat for three years now- that's the kind of thing they look for in a head hunter. And this was my chance to prove I could really do it.

All of us too excited and nervous to talk. Approaching the border now, the huge gates looming before me, I saw a huge gathering of people. My friends instantly broke into a run and went to their families- all of which were here and had massive smiles on their faces. But she wasn't here. Of course she wasn't.