The Reckless & The Brave

Chapter 2.

Chapter 2.

Brave adjective ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.

Today was Saturday. That means that I get to go to the Brave dependency's arena to watch my brother train.

When your in Brave, you train everyday. But on Saturdays you get to publicly train. Each week it's different. You never know what to expect, but that's the point. If you are brave you can conquer anything, and you have to be prepared for anything. So the obstacles are normally things I don't know if I could ever have the guts to do. For instance, running across a sheer glass platform fifty feet in the air as it cracks underneath you.

This may sound exhilarating, but really, that's the best part of being in Brave. After public training, they go back to doing drills and shooting rifles and running laps. They protect, so they have to be prepared. And being prepared means you need order.

You train in classes. Every public training, the winner recieves points. The more points you recieve, the more likely you are to advance classes. My brother is in the second class, which is a really good and intense group. I guess you could say that he has advanced a lot, especially since you start in class twelve, with first being the best.

At ten thirty, my parents and I hop on the Noble bus and ride it to the arena. The arena is a massive building ten stories tall with a glass dome. There are three sections of seats, and the last section is where the training happens. It really is phenomenal, but the menacing guards and instructors are kind of intimidating.

You have to scan you wrist band on a small machine so they can monitor how many Noble, Reckless and Brave are attending for security measures. You can sit where ever you want, but normally Noble are in the middle, with Brave towards the front and Reckless in the back. It's kind of annoying because you can always hear the Reckless screaming their lungs out and laughing. We take seats and wait for the events to start. At eleven thirty Dylan trains, so I have to wait for about half an hour.

First class training is boring. It's just a rock wall where the rocks sometimes fall off, and some are electrocuting or super hot. Nothing to eventful happens, but it isn't like I pay to much attention. The higher classes are always just boys who think they are super cool and tough. Some guy makes it to the top without getting burned or falling once, and he wins.

Then my brother's class comes out. I get a little excited, except I know he will win so I am not on the edge of my seat or anything. Everyone comes out in a mask, dressed in black, but they have names on their backs so you can see who they are. I could spot Dylan without a name on his back anyway, though. He is towards the left, as they line up and face the event wall. I scan the other names, seeing a few I don't recognize. All boys, though. Like I said, higher classes always have only boys.

The speakers beep loudly, and I tense up a little. It's not even me doing this, but I still freak out a. What will they do today?

The wall rises and reveals a friendly obstacle course. The walls are tall, like a maze. It looks harmless, and second class starts moving. But then a beep comes from the speakers and lasers shoot out of tiny holes on the walls. Pointy rocks come out from the floor, pools of mud, gas, and deep water fill, and some walls squeeze in and out. When the trainees don't look shaken, the grand finale of the event comes to everyone.

The lights shut off.

- - - - -

A shiver runs down my back and I hear some shouts, some applause, and then everyone gets quiet. The trainee's names light up on their backs, and then they start running. No sooner do I hear a splash, a scream and then someone named Luke falls into a liquid I can't see. He bobs up and down, and then I see him pull himself up, but he's already far behind everyone else.

Dylan is running at a decent, not to quick pace. He seems to stay on the right side the whole time, and every time he turns he slows, and appears to stick his foot out to check for booby traps. He seems to be doing fine, but there are a few people ahead of them.

One of the guys, Peyton, seems to be quite ahead. Straight in the middle, he runs, then jogs, then turns, then leaps, then runs, then jogs, placing his hand on the wall only once in a while. Sometimes it looks like he is crawling on the floor or sprinting really quickly. Once he falls in to what my guess is mud, because it looks like he wipes himself off. But he is dominating on what I have perceived as the finish.

Then Dylan trips and falls. I bite my lip. He gets back up, and starts sprinting, his hand still glued to the wall. He and the other guy are really close to the end. Come on Dylan, I mutter. Then Peyton turns onto the same path as Dylan.

They sprint racing each other, and it's neck and neck. Foolishly, Dylan sprints ahead. He falls into a pool of water, and Peyton leaps over it. He runs to the large opening that looks like the end. And then a buzzer sounds.

The lights turn on, and I see Peyton standing at the finish, hand still on the buzzer. He's covered in mud, but otherwise looks fine. Dylan has taken off his mask, and shakes out his wet hair, grimacing. I don't know what's going on in his head, but I can tell he's angry and disappointed. I sigh, and stand up to stretch my legs.

My mother puts her hand up, and presses me back down into my seat. The trainees all stand in place as the walls of the course, along with the obstacles fall back into the ground. Then the boys all walk or jog and fall into a line against the back wall. They start taking off their masks, and I see most of the boys Dylan has grown up with.

I don't know what Peyton looks like, he's obviously new. Without taking off his mask, he walks to the instructor and asks him something. The instructor nods.

The screen reads:

Winner of second class: Peyton

Peyton is shown on the screen next to his instructor. My guess is he's some arrogant jerk with wavy hair and a smirk on his face.

I watch as he removes his mask. And I think a genuine proportion of the crowd gasps in surprise at his face.

Or should I say her face.