SABIS the SURVIVOR

Chapter 4: Let the Games Begin

Chapter 4: Let the Games Begin

Advancing slowly around the final corner with F.M still on his back, Ravis passed under the stone-arch entrance to the Arena, the clanging now coming at longer intervals, just like the slower drumming of a woodpecker once a mate has been attracted.

Ravis squatted then gingerly let F.M. slide off of his perspiration-soaked back, neck, and shoulders onto the mud floor. Then he lay down beside him.

"Woo-wee. You may look wiry but you weigh a ton! How are you feeling?"

"I'll live. Do me a solid and win this thing, will ya? Also, can ya ask one of the directors to call a tribal medicine healer to take a look at my leg?"

"Sure thing F.M."

Inside the large Arena were a dozen boys and girls ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen.

"Is it me, or do these other competitors yip like a pack of hyenas?"

"Never mind them, Ravis. Just do your thing. Now for Mother Earth's sake, get me a healer!"

Ravis retrieved his damp clothes and shoes from his knapsack, quickly donned them, then notified one of the Elder directors that his friend needed medical attention. Satisfied that the director would call the Shaman or Shamanka, Ravis approached the sign-in table and smoothed his hair back. Carrying his wartis in one hand and his helmet in the other, he introduced himself to the program director.

"Hello. I'm Ravis Griffin. I'm here to enter the Stone Games."

"Oh yes, welcome Ravis. So glad that you could join us. Just sign here and then please join the other contestants over there next to the stone statue."

Ravis scanned the sign-up rules and regulations carved into a grey clay tablet resting on the table. At first, his face flashed shock and surprise as he read the four rules: 1- No foot gear allowed, 2- Drawing blood is permitted, 3- No injury time-outs, and 4- The four highest point totals advance to the hand-to-hand combat: the winner of that zone will be declared the Champion.

His face then flushed with pride as he took the diamond-tip engraving pen and made the mark of his family crest─a pictorial representation of a mythical creature called the Griffin─two curved vertical lines, the top part of each line curving inward to almost meet in the middle like two wings, with a third centre-originating line that falls down through the gap in the first two lines and tails away, like a tail.

He sauntered over to the other contestants leaving salty water stains on the muddied Arena floor.

There are no time-outs if you suffer any sort of injury, he pondered.

"I should get my Father in this Arena so I could give him a licking and no one would stop me! He may be older and stronger but he is no warrior. I'll win this thing then bring home the trophy to shove up his poop hole. Then I'll kick the trophy to force it all the way in."

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The stone clanging ceased and was replaced by loud drum noises that shook the ground where the participants stood. Some of them threw their spears in the practice area, while others took deep breaths to calm their electrified nerves. The drumbeat accelerated and then suddenly came to a crashing halt.

The Games were about to commence. In the Arena, Ravis could discern three separate zones of competition.

As is usually the case in these Arena Games, the wartis launch posed the first challenge. Whoever could launch their stones cleanly through the target holes within the allotted time would earn a perfect score that round. Second was the sandbox spear throw where contestants had to run at full speed then hurl themselves in the air to jump the farthest. While airborne, they would launch their spear to hit a distant target. Whoever could hit their target and obtain the longest jump would win that round. The top four contestants from the first two rounds of competition would advance to the final zone─hand-to-hand combat. Wearing two stone-filled leather satchels, one on each upper arm, contestants would try to burst their opponent's satchel thus spilling their stones. Whoever's complement of stones spilled first, loses that round. The winners of the preliminary heats would move forward and vie in the final hand-to-hand heat.

The contestant who triumphed in this combat would win the first place prize and a trophy. The prize for first place was a personal warrior training session with an Elder.