Theo the Street Kid and the Extraordinary Competition

Chapter 32 - A Scramble to the Finish Line

 The roars of the lions behind him now, Theo made his way back to the entrance of the Garden of Treachery.
He didn't know that his mother would protect him one final time like that.
He was so grateful for his mother's love.
He reached down in his pocket to make sure that the fruit was still there and it was.
For a little while, he sped along the path nonstop.
Only when he noticed the familiar oak trees did he finally allow himself to reduce speed.
His chest and muscles all ached from all the physical activity, but since there was no sign of his opponent, he slowed down to catch his breath.
He looked up.
There it was: the entrance to the garden.
Several cameramen were there filming.
The referee Mr. Sotia was waving to him, urging him to cross the finish line.
Theo was about to scramble to the finish line when something rustled in the bushes.
Then, a distressed male voice, "Help!"
Theo thought about just ignoring the man. After all, he was a mere minute away from the finish line. All he had to do was cross and he'd win the Extraordinary Competition.
But he could never ignore someone in need.
That wasn't how he was raised. If he ignored the man, his mother would have been very disappointed in him.
He glanced around.
Borm was nowhere to be seen.
Theo had some time.
He turned toward the bushes and peered into the forest.
An old man with an injured leg was sitting on the ground.
"Please help!" he said to Theo. "My grandson is heading toward that Venus Fly Trap."
He pointed toward the near distance, where a giant Venus Fly Trap, as big as a car, was literally salivating as a little boy headed toward it.
Theo looked behind him at the long path.
Borm was still nowhere near the finish line.
OK, Theo thought. I can save the kid and still make it to the finish line.
So he dashed toward the little boy, grabbed him and brought him back to the grandfather before the little boy could be eaten by the Venus Fly Trap.
"Thank you!" exclaimed the grandfather. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome," said Theo.
Then, he zoomed toward the finish line, but then he saw something that made his heart ache.
It was Borm and he was ahead of Theo.
Somehow, Borm had defeated the lions and grabbed his own Numbamosa fruit. And he had come out of nowhere, making it ahead of Theo while Theo was busy helping the grandfather.
As Borm zipped along, another cry came from the bushes.
"Help! Help!" cried a female voice.
But Borm ignored her and continued on.
He was just seconds away now.
There was no way Theo could catch up now.
Theo's heart was crushed.
What was worse was that it was personal: Theo could never forget that Borm had stolen the pyrope that he had rightfully found.
It should have been Theo that crossed first.
For an instant, he regretted helping the little boy, but what was done was done.
Theo made a mad dash toward the finish line, but it was too late.
Born crossed the finish line first, flashing the Numbamosa fruit.
Theo could not describe his absolute devastation.
He wanted to cry, but from personal experience, he knew tears would do no good.