Bonds

Chapter 2

Forest Park was an ancient one, built by the council around forty years ago with a small forest surrounding it kind of like a nature reserve, nothing exotic just a small area filled trees that weren’t allowed to be cut down for environmental reasons. The park used to be filled with the sound of laughter and general happiness from the families that came here to have picnics and family outings but this was long before my time and has been abandoned for years, by both the families that brought life to the perfectly miserable little part of town, and the council who were once so proud of the park and the community it brought closer together. I asked my mom about it once, we walked past the ruined path that lead to where the park was, just before the path disappeared into the forest there was a large rusted gate frame with the rusted gate desperately clinging on with one hinge. Above this were the letters for “Forest Park” but most of it was covered with vines and moss and rust so it wasn’t very visible or clear. Mom told me that it was once the “most attractive setting in town with beautiful green grass and decorative flower beds in elegant patterns with the main play area in the centre of the beautiful display”. I never truly believed this when I first heard her story. The path was cracked and barely visible under all the over grown shrubs and dead leaves, the beautiful green grass was dark and rough with nettle plants intertwined. There were no signs of the flower displays that supposedly brightened up the already colourful park instead there was only more sick green grass and other unpleasantness.

“It was such a shame to see something so beautiful go to waste the way it did ya know?” her eyes focused on the lettering above the desperate rusty gate. I was ten at this stage and curious about many wonders of this strange town, a habit that slowly grew over a period time with my spending more and more time with Geina. She constantly questioned her mom about everything and I guess I the annoying habit rubbed off on me as well.

“When those stupid school fights had made this park their home, parents refused to bring their families anywhere near it in fear of another blood bath breaking out and corrupting the minds of their impressionable children and spoiling their quality time together. Complaints flooded the council office so instead of dealing with the problem properly they decided the park had become a nuisance and so they locked it up and threw the key away. The kids simply broke the lock and continued as normal. Neglecting such a wonderful part of this town outraged the families even more but the fights didn’t stop and they were forced to give up and forget all about it.”

The kids she talked about were from River Rock and these kids began the tradition that is carried out every year since then, anyone that started a fight in school, were to finish it at the park.

“I was 16 when they started ya know?” she said, “Only took three months for the council to scrap it all together. Out of sight out of mind I guess. Wasn’t long after that the stupid kids gave it a new name... a cruel name...”

I looked up into her eyes, still fixated on the letters, sadness radiated from her ocean blue eyes and she appeared lost in her own mind almost unaware that I was still here and that it was me that asked her about it in the first place. She was silent.

“What is it called now?”

“The Ludus” she let out a sarcastic laugh which broke her from her trance and she looked down at me. “Some clever little idiot thought it was a great idea to name it after those barbaric gladiator training schools from back in ancient Rome.”

Okay I’ll admit, I was completely lost by then but the word gladiators sounded cool to me ya know?

I looked from her, to the gate, back to her. She smiled at me and with another charming little laugh then said “well that was a long time ago and it’s so silly.”

“So mom, do you know the guys that started it?” I was excited to know the answer to this now, the idea of my mom knowing gladiators was just epic, but of course I was a silly child then and didn’t know any better.