The Prince and the Plant Whisperer

Hit by Eggs

[~~Posted Feb. 25, '21

A few days back in time...]

By now, Kaia Bei had become a hero to certain individuals on campus. That Saturday, the day after Kai and Lilly had moved in, all freshmen gathered for the Freshman Olympics. Also known as Color Wars.

There were three teams: Red, Green, and Blue. Everyone in Kai's entryway was on the Blue Team. They put on blue T-shirts and shorts—Lilly even wrapped a blue bandanna around her forehead.

In bright morning light out on the grassy courtyard, three seniors welcomed them with megaphones.

"Let the games begin!"

The games started out pretty normal: A tug of war came first. Then a three-legged race. Followed by a potato sack race (which Kai won for her team). So far, so good.

But then things started getting... a bit more sadistic.

Next: One person from each team had to eat a whole plate of ketchup. The fastest eater would win a point for their team.

Kai felt indignant. She hated these things that put one person on the spot.

Luckily, Blue Team had a volunteer. A big burly football player tipped his head back and shouted "I LOOOOVE KETCHUP!" while flexing his biceps like the Incredible Hulk.

Then the guy proceeded to slurp up the whole plate in under 30 seconds.

One point for the Blue Team. They were now tied with the Red Team. Green Team was disastrously behind. By now, everyone was amped up. Students were cheering. Dousing each other with bottled water.

And then...

For the tiebreaker...

A senior began laying out orange traffic cones, old car tires, and hurdles on the grass...

What's next?

And another senior brought out about 100 cartons of eggs on a rolling platform.

Kai's stomach sank. Eggs... this is not a good sign.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice blaring through the megaphone. Explaining the final activity.

A person from each team was going to race through the obstacle course. As fast as possible.

And the other teams could try to slow them...

By pelting them with eggs!

Of course, no one wanted to volunteer to race. So peer pressure started building. With Ketchup Hulk's urging, the Blue Team began to nominate a small, wiry boy with glasses.

"Noo!" the bespectacled boy protested, as people chanted around him. He was laughing. Trying to be a good sport. But clearly nervous.

"YESS!!!" Ketchup Hulk shouted. "Come on!"

"I'm not even fast!" the kid implored. He looked around at everyone, grinning, anxiously.

Kai couldn't take it anymore. She stepped up in front of him. "I'll do it," she said.

Everyone looked at her. Someone at the back of the crowd shouted, "She won the potato-sack race! ... Girl's fast!"

So it was decided. Kai took her place at the starting line.

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[LUKAS POV:]

It's first Saturday of fall semester. Loud cheering erupts outside. Lukas looks out the window from his third-storey dorm room. Down in the courtyard below, students are gathered out on the grass. Dressed in red, green, and blue.