Untitled

Chapter 5

                                                          Chapter Five         

                                                           S.W.O.R.D.S.                                                 

                                                          Louie Coulter

I slowly walked out of the arena and was immediately patted on the back and congratulated by everyone. How could they congratulate me? Were they unaware of the hundreds of boys who must have lost their lives today? What were they going to tell the parents?

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. Chip. My heart rate sped up.

I ran to a S.W.O.R.D.S. member, “How do I find out the winners and losers of today’s...” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence.

“Games?” He finished for me.

“Yeah,” I said half-heartedly and quickly. Games, what funny word for murder.

“There’s a electronic board on the front of every arena. You can find the results there.” The S.W.O.R.D.S. member replied.

Without saying thank you I ran down the hall where I had seen Chip’s group go. I ran past every arena, pushing people out of the way. With every step, I felt worse and worse. There was a sinking feeling in my stomach and a pain that was continuously growing all over.

Finally, I saw Chip’s name. My heart sped up even faster. My throat started to close up.  To my horror, Chip’s name had a thick red line through it. Chip was gone. I peered into Arena #28 to see some people inside opening a hatch in the wall. Someone wearing plastic gloves and an apron grabbed Chip’s body, throwing him into a opening in the wall. Chip was dead and there was a body to prove it.It had been a long day today, a day with many tears shed, but at the moment I saw Chip, I let some more tears fall. Tears sweep ran down my face, clouding my vision. No sounds came from my throat, as I had already yelled and cried a lot today.  I could hardly watch as the man turned towards me I saw there was no sympathy in eyes, on the contrary, there was disgust.

An older member of S.W.O.R.D.S. walked up to me, “Hey, Louie is it? I saw you fight today, it was pretty cool. I would like to invite you to the after party. It’s...”

“What is wrong with you people,” I screamed, my hoarse voice cracking about an octave higher. But I didn’t care. I turned away from him and ran out the doors.

After my tears had slowed and I had time to catch my breath,an idea popped into my head, what would they tell Mr. and Mrs. Sanders? Maybe they wouldn’t tell them at all. I would.

I rushed out of S.W.O.R.D.S. arena and to Chip’s house. As I came down his street I saw someone had beat me to the door.

As I got closer I realized it was two S.W.O.R.D.S. agents. Curious to hear they had to say, I snuck behind bush, knelt down, and listened.

“I’m sorry ma’am, Your son has met with and unfortunate accident,” One guard started.

“How serious?” Mrs. Sanders asked. Without seeing her, I could sense the worry in her words.

“Very serious,” The other guard said gravely.  

“What happened? Come in, please,” Mr. Sander’s pleaded as he joined his wife at the door.

“Sorry we can’t come in, we’re on a tight schedule,” They said.

Then the guards started on a long, well-rehearsed,  believable story.