Free the Gladiators

“Leslee, look! A boy is in that net!” The girl exclaimed.

The teenager named Leslee walked over to me and examined me with great care. He bit his lower lip and wetted his lips. I stuck my face through the mesh of the net. Leslee jabbed me in the stomach with his bony finger.

“Hey!” I exclaimed with my voice cracking.

Leslee looked at the girl and smiled “He’s more of a man.”

Leslee and the girl laughed at me. Or were they laughing at Leslee’s poke in my stomach. I don’t know. I’m lost of what is going on. Leslee tried and pulled the puma but he was not strong enough.

“Please help me” I begged with my lips pressed together.

Leslee swung his arm down and the girl nodded her head. She pulled an arrow from her holder on the back. The arrow was loaded and shot at the single rope that held the net in place. Without bracing myself, I fell onto the Puma and cracked my back with a painful blow.

The teen lifted me off the big cat and tossed me aside to the ground. He pulled the arrow out of the Puma and tossed it to the girl. The girl ran over to the Puma and gave it a hug and kissed its forehead.

“I’m Leslee and that girl is my sister, Claudia. She is a bit of a nature freak but she is great with a bow and arrow. And who are you?”  Leslee intended.

It took me to realize he was asking my name. I stared at him a moment longer. His eyes examined  my features.

“I am Granite” I answered back shyly.

I played with my hands nervously, hoping they wouldn’t recognize me or my name. I should have given them a fake name. Leslee smiled sweetly.

“Don’t worry, Granite. You don’t have to be afraid. We won’t tell anyone. Claudia, come on!”

Claudia had made a flower bed around the animal. It was beautiful in every way possible. The black fur was surrounded by pinks and purples and whites. The purple was easily classified as a lilac. The other two colors were unknown to me.

“May God forever be with you.” I heard Claudia whisper to the animal.

Claudia walked over to Leslee and gave him a hug.  I watched Leslee and Claudia begin walking away.  Leslee turned to me while taking baby steps.

“Are you coming or what?” He asked me.

I fumbled to stand up, bringing a storm of dirt up as I did so. I brushed the dirt off of me and smiled at Leslee. To my surprise, he began to laugh.

“You are so weird. Now come on.” Leslee said through a giggle.

I hurried forward to meet up with them. I followed these strangers, now hoping the best for me. I couldn’t help but let my curiosity run wild with questions.

“We know who you are. How’d you become part of the ring?” Leslee asked me. This question took me by surprise, even though I knew it would be talked about up eventually. I was baffled because he asked it so suddenly.

“Well, I guess I can tell you” I began, “My family was kidnapped by the Emperor and I was used for showmanship. I had to fight for food. It was rather losing my family or fight.”

I held back about telling them that I was also a slave and how badly they treated me. Whippings ever y day, the thoughts if my family was still alive, and having to kill so many people. The memory made me shudder.

“You’re good with a weapon in your hands.” Claudia squeaked at me.

“I only fight when my family is in danger. Do you guys know where they hide the prisoners?”