Free the Gladiators

“I’m sorry, no. I know they are hidden somewhere near the mountain.” Leslee was apologizing.

I heard a sound behind me and I snapped my head back to see if there was danger. I tripped over an upraised root and I felt myself fall. Instead of falling and hitting the ground, I hit the ground and rolled. I kept on rolling and rolling, and by now, twigs and rocks were hitting me. I finally came to a stop when I hit my head on a tree. I felt myself lose consciousness.

******

I could hear my brothers playing in the creek by my house. I smelt the chicken dumpling soup my mom must have been making. I’m lying in my bed with the covers drawn to the top of my head. I pull the covers off my face and my older sister is sitting on the edge of my bed. She smiles at me when I do. She moves the hair out of my eyes.

“Hi, Sleepyhead. Are you feeling better?” She asked kind-heartedly. Her hand slipped to my forehead. “You seem a little better.”

Better? What did I do? I felt extremely hot and I had a fairly large headache. Was I sick? Did I knock myself out of consciousness? I tried sitting myself up.

“No. No. Don’t move. You’re too ill to be moving right now.” She said as she gently pushed me back down.

I looked up at my sister with a kind of fondness. Moments like these were meant to be savored.

“Yvette?” Yvette was my sister’s name. “What happened to me?”

Yvette gave me a look of sympathy. Her smile turned into a frown. I could tell she was still smiling in her mind though, like she was about to laugh. Well, there goes that savory moment.

“You fell head first into the creek.” Yvette said, “You caught a cold and you have a severe head injury. Well don’t worry. Mom is making you some soup and Dad went to town to get you some fresh water.”

I took a deep breath. I touched the temple of my head and I felt a warm liquid. I brought my hand down to my eyes and I saw blood. The temple of my head started to throb and I had to clench my eyes closed to ease it.

I heard the door to my room opened and I opened my eyes. The throbbing came back. My mother came in with a tray in her hands, with soup. My mom had to turn sideways to enter my room because of her plump body. Her hair, which was usually lying on her shoulders, was now in a tight bun. Yvette welcomed our mom. I would have done the same thing but those simple tasks that I’ve done, have completely drained my energy. I must have looked pale because she gasped when she looked at me.

“Granite. Granite. Granite. Granite” She said my name over and over again, with no emotion.

******

I came back to reality and Leslee was calling my name. That was all a dream. Words can’t express how much I want to have that life back. That was a memory from my childhood.

My arm was under my back and it was twisted funny. I sat up on my bottom and I felt my head spin and dance.

Claudia looked at me “You had a hard fall there.”

An oozy and sticky liquid slid slowly down my eyebrow. I didn’t have to be a gladiator to know that this was blood. The temple from my memory throbbed. Claudia and Leslee helped me up to my feet.  Pain shot up through my right arm as I moved it.

“Ouch! Leslee. Leslee. Leslee!” I said quickly. “I think my arm is broken.” I complained even though I was trying not to.

Leslee’s eyes flew open making his deer-like eyes seem larger than they already were.  Leslee hoisted my good left arm around his shoulder.

“Are you sure it’s broken?” Leslee inquired.

“I can’t feel it or move it.” I countered back, showing my anger.

Leslee’s arm tightens around my shoulder, probably to comfort me.  I leaned my weight on him and even though my leg was not broken.

It feels good to be around people who care again. I haven’t felt like this ever since I came to the arena. But I don’t know if I can trust them just yet. Momma taught me not to trust strangers.

Claudia’s voice interrupted my thoughts, “I think you hurt the tree.”

Hurt the tree? Hurt the tree! The tree injured me more than I hurt it. But I couldn’t say that to the little girl. She was too sweet to burn down. So instead of saying that, I came up with a better solution.

“I’m sorry tree. Please forgive me?” I said talking to the tree pretending it was a real person.

Claudia smiled and I knew that saying that had made her happy. I felt warm inside me. Not warm as if I was sick but a warm tingly feeling that felt good. I’m starting to take a liking to this little girl. She reminds me of Vernon and Luke, my little twin brothers.

Leslee leaned close to my ear and whispered “Thanks for playing along.”

We all walked along in dead silence. The only sound was the chirping of the birds and the occasional chirping of the squirrels. We walked in silence until we came across a small cottage. It was made of grey roughly stones. The roof was made out of brown curved shingles, commonly used in Mexico.

“This is where we live.” Claudia said so suddenly, it made me jump.

Leslee shakes his head in disapproval. “ For a gladiator who fights three four times a week, you are too jumpy.”

I cleared my throat. “I’m afraid of the Cranitors.” I managed to squeak out.

The Cranitors were the Emperor’s big, fearless, warriors. They acted as if they were the Emperor’s pets. The Cranitors wouldn’t stop for nothing and if they did it would have to be by the Emperor and only the Emperor’s commands.

I was taken inside and instructed to lie down on the bed by the door. Leslee had disappeared for a couple of minutes leaving me with Claudia’s intimidating stare watching me. I closed my eyes to escape my fear of this girl. I knew this girl was nothing compared to the people I have fought against. It was that she was not trying to kill me… at least I think. This was all that made it eerie.

I heard the rip of fabric and my eyes twitched but I forced myself to keep them closed. A large but gentle hand had grabbed my arm. Almost instantly, pain shot through my arm. I couldn’t help it but my eyes shot open.  I jerked my arm back a bit but Leslee made his grip tighter.

“Ouch! That hurts!” I yelled at Leslee.

“Just relax, Granite. This is a fabric that will help you heal.”

He showed me the fabric. It was neon yellow and very think. He began wrapping my arm as he spoke.

“It’s called a Gilac. It is very effective and very powerful. If you use it too much, it will dig through your bone. My dad invented it to help patients heal quicker. Like for example you.”

“He’s not here now because he went to go and sell the product around town. One day he will return.” Claudia added on.

“He taught us how to make it.” Leslee said while he finished wrapping my arm.

Leslee went to a sink and filled up a cup of water. He grabbed something also out of the drawer but I couldn’t see. Leslee walked over to me again. He lifted my bad arm. The object I couldn’t see was a baster and he took a few drops of water into it. The drops of water went onto the Gilac and it swelled up. I was amazed.

“Yes. It needs water to become hard.” Leslee said when he noticed my surprised face.

The whole time Leslee talked to me, he never rose his voice nor should any type of anger. The way he was treating me made me regret yelling at him, multiple times. My arm stiffened up and the pain that was there earlier was executed. I felt sweet relief and comfort. I smile at Leslee reassuringly and he returned the smile. Suddenly I ask myself the question, “Where are these kids’ parents?” 

The father is out on business but how long has he been gone? Leslee seemed uncertain with his answer. What about their mother? If I wasn’t so skeptical and shy, I would ask all of these questions.  Only this is the way I am. I question people’s decisions and try to stay quite.