Chapter 192: The Final Stretch
Okay...
Today is Tuesday, which means that there is only one day left of training until the big day.
Tomorrow, at 12:30PM, my friends, and some others who I have never met before will come along to see me race, and potentially make history as the first herbivore athlete in the District AND State Finals. But I'd never win against the likes of Sam. He came in third last year at the State Finals. If I came anywhere close to him, I'd be happy.
12 racers across 2 races and only 3 can win. I'll be racing against 5 others... I wonder what they'd think of someone like me trying to steal their thunder.
"Good morning, students of Berriwan College. It is 7:30AM and today is Tuesday, the8th of September. The current temperature outside is 12.3 degrees Celsius, and today's top temperature will be 20 degrees." I hear the announcement call. I open my eyes to see Kero, Sona, Paddo and Jeddi move off as if it's a normal day for them, while I slowly move out of bed in a daze.
"Gee Jamel, you look rough." Sona calls out as I stumble awake.
"Bad night last night?" Kero suggests.
"No. Sam, Coach Harris and I just talked about the race tomorrow. I came back here and went straight to bed" I replied. I don't know why I feel more tired than usual. It's not gonna help with today's training.
"Better hope you sleep well tonight. It'll be kind of embarrassing if you fell asleep during a race, or something" Jeddi tells me. He's right.
We all move along to get ready for breakfast. There's a lot to think about, and I'm not just talking about the race itself.
Newspapers, TV Stations, and the public will be able to watch my race. Who could have ever thought that a normal herbivore like me from some no-name town would succeed to become the first herbivore to make it to the District Finals? I'm so much smaller and weaker compared to the other carnivores, I guess it was a fluke that I got in.
Even with all my training, it would still be a miracle if I even got close to qualifying. Sam has taken his training seriously this year. I bet if he were able to, he'd go to the gym at 4AM.
Even if it wasn't for the race, I'm most worried about Abe, and his influence around Fassid and Masama... why are they trying to drug him? And why would they use something that would make him weaker?
"I wonder what's for breakfast this morning..." I hear Jeddi say
"I think I heard something about sourdough bread earlier" Paddo replies.
But I'm happy that my dormmates can come along to see me race, especially after Paddo told me how interested he was in doing sports as well. My main concern for tomorrow is Toothless Australia...
I haven't heard from them in a while, and if they're at the race, they'll definitely find something to write about, like how I deserve a head start, or how the carnivores are only chasing their instincts to hunt me down. I'm sure if I explain my feelings to Coach Harris and Mr. Selman, they'll understand. I don't want a repeat of what happened with their dumb magazine...
We enter the cafeteria and see some of our friends already sitting down. I see Sam, who's waving over at me, with Nalu and Tye next to him. No doubt Abe is gonna show up soon, and I'll need to keep my distance from him. I wave back awkwardly, as I sit down with my dorm mates. I mouth the word "Sorry" over to him; I'm sure he'll understand. Every now and then, herbivores like to be with their own friends... and away from potentially deadly grizzly bears.
"Oh, aren't you gonna sit with your other friends, Jamel?" Paddo asked me.
"No, I feel like hanging with you guys. Besides, I think we'll be waking up extra early tomorrow, so I wanted to see you guys before I head out" I say.
"Oh, that's nice of you, Jamel." Sona says. I feel like I've created a good, strong bond with both Paddo and Sona. Paddo, like me, is aspiring to be an athlete, which is courageous of him as a hybrid. And Sona is a nice guy, who's done a lot for me since I got here. Kero and Jeddi are great too, but Kero can sometimes be a bit... annoying, and Jeddi is a little bit stubborn, but they're still nice.
If I had friends like them at Whigata, we would all be unstoppable.
Chapter 193: The Fox and the Honey
We finish breakfast and head off to the gym to do some last-minute training. We arrive to see a small group of students dressed in Whigata colours, waiting to get in. A teacher from Berriwan walks past and notices us.
"Oh, you guys would need the keys to get in there, right? I'll be right back." He says, while turning around. I meet up again with Sam, Nalu and Tye, who looked pleased to see me.
"Hey guys. Sorry I couldn't sit with you today." I tell them.
"Oh, it's all good. We understand if you don't want a bunch of scary carnivores hanging around you." Nalu says. Tye and Sam look at him, a little confused and offended.
"No, that's not it." Tye says. "Jamel just wanted some herbivore company after spending a full week with us." That's more like it. "Besides, to him, you just look like a harmless fluffy marshmallow, right Jamel?" Tye adds while tugging at Nalu's fur
Well... not forgetting that he does have sharp claws and fangs... plus his dad did technically assault my dad at work.
"Yeah, I guess so..." I say. I look around and it seems like we're missing a few. "Hey, does anyone know where Erica and Abe are?"
The three others and I look around, but we couldn't see the large brown bear, or fiery red fox anywhere. One of the older girls turns around to speak to us.
"Hey, were you looking for Erica, and that bear guy, Abe?" she said quietly.
"Yeah, have you seen them?" Sam says eagerly, brushing past me.
"Last I saw, Erica and Abe were talking at the dorm rooms. She was carrying a jar of honey or something in her bag as well" she says
"What would Erica do with honey?" Sam says.
"Honey's nice, maybe she'll make some sandwiches later on." Nalu suggests. Not exactly helpful, but he does have a point about honey. Bears can't get enough of that stuff. A lot of animals like honey, but bears are one of few that would actually attack beehives for it... shows how tough they are
"Alright everyone" I hear someone call out from behind. It's the teacher from before, now with the keys. They open the door, and we begin to move inside.
"Come on guys, let's go!" Nalu says, eager to start his last day of training. I look at Sam in desperation. Where could Erica and Abe be?
"It's alright Jamel. Erica's tough, and Abe knows his boundaries. They'll both be fine with each other around." Sam tells me. I guess he's right. Erica has dealt with Abe and his addiction once, I'm sure she knows what she's doing.
Chapter 194: Stretching the Stripes.
We set ourselves up in the gym, then Coach Harris comes inside on the phone. No doubt he's busy getting everything set up for tomorrow. He'd have even more to do because of me as well.
"Good morning, everyone, just do some warmup stretches, and we can go from there." He says before returning to the phone.
"Hey Jamel, usually I have Abe to help me out with my stretches, but since he's not here... I was just wondering if..." Sam says nervously. He's working up a sweat and we haven't even started yet.
"No problem. I hope it won't be any different because I'm smaller." I say. I wonder why he was so nervous to ask me. "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
The first stretch had us sitting with our legs pulled apart, touching at the feet (my feet weren't long enough, so my shoes rested in between his legs). I then reached out for his hands, and pulled them towards me, stretching his back. While he was focused on his stretches, I was busy admiring his large hands. His claws seem to retract into his hands, hiding away from me.
"I never knew tigers could retract their claws." I said to myself, not realising that I said it out loud.
"We do... it keeps ourselves and others safe. I've been meaning to trim mine down, but they're just growing so fast." He said. I guess that's why Sam was kind of worried; he didn't want me to be scared by them.
"I think they're pretty cool." I tell him, still admiring his paws. They remind me of Riley's claws. It's not very scary to look at unless they try to hurt you.
We finish our stretches, before moving off to the gymnasium. A few others follow to practice sprints, and other running events. Sam is off talking to a few other students, while Nalu walks over.
"Hey Jamel, can I ask you a favour?" he asks me. He's holding out a tape measurer. "Can you walk this over to the other side of the gym? I'm trying to improve my run up for the Long Jump" he adds, while handing me one end of the tape measurer.
"So, how far do you want me to walk this back?" I ask him.
"30 meters, which should be about where Sam is" He replies. I turn around to see Sam and Tye, talking to each other. They both seem keen about tomorrow.
I take the short end of the tape, while Nalu counts the measurer. I begin to take some steps back, while Nalu keeps assuring me.
"Keep going, keep going..." he said slowly. I look down at my feet and legs while I move back. My legs are nothing compared to the others; another reminder that I'm an herbivore. I sigh in discontent, knowing that my body will always be limited to how far I can push myself. I don't even realise that I've blocked everything else out. Just stepping backward, holding the tape.
"Uhh... Jamel? Jamel... are you listening?" Nalu calls out from across the court. Sam turns around to see me just beside him. I look up, and then trip over something behind me.
"Jamel, watch out!" Sam says, while I'm falling. He sticks out his hand to catch me, but his grip was too late.
Instead, his sharp claws dug into my skin, and tore down as I fell. I hit the ground, cushioned by a bag that I tripped over. I look over to my arm to see it bleeding; from my forearm all the way down to my wrist. Sam's face has gone as white as snow, as he looks at his claws, covered in my blood.
What do we do now?!
Chapter 195: Tainted Cheese
Everyone stops to see what happened. I'm more worried about how Sam is going to react with blood on his hands. A few others crowd around to see me on the ground, which is a little intimidating. I hope they aren't in a blood lust now...
One of the few things I know about "that side" of the carnivore world is that one of the easiest smells for them to recognise is the blood of an herbivore. Some can't even tell what the smell is, just that their mind is telling them that it's bad. But natural instincts, stronger than any force in the world, kick in and they try to do what they can to investigate further.
I sit on the ground, and it seems like I'm being whisked away to a completely different setting... someplace unfamiliar...
..............................................................................................................................
I look around... it seems that I'm in a factory of some sort... I can see large vats, containing liquids, with different numbers, letters and symbols on the side.
I can see animals of all different shapes and sizes, lifting things, moving things, stirring things, driving things, operating thing, checking things... I see two animals in dark blue shirts. One is a snow leopard, and the other is... Dad?
Dad's standing on a small ladder, next to a vat of what looks like cheese, and the snow leopard in standing next to him, with a clipboard. I walk over to them, to see what they're doing. It looks like they're having a small argument.
"Horns, you've been stirring that for too long. We're making mozzarella, not cheddar" the snow leopard says. That must be Nalu's dad.
"Rob, I only started on this a few minutes ago, I already did the other ones." Dad replies to Nalu's dad.
"This form says that it's already been stirred, did you even check it?" Nalu's dad asks him. I notice how he gets angry in tone, but never gets threatening or too aggressive. I guess that's something that adult carnivores pick up.
"Yeah mate, I already saw it, and I marked it off before stirring it." Wait a minute... is this the moment where...
"No, look at it HERE!" Nalu's dad says while tugging at Dad's left arm. Dad's body is jerked to the side, while his right arm is stirring the vat. His left arm begins to...
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
His arm bursts out of the socket, and the floor is painted in red blood. I see my dad fall to his knees in pain and shock, while Nalu's dad begins to tear up and freak out. Everyone in the factory heard his scream of agony, stopping to see what happened. A few others in the area run over quickly to take Nalu's dad away, and comfort him and Dad.
There's still a small pool of blood by the vat, with a detached arm sitting in middle of it. Dad was carried off by a bull, Murray's dad, while Nalu's dad was restrained. He was obviously melting down, and needed to be prevented from going near him.
"NO! WAIT, I SWEAR!! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" he cries as two others hold him back. I stare onwards at the pool of blood.
There so much of it.
I follow my dad being carried away by the large bull. A few others standing still in disbelief move out of the way slowly for him, still trying to comprehend what's happening. I move around in front of him, to see them both. Dad's arm had been wrapped up in a bandage to stop blood loss, his face buried into the bull's shoulder. I can hear him sobbing loudly, in pain, fear and anguish.
"I-It's gonna be okay Horns... you'll be alright..." Even the bull is having a hard time processing everything. "Someone... please call an ambulance!" the bull calls out.
Chapter 196: My Dark Saviour
"J...J...J" Sam says. He's at a loss for words while he stares at his hand, with blood dripping slowly into his palm. Soon after, a large figure moves quickly behind Sam. It stops, and I see Coach Harris, standing there with a First Aid Kit.
"Everyone, clear the way! Stand back and block your noses!" he yells out. He then turns to me. "Jamel, are you alright?" I look at my cut, it's not very deep, but there is a bit of blood. I'm sure it'll heal in a few hours.
"Y-yeah... I'm fine." I say quietly, still a little shaken. I wasn't really hurt by the scratch itself, just a little worried about everyone else. What if I made everyone addicted to blood just because they could smell it? Coach Harris and I move aside, so he can treat me better. He wipes away the blood with a tissue and wraps a bandage around the cut... it does look kind of deep
"Thank you very much, Coach. You saved me." I told him. He looks at me, a little confused.
"It was only a small cut, Jamel. Nothing fatal." He reminds me. "Come on, we'll go into the office." He says while ushering me to a room nearby. I then remember Sam.
"Wait, what about Sam?" I ask. We both look back to see Sam, still a little stunned from what happened, and his hand covered in blood.
"Sam, I trust you to go off and wash your hand thoroughly, everyone else, continue your training." He says as we enter the small office. It's all quiet now, just me and the large black panther.
"Jamel, are you good? You're not scared or hurt or anything?" Coach Harris asks me.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It was just an accident." I reply. "But... I'm..."
"You're what?" Coach Harris imposes. Should I ask him about this?
"But what about the others? Because they could smell my blood, doesn't that mean they're addicted to blood now?" I tell him. He looks at me, in a mixture of relief and assurance.
"Jamel, carnivores can't get Blood Lust just by smelling it. I told everyone to block their noses, in case it woke up any "primal instincts", if you know what I mean." He tells me. No, no I don't. "While I have you here, is there anything else you want to share with me? Anything at all?"
I might as well tell some of the truth about Abe.
"Well... I know he hasn't done anything wrong, but it's about Abe..." I say awkwardly. I don't know how to word it to him. "He hasn't done anything bad, but I just feel a bit nervous around him sometimes. He can be a bit loud, or big, or scary, and I feel like I'm just overexaggerating, and he's not doing anything wrong." I say.
I'm so ashamed that I've felt this way. Even when he wasn't bullying me, or under Fassid and Masama's control, he still scared me, like most large carnivores do. I remember when he was kind to me, and offered me help, I still felt scared of him.
"I expected you to say something about him." Coach Harris told me. I look up in surprise. "A few of the younger, smaller carnivores at our school also told me that they're a little intimidated by him. I was thinking about having a talk with him."
"Oh... but... I mean..." I stammer. I never wanted Abe to get in trouble for anything.
"Don't worry, he hasn't done anything wrong. Large carnivores, especially from towns like Whigata sometimes forget how to act around others. It isn't helping that his body and mind are changing either..."
There it is again. I've heard it so many times, that "carnivores my age are changing". We are all changing though. Me and my friends are growing taller every day, our voices are getting deeper and there are all sorts of emotions going on. What makes carnivores so special that they have these extra changes? And what are they anyway?
"How are my friends changing though?" I ask, annoyed. Coach Harris pauses for a second.
"It's hard to explain. Try comparing someone like Nalu to someone like Sam. You'll see a difference in them, but I can't quite explain it." I wonder what he means by that.
Chapter 197: A Lot of Helping Hands
Eventually, after talking for a little bit longer, we go back out to see everyone else, toiling away at their training. Abe and Erica also showed up, but both had to do push ups for being late. After they were done, Coach Harris took Abe into the office to talk about his "behaviour". The only difference between Nalu and Sam I found was that Sam is more mature and grown up than Nalu. Mainly because he doesn't hide in pantry cupboards and get me in trouble for it.
We kept on training but stopped for a break every now and then. I just hope that everything goes well in my race tomorrow... despite what Fassid and Masama are planning.
I go back to my dorm room at the end of the day, completely puffed and tired from all the work that I've done. I just hope that I'm not too tired by the end of the day. I get back, and my dorm mates are already busy rushing around, making sure I won't forget anything.
"Do you have your running shoes, Jamel?"
"Should you set an alarm on your phone, just in case?"
"Make sure you keep hydrated, should I fill you up a few extra bottles?"
"Are you sure you're doing all your stretches and warmups properly?"
I guess they're doing it to help me be the best I can for tomorrow.
~~~
I am awoken by the sound of an alarm. I look over and that the time is only 7AM. It's a bit before the normal school announcement wakes me though...
"Jamel, wake up! Today's the day!" Kero yells. Well, I could only have guessed what day it was. But he answered it for me. Today isn't just about winning or losing the race. Today is about taking my friend back from the wicked minds of Fassid and Masama. I might lose more than just the race today, sadly... I could lose a friend to the evil instincts of a brown bear, or even my life...
But for now, I'm just gonna focus on the race. I might as well try to be a hero who tried his best. I'll remember to use everything I've got to against them, including my tools that I got yesterday in town... hopefully I don't get caught with them before I get the chance to use them. My arm is still feeling pretty sore from Sam's cut yesterday, but that shouldn't stop me from racing.
"Do you think you'll do a practice jog or something before you go to the stadium?" Paddo offers. I could try and fit something in before my race. I'll need to be at the stadium by 8:30, with my event starting at 12:30
"Yeah, but I want breakfast first. But the cafeteria isn't open yet, so I might have to wait..." I say. Immediately, Jeddi and Sona arrive, with a glass of orange juice, a small sandwich, and a bowl of porridge.
"Oats are really good for us antelopes, you know. So, eat up and get ready." Sona tells me. Wow, these guys really want me to win today.
Chapter 198: Keeping my Friends Closer
After a good, hearty breakfast and a quick jog around the school campus, I return to the dorms, where everyone else is waking up. I've already had my breakfast, done my warmups, taken a shower. I guess all that's left is to wait to go off to the sports day.
"Do you guys think Jamel will get in the newspaper?" Kero asks us.
"Obviously. He's a history-maker. Everyone would love to hear about your hard work, Jamel. You'll be an inspiration for years to come." Sona tells me.
"Yeah, you're an influencer" Paddo says. "In fact, I went over to the school gym yesterday and signed myself up for the basketball team. The coach was beyond surprised and happy for me. Trials are next week, and I'm super nervous."
"Oh, way to go Paddo!" Jeddi says. Everyone's really happy for him. I'm sure he'll be accepted by his team.
We spend the rest of the morning talking about school, and watching the morning news on TV, until it's time for us to go.
"We'll see you this afternoon, Jamel. Remember to keep hydrated and always stretch!" Sona tells me, as they walk towards the school buildings. I, on the other hand turn down towards the end of the driveway, where I see everyone waiting to head off. There are two groups of students; some are wearing maroon polo shirts and black gym shorts like me, and the larger group is wearing ocean blue shirts with navy school shorts. The maroons are from Whigata, and I can see Sam, Tye, Nalu, Erica and... Abe.
As far as I can make out, today might be my last chance to confront Abe about Fassid and Masama... I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I have to convince him that they're a bad influence, and he could get into really big trouble
"Oh, hey Jamel. We're just about to leave, do you have everything with you?" Coach Harris says, while checking my name off a list. I'm sure what he's thinking of are a drink bottle, a small snack, and a jacket, but I have more in my bag.
I have everything that I bought from the "Herbivore Protection Store" against every possible enemy, as well as the translated notes from the Biology Section, are stuffed in my bag. It'll be hard to explain to Coach Harris if he found this stuff.
"Yeah... I'm ready." I say to him.
"Hey Jamel! Today's the day, are you excited?" Tye asks me. He's with Nalu and Erica, who also seem super enthusiastic about today.
"Yeah, I'm pretty nervous as well..." I say, for other reasons, of course. I look behind them to see the other group of students in dark blue; from Berriwan. I peer over Tye's shoulder to see Fassid and Masama, watching us ominously from far away. As long as I keep near Coach Harris, or any adult for that matter, they'll leave me alone. But I can't leave Abe alone, otherwise he'll be a danger to himself and everyone around him.
"Alright everyone, are we ready to move out?" I hear someone say. It's one of the coaches from Berriwan, speaking to everybody. We all seem eager to get going... some more than others.
We begin to move off in our school groups. I immediately head to the front so I can stay close to Coach Harris, but not too far away from Abe and the others. I then see a streak of orange flash up from behind me; it's Erica.
"I know what you're feeling Jamel, about Fassid and Masama." She says quietly into my ear. "They wouldn't think of touching you until after your race, otherwise they'd be the prime suspects."
She has a point. After the race, if I'm attacked, there would be a lot of potential attackers. Plus, it would be easier to hide their tracks...
Why am I thinking about this?
"You're right... until then I'll stick around Coach Harris and Sam... they make me feel comfortable" I reply. I know they wouldn't kill me... even though they have that power
Chapter 199: The Lion Comes Back!
We finally get to the stadium after our short walk, where I see so many more schools set up. The buses with their school emblems are parked outside as I read them:
"Kymaine College, Wandirah High, Kulin Senior Secondary College" I've heard of these schools, they're from towns just outside of Berriwan, but none of them are as far as Whigata.
We enter the stadium grounds where we see a plethora of different animals, getting ready for their events. All sorts of different colours of shirts from the different schools; red, orange, green, blue, yellow, purple, brown, white; it's so colourful, but our maroon sticks out well.
"OI SAM!" we hear someone call out as we set up in the stands. We turn around to see a lion dressed in deep blue. Hang on, I think I remember him...
"Kevin, how ya going?!" Sam replies. It's the lion who raced with us back in Whigata. I think Kevin barely beat Sam on that day anyway.
"Hey... Jamel, was it?" Kevin says, a little less scary than last time. "Are you excited to race?" he asks me.
"Yeah, I'm pumped. I'm super nervous as well." I tell him eagerly.
"Well, don't worry. There won't be any hyenas to ruin our race this time." He says, standing tall and proud. Well, this time I won't be worrying about them...
I turn around to see that Fassid and Masama have disappeared from the group of Berriwan students... no reason to get nervous, I guess... I also see Mr. Selman pushing his way through the crowd to see us. He looks busy, as he's writing something down, and on the phone as well.
"Hi Jamel..." he says, while panting. "I just wanted to check if you had your speech ready." I look at him, very confused, so does Sam, Kevin, and Coach Harris.
"No... I didn't know I needed to get a speech prepared..." I say.
"What? I didn't explain it already? Oh man, the press are already here, what am I gonna do?" Mr. Selman frantically panics.
"Wouldn't they just interview him about his race?" Coach Harris says casually.
"Well... I guess it will have to do..." Mr. Selman says, still a little unsure. "Oh, and by the way, the scoreboard timer is broken, so we're using a stopwatch for the races." He adds.
"Isn't that inaccurate?" Coach Harris asks him.
"Well, we only need the top placers in most of the races." Mr. Selman says, before moving onto another call... I guess he's a really busy guy. Coach Harris walks on after him, hopefully helping him out with some work
"I think the first events are gonna start soon... I'll see you guys later." Kevin says, before walking back to his school group. Today is gonna be weird... if it doesn't viciously kill me first.
"Hey Sam" I hear someone call from behind us. We turn around to see a cheetah in a green uniform... I've never seen him before. "Guess you're gonna have to get through me earlier this year
"No way..." Sam says in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing here!" His disbelief quickly turns into excitement
"I had a competition last week, some national trials, or something. I couldn't go to my District Finals in Durranga... so, Dad said I was allowed to race here" the cheetah says. Who is this guy?
Chapter 200: The Grizzly Defence
"Maku... coming along so I can beat you even quicker?" Sam says in confidence.
"I didn't know Lavalla even had a running track. Pretty nice here" the cheetah says. He then looks over to me. "Jamel, is it? I can't wait to race together"
"Uhh... um, well" I stutter. How does this guy know me?
"Jamel, this is Maku. He beat me last year at the State Finals, making him the State Champion in our age group" Sam says, a little irked.
"Three-time State Champion, as well as National Runner-Up" he adds. Seems a bit full of himself, but nice enough.
"Nice... so my odds are a bit slimmer?" I say, a little uncertain. Not only did Sam and Kevin place 3rd and 2nd last year, but I also have to race against 1st as well? There's no chance I'm gonna qualify...
"I guess so... sorry Jamel, but sometimes that's how competition works sometimes" Sam tells me
"Come on, I'm sure you'll be okay. I'm always excited to race against someone new... especially an herbivore" Maku tells me. "I'm sure you'd be able to keep up with Sam fairly well"
"Don't underestimate him, Maku. He's improved a lot, and he's still got some good results and times" Sam tells him
The two felines continue talking to each other, happily reunited since last year, as I notice Abe in the background, walking over to me. I try to just focus on the race ahead, and not think about the mess with Fassid and Masama for once.
"Hey Jamel" he says, with a polite smile. I hope he hasn't found out about my "little trip" on Sunday
"Uhh... hey Abe" I reply. I try to sound polite, but I'm a little nervous, because of my encounter on Monday with Fassid and Masama... what did they say about Abe? Something about "seeing the true powers of a brown bear?" I'm gonna do everything I can to avoid it happening to me.
"Today's the day, mate. I still can't believe you and I made it this far" he tells me
"Yeah... me neither" I reply. It's obvious he'd get this far. Those shot puts weigh nothing to him, I bet he'd be moving off to the state finals with Sam. We sit in silence for a few awkward seconds
"Listen, I wanted to ask you about Fassid and Masama" he says to me. Hmm, what about? "I notice you feel a bit uneasy and timid around them..." Man, I knew it! Fassid and Masama probably told Abe that I was snooping around after them! "...and I agree with you" he finishes
"What?" I reply. This giant bear, is timid of a bird and lynx who are way smaller than him?
"I think you're right to be a bit shy around them. I've spent time with them, they're a little... odd, and I'm sorry if you thought I was like that" he adds.
"Nah... not at all. So, this means you hate them now?" I ask. That might have been a bit harsh
"Well, I'll avoid them from now on... they're pretty clingy of me, and I have to be careful with carnivores who want to use me, not be with me" Abe states. Going into the race, I definitely feel a lot more at ease hearing this.
Chapter 201: It All Starts Here
Before too long, announcements are made for the first events to start. The day slowly moves on, and I slowly count down the hours until we need to race. After a while, I get a bit bored, and begin to walk around the stadium, not too far away from Coach Harris, of course.
Sitting in the Berriwan stands, I see a few herbivores, who look out of place. It's Kero, Sona, Jeddi and Paddo, all seated, wearing Berriwan Blue.
"Hey, there's Jamel!" Paddo yells out. I walk over to them, in excitement.
"How are you feeling, man?!" Kero says enthusiastically. I think we already know the answer to that question; nervous and excited.
"We're all really happy for you, Jamel. Just make sure that you keep pushing, it might not be easy, but everyone's supporting you." Sona tells me.
I sit with them for just a little bit longer, until...
"This is an announcement for all Year 10 Boys in the 1200m Race to make their way down to the track?" the P.A goes. I begin to feel really nervous... I can barely move, let alone run... oh man.
"You got this Jamel, good luck!"
"Go Jamel! You got this."
"Don't worry Jamel, we're here for support."
My schoolmates cheer me on, and Sam offers to walk with me. I see a few others already down there, ready to start.
Twelve athletes. Two races. But only three can move on to the next stage. The races are determined by height, so I guess Sam and Kevin are in one race, and I'm in the other.
We walk past a few other school groups who look on at us, nervously. They talk amongst each other in interest. I try to ignore them, and focus on what's important for now, doing the best I can.
I walk past Fassid and Masama, sitting with their school group. They eye Sam and I off, standing out from a crowd of hundreds... Sam's busy looking out onto the track, but I just try to look away. A man with a clipboard is waiting for us at the gate
"Are you two Jamel and Sam from Whigata?" the man asks us.
"Yeah, that's us." Sam answers confidently.
"Good, you two will need to move onto the track soon, we're gonna start the race any minute now." They say. We walk out to the track, onto the grass, where we see a group of other animals, including Kevin and Maku. I see Mr. Selman standing on a table, addressing everyone.
"Alright, I need all the athletes in the first race to line up on the track. The athletes in the second race, just wait off to the side." Mr. Selman tells us. Sam and Kevin move off onto the track, doing their warmup stretches. Maku and I are in the second race, so we see the racers on the track... they're all so big and large.
"You're nervous because they're big, right?" Maku says to me.
"Mmm... yeah" I reply, a little embarrassed to admit it.
"A lot of larger runners think that their longer legs work as an advantage, but it really doesn't make a huge difference. It's about stride, pacing and endurance" Maku tells me. "How d'you think I beat Sam AND Kevin three times?"
He's a bit cocky.
"Your legs look nice and strong, you should have no problem in this race. I guess that's how you managed to make it this far" Maku adds
"Thanks Maku..." I say in admiration. I guess he does know best. He is State Champion.
"Take your marks." I hear someone say from the other side of the tracks. Looks like the first race is starting. I look over to see Sam and Kevin, both entirely focused on the race, and nothing else.
"Get set." And now, we all wait for the start...
***BANG***
Chapter 202: The Larger Race
The six large runners get going and immediately file into the single lane, ready to continue their race. A loud roar erupts from the stands, as they're cheered on. Coach Harris was right, this race is a highlight of the day.
"So, Jamel, I have to ask..." Maku asks from beside me "Why did you wanna become an athlete in the first place?"
"Well... I always enjoyed running, being an antelope and all... I guess I always wanted to compare myself to others, really. I never thought I'd end up here." I replied.
"Do you think you'll make it to the State finals?" one of the other racers asks me. I can't seem doubtful at this point, not while I've pushed myself to go this far.
"Well... I have to beat Maku, Kevin or Sam here... but if I do that, I guess I have pretty good odds for the State Finals too" I say, confidently. We see Mr. Selman come up to us with a few drink bottles.
"Hey everyone. Hope you're feeling ready and confident." He says with enthusiasm. He then hands us a drink bottle each. "Make sure you keep your fluids up, and that you feel nice and refreshed before your race." I take a sip out of it. It's definitely not water... but at least it isn't that drug thing from earlier.
I can taste a few different fruits in this one, but one thing stands out more than anything, but I can't put my finger on it. Whatever it is, it tastes amazing, and I'm super pumped all of a sudden...
Oh man, I hope he didn't put steroids in there or anything like that...
Over the past few months, at training, some of the older students, including Abe, Erica, and Sam, have been offering me all sorts of weird sports drinks. Stuff like "Iron Cheetah" and 'TuffFox" sports drinks, but I don't like the flavours, plus they make me feel sick (maybe because they were designed for carnivore bodies).
I'll need to ask Mr. Selman what this drink is, because it tastes amazing AND it makes me feel good.
~~~
I keep chugging away at my drink, not even noticing Sam, Kevin and the others whizzing past in their race. It's not until the final stretch where I see the final two runners on the home stretch. We all cheer them along, as it is neck and neck.
Unfortunately, Kevin managed to beat Sam to the line, inching ahead in the final 100 meters. I saw them quickly slow down after their race, with Sam a little disappointed with their races.
"Bugger! I can't believe I let him pass me" Sam says, out of breath. He shakes hands with Kevin, still showing good sportsmanship.
"Alright, second race is ready to begin!" Mr. Selman announces to us on the sidelines. We all get up off the grass, and line up along the line. I notice that I'm a bit quicker to get to the line than everyone else... I hope I'm not rushing ahead.
A loud cheer erupts from around the stadium. I look around to see everyone. I'm doing it not only for them, but for my school.
My friends.
My fellow herbivores.
My family, and...
Myself.
._./|\._. Dreamtime Story 22: Discretion Assured ._./|\._.
Earlier that morning, still at Berriwan College, behind closed doors
Masama: It's alright, Abe. We'll keep it a secret... it's practically a Carnivore Law to keep these kinds of things quiet.
Fassid: That's right... tell us. We know how you're feeling
Abe: Well... I mean... y'know... I heard that beef is pretty good
Masama: Mmm... beef is delicious. Straight from the cow, and very filling.
Abe: W-what about pork, huh? I've heard that word a few times
Fassid: Ooh, you have a great sense of taste, Abe... chicken is usually preferred by smaller carnivores, like us. But I'm sure you'd like that too.
Masama: What about... ahem, Antelope meat?
Fassid: I think the term you're looking for is venison... don't you have that antelope guy at your school?
Abe: Uhh... well, I like Jamel as a friend, not food... but maybe I could try it some day
Fassid: You know, Blackbuck venison is especially good, I hear. Apparently, blackbuck was eaten by only the richest in the land a few centuries ago.
Masama: A very prestigious, fine, rare meat... he'd fetch a fair price at a Black Market
Abe unsure: Heh heh... yeeeaah...