Savage Run

by E. J. Squires

  Mai stands on a platform in front of the red, white, and yellow Savage Run aircraft. Is it the same one I saw earlier today up at Master Douglas’s house? I wonder how Mai managed to get here before us because when we left Pavlova Yard, she was still packing up all the registration forms.

  Eighteen participants are lined up behind Mai. Seeing how some of their necks are as thick as tree trunks, their arms as broad as my waist, it causes me to shrink in my seat. Arthor is one of the strongest Laborers I’ve met, but he looks like a wiry twig next to some of these guys. I don’t even want to imagine what I’ll look like beside one of them. Other than Arthor and me, the rest of the participants look like they’re Advisors—a Laborer would never receive enough food to grow those kinds of muscles.

  At first thought, it doesn’t make sense to me why a Class-2 Advisor would risk death when his life is already pretty good. I suppose if I were an Advisor, I’d still feel trapped by not being able to own land, to vote, or to run for office.

  One second. That’s exactly how long it takes the reporters to swivel around after Nicholas has stepped out of the transporter. But he doesn’t even blink an eye, just walks calmly around the vehicle and waits for me to get out. The two Unifers that followed us here—I’m now convinced they’re his bodyguards—walk on either side of Nicholas and me up to the podium.

  Mai reaches her arms out to greet me and pulls my ear to her lips. “My, don’t you look like you need some happy pills...” she whispers. “Cheer up; this event is for champions and you certainly don’t look it.” She places me at the end of the line, next to the tallest, most muscular guy here, and gives me a stern look. I pull my shoulders back and try to fit in.

  Nicholas steps up to the stand, and the gathering—and even the protesters—calm into a low simmer. “Welcome, citizens of Culmination to the very first Savage Run,” he says. “I’d like to share with you a silly story, if you would be so kind to indulge me. As many of you know, I spent a few summers on a ranch right outside of Culmination. My favorite thing to do was to play outside—to swim in the lake beside our home and play in the woods, chasing after squirrels and torturing hedgehogs.”

  The gathering laughs.

  He continues. “But my favorite memory from there happened one spring morning when I was ten. My father had sold the ranch and it was the last day before we moved to Asolo. Before my father could tell me no, I headed to the lake to swim.”

  I smile a little.

  “There was a chickadee that lived in the oak tree right outside of our door. She was constantly feeding her youngsters, their hungry beaks opening and closing, accepting the nourishment from their mother. That day, one of her chicks had fallen out of the nest. I saw the poor little creature abandoned on the ground, chirping, and left to die from starvation or to be eaten alive by a predator, anticipating life to end in the most excruciating way. Not thinking much of it, I helped the poor, helpless bird back into its nest. Later that day, I saw the bird I had helped fly away.” He pauses and grips the side of the podium. “That’s what these young men must feel like now—like that little bird must have felt. Waiting. Waiting for someone to help them. For someone…to pick them up and give them wings to fly.”

  The gathering cheers.

  “As you know, this Master class recruitment program is closed to the media and the public. However, I will personally inform you of the results after each of the three phases directly following the completion of each phase. Now without further delay, we must bring these savages to Volkov Village. Thank you.”

  The gathering claps, and Nicholas steps away from the podium.

  One by one the participants climb the stairway that leads up to the aircraft. Nicholas stands at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me, the last contender to board. Just as my foot touches the first step, I hear someone yell my name.

  “Heidi!”

  My heart plummets into my stomach when I recognize my father’s voice. My hand twitches and almost reaches for my locket. But I’m on my own now.

  “Heidi! Don’t do this!” he yells.

  I’ve never heard him this desperate. A lump forms in my throat. I shouldn’t turn around, but since everyone else is doing it, so they probably won’t suspect that I’m the one he’s calling for. My father is tripping over his legs to get to me and some of the people in the crowd shove him and laugh as he stumbles to the ground.

  “Heidi! Don’t leave! I’m sorry I messed up!” He climbs back onto his feet, his gray hair sticking to his sweaty forehead.

  Seeing what’s happening, Nicholas sends a couple of Unifers in my father’s direction. Once they arrive, they pull their clubs out and beat my father against his head and abdomen until he collapses to the ground. With every blow, I feel the pain deep in my stomach. My father covers his head to protect himself from the assaults. I want to yell out for the Unifers not to hurt him, but I hold back, too afraid it will give me away. Maybe more afraid my father might think I care.

  “Do you know that guy?” Mai asks me.

  My eyes are glued on my father, and pity overwhelms me when I see blood coming from his nose. To me, he seemed to be the strongest man alive. Now, with the Unifers pounding down on him, he appears weak and helpless, not even a man. “No, I don’t know him.” One last time, I look back at the person I have called father my entire life and feel like I’m betraying him by pretending he’s a stranger. But he has betrayed me countless times by treating me the way he has. I owe him nothing.

  I turn my back to him. Each step toward the plane is another step away from my former life and the former me. Trying to fit into his mold never worked. And it never will. I clutch onto the handrail and run up the stairs.

  Chapter 6

  The cabin hostess waits by the open door and smiles at me as if I’m the most important person in the world. Entering the aircraft, I see the other participants pausing to size me up. Some of them laugh. A few nods greet me with sincere expressions, but most frown and scoff, rolling their eyes as I squeeze by them.

  “Welcome aboard, young man. Let me show you to your seat.” The cabin hostess beams and guides me to one of four, black, inward facing, leather chairs. Mai is already sitting in one of them, holding a small mirror, and applying red lipstick. Next to her sits a black-haired muscle head. He stares at me as I sit down. Each seat has its own set of buttons to select movies or listen to music, and the cabin hostess proceeds to show me which button to push to make the chair open up into a full-length bed. “And if you need anything at all, press this button.” She gestures to a red knob above my seat.

  I thank her, and she walks to the back of the aircraft.

  “Just get me out of this godforsaken place,” Mai grumbles to herself more than to us.

  I’m about to ask her why she would call Culmination a godforsaken place, but the guy sitting across from me says, “Couldn’t get a job shoveling manure?”

  I squint my eyes. “What?”

  “You think you have a chance against all of us out there?” He pops a grape into his mouth, the juice squirting out as he bites down on it.

  Mai rolls her eyes, but remains silent.

  “No, I just…”

  “Good, then we agree.” He pops another grape in and chomps on it with his mouth open, the smacking sound unbearably irritating.

  Nicholas takes the seat next to mine and nods to the grape guy. “Johnny, this is Joseph. Joseph, Johnny. I trust we’ll be able to have a pleasant flight together?” His eyebrows rise.

  “Doubtful,” Johnny says at exactly the same time I say, “Of course.” I sink in my seat.

  “The flight to Volkov Village is just over two hours. Let’s make it a pleasant one.” Nicholas straps himself in, and seeing that I have problems figuring out how to fasten my seatbelt, he reaches across my lap and secures the buckle. His forearm brushes mine, and his skin is surprisingly warm. The captain announces that we’ll be taking off shortly, and before I know it, the aircraft speeds down the runway. I dig my nails into the
armrests, my stomach tightening as we lift off the ground. I feel dizzy. As the bumpy ascent calms, my grip loosens a little.

  “The numbers are in, and there are two thousand and thirty-nine contenders in the Savage Run,” Mai says, reading a report on an electronic device. She glances at me, I think with pity. “Well, I’m exhausted.” She puts a cheetah-print sleeping mask on and pulls a blanket up to her shoulders. Johnny extends his seat into a bed and shuts his eyes.

  I rest my forehead against the window and look outside. I can’t see anything at all, only bright whiteness. I wonder what happened to my father, if the Unifiers imprisoned him or let him go. I don’t really know why he came after me; I was always in the way—eating too much or not doing enough. Lazy. Ungrateful. But, he wasn’t all bad. Once in a while he would compliment me about how well I was doing my job or tell me I had exceeded his expectations. I savored those words because pleasing him used to be everything. Although, in time, I came to learn that whenever he was friendly, he wanted me to do something for him—give him a back rub, or fetch him something across town, or deliver a message to one of the people he counseled. It was never just given. There was always a long string attached.

  Nicholas nudges me with his knee. “You should get some sleep, too.”

  I’m tired, but I don’t think it will be possible for me to sleep—too many memories are creeping to the surface. I sit in silence for a while, but what I really need is something to distract myself from my thoughts. I try to think of something to ask Nicholas. I don’t want to give the impression that I want special treatment, so I stick to safe personal questions. “So, does anyone ever call you Nick?”

  “No.”

  What a conversationalist he is. “So…have you ever participated in an obstacle course?”

  He glares at me for a moment. “I’m sorry, but I’m not here to be your friend.”

  I feel a flush of blood rise to my cheeks.

  “Besides, you really should get some rest. There won’t be much time for that once the obstacles have begun.” His lips squeeze into a thin smile.

  “Fine.” I nod as I turn toward the window, hoping he won’t notice my red face. But then I catch myself. I’m just acting as my old Laborer self: a mindless, obedient sheep. I sit up straight, search through the side pocket of my seat and find a magazine, leafing through it without really paying attention.

  After a minute, Nicholas looks over at me. “What in the world are you doing?”

  “Reading.” I keep turning the pages.

  He puffs. “Let me clarify. Why aren’t you sleeping? You really should be...”

  I interrupt him. “I can’t, so instead, I’m distracting myself while reading about…” I hold up the page that I landed on and see the red lingerie on the model, pouting her glossy red lips, standing in a very uncomfortable pose.

  Nicholas’s eyes widen for a split second, but then a hearty laugh escapes his lips. “Joseph, I didn’t know you liked that kind of girl.”

  I quickly close the magazine and return it to its holder, my face hot. “Not really, but I hear that you do.” I say accusingly, as a desperate attempt to have something to say. Stupid.

  “Yeah, that’s what most people believe.” The playfulness in his eyes turns solemn.

  “I’ve seen you in the papers, you know.” I need to stop talking now.

  “Oh you have, have you?” His eyes stare me down, but they’re not angry, only confrontational.

  “Yes, with different girls…”

  “And…your point is?” His voice is flat and stern, but he smiles like he doesn’t care. “Not many people know me, and since I’m the president’s son, everyone has their own opinion of me. You included, it would seem.”

  I hate to be lumped together with everyone else.

  “I’m going to take a nap now,” he leans in closer and whispers, “Heidi.” Sitting up straight again, he says, “And if you’d like, you can do the same. Or not. It’s completely up to you.” He presses the button on the armrest, transforming his seat to a bed.

  I pull the blanket close up to my head. I don’t want anyone to notice how flushed my face has become.

  * * *

  It takes me some time, but I’m finally able to relax. Somewhere between sleep and consciousness, I hear the captain announce that we’re on our final descent into Volkov Village. I bring my seat back up and stretch my arms above my head, yawning.

  “Good nap?” Nicholas asks, already awake.

  I force a smile, not quite sure how to act toward him after I offended him.

  Mai pulls out her toiletries and freshens up her make-up again.

  “Why didn’t you just stay home, Imp?” Johnny stares at me from his seat.

  “Imp?”

  “Yeah, you’re imp…eding us from focusing on what’s really important about the program,” he snarls, and then proceeds to snort a laugh.

  “And what is that, exactly?” I ask.

  Johnny scoffs. “Honor and might—the motto of the Savage Run.” He rolls his eyes.

  “I’m curious to know, how is he impeding that?” Nicholas asks.

  “Thanks to him, the program has become about something else entirely: giving allowances to the weak. Problem is, Petunia, who will they love once you’ve died three minutes into the first obstacle? The answer is someone who is strong and exemplifies what the Savage Run and the Master class are all about. Someone who entered for honorable reasons.” Johnny picks his teeth with a toothpick.

  “And what honorable reasons are those?” Mai asks, powdering her forehead.

  “Well, I don’t know why anyone else entered, but I entered so that I could support my sickly grandmother—provide her with a better life these last few years she’s alive” Johnny says.

  “Honorable indeed, but everyone is an equal participant with equal rights.” Mai’s voice is monotone.

  Johnny huffs. “That’s not true. He’s detracting from the integrity of the event.”

  “What is your problem, exactly?” Mai snaps.

  “My problem?” He unbuckles his seatbelt, stands up and yells, “Am I the only one who takes this seriously? Am I the only one who sees how this cream puff is making Savage Run into a gag show?” Johnny points at me.

  It turns so quiet that I hear nothing but the hum of plane engines.

  “Sit down at once or I will…” Mai starts, but Nicholas places a hand on her lap.

  “If you feel that threatened by Joseph, then how can you expect to do well compared to the other participants?” Nicholas asks.

  Johnny gets a sour expression on his face. “I’m not threatened; I’m sickened. And I’m just speaking what everyone else is thinking.”

  “I wasn’t thinking that, were you?” Nicholas asks me.

  I can’t help smiling a little. “No.”

  “Me neither,” Arthor says behind me, squeezing his face between Nicholas’s and my seats.

  Johnny huffs loudly and turns to Nicholas. “Just because you and that bitch Mai don’t see what’s going on doesn’t…”

  He can’t finish his sentence before Mai shoots to her feet, wrings Johnny’s arm behind his back so it makes a cracking sound, and pins him to the floor with her foot on the back of his neck.

  “Awww…” he wails.

  “Rule number one,” Nicholas says bending down toward Johnny. “Never, never, never upset Mai.”

  “Say you’re sorry,” Mai insists, pulling his arm back harder. “Say it.” Many participants are out of their seats, their eyes glued to the scene.

  “Sorry…sorry,” Johnny’s barely able to whimper.

  Mai flings his arm to the ground, gets back in her seat and proceeds to apply make-up like nothing just happened.

  Without a word, Johnny climbs to his feet, walks down the aisle, and locks himself in the bathroom stall.

  While everyone else starts to laugh and talk amongst themselves, Nicholas leans over and whispers, “Once you get out into the obstacle fields, stay away from him.”
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  “He’s not allowed to hurt me, is he?” I whisper back.

  “Out there, there will be no telling whether you died from one of the obstacles or at the hands of another. It’s survival of the fittest—and meanest—and Johnny fits into both of those categories.”

  Arthor pokes his head between our seats again, his red, unruly hair clinging to the fabric. “I’ll help you, Imp,” he whispers.

  Although I don’t approve of his comment, it immediately puts me at ease. “Seriously? You’re going to call me names, too?” I turn toward him and produce a generous frown.

  “No, sorry. That was a bad joke,” Arthor says, his eyebrows crinkling.

  “Good, because if you’re not careful, I can come up with some pretty crazy nicknames for you, too.”

  “Oh, really? Like what?” he asks.

  “Farty Arty.” I grin.

  He grumbles at the unwelcome reminder of the primary school nickname. “I see how it is. Tit for tat.”

  “Gotta stand up for myself.” Peering out the window, I see Volkov Village. From what I’ve read in the Daily Republic, the city will house the participants in Savage Run and travel around to different continents where the obstacle courses will be taking place. The perfectly round oceanic city used to be gray, with oil stains around the edges and on the docks, and made up of squat, iron buildings. This city was the very one that brought General Volkov and his Unifers to our country sixty-six years ago. A few years later, after President Volkov Sr. had completely restructured our society, it was turned into a cargo ship carrying crude oil, goods, and Laborers to different parts of the world. When the rest of the world rejected the notion of tiered societies shortly after, they put pressure on President Volkov Sr. to conform. He flat out refused and immediately made it illegal to trade or do business with any other nation. President Volkov Sr. had structured Newland to be one hundred percent self-sufficient, so it didn’t affect us. And when President Volkov Jr. took over, he just continued on as his father had done before him. However, the leaders of the other nations were dependent on Newland’s supply of oil—the only known oil left on the planet—and asked him to reconsider. He told them to go to hell.