by Curtis, Gene
“Well, one of the ways to get points is by the Flags Matches. I really think you should be on that team. Try-outs are tomorrow morning.”
Bekka grabbed the schedule and jotted on the top the time and meeting place for the Flags Match try-outs.
“All the tribes meet in the vicinity of the Island. You have seen that on your map.”
Bekka handed the schedule back to LeOmi. “Do you have any questions for me about your schedule?”
LeOmi was still looking over the paper. When she finished, she shook her head in the negative.
“Good. I am starving. Let’s go to The Quarters and get some dinner. It is a mac and cheese kind of night.”
They exited The Oasis as more and more people were entering.
“Too crowded for me.”
LeOmi silently agreed. “But first, I need to go by the little shop beside The Quarters; I think it is Aesop’s’ Travels. I need to get some Emerald tunics.”
* * *
Aesop’s’ Travels advertised on its windows that it had all the clothing necessary for students.
“What changed your mind?”
“Nonconformity to the rules might lose points.”
“Real-ly?”
The tunics were stacked all over the store in bundles that ranged from extra small, short, to extra – extra – large and tall.
“The blazon tabards are made special order. They are designed to accommodate each student and their estimated growth throughout their eight years of schooling and beyond. They are expensive but it’s a single purchase for life, if properly taken care of.”
The little shop had a lot of business and there was a team of three seamstresses, all sisters who seemed to be working non-stop.
Bekka said, “I purchased my blazon tabard here in my first year.”
* * *
After dinner, LeOmi said, “Let’s stop by Ms. Vanmie’s Sword Shop to buy a utility tool and to work out the details of Combat Class.”
When they reached the shop the sign read CLOSED and the door was locked.
“I’ll try again tomorrow.”
“I have to ask. What was it, the points competition, or something else?”
LeOmi shrugged. “I guess a lot of things, but I don’t want any more trophies, having to pay a tuition will not stop me from wanting to be here.”
“I understand.” Bekka paused.
“It would be great for Emerald to win the points competition, but…”
“Was it your Emerald dorm room, Albert or learning of the others that were pre-chosen?”
Bekka waited for a response from LeOmi, but LeOmi only shrugged
.
Chapter 7
There is No Room for Cowardice
DAY SIX: Saturday, Official first day of school.
LeOmi stood off to the side. There were lots of students trying out for the Emerald Flag Team.
Bekka felt that this was something that she would want to do and she was right, anything to get to ride Fireball. The horse had come right to her and nudged her under the arm. LeOmi wrapped her arms around the mare’s neck and nuzzled her head into the mane, smelling the fresh air mixed with the heat of the horse.
An Emerald student with long thick dark hair motioned for the Emerald Flag Team.
“Emeralds, it is time for try-outs to begin.”
Over twenty Emerald students gathered in close.
“I am Krisa, Emerald Flag Team Leader. I see we have some freshmen students joining us for try-outs today so I will try to be thorough, yet brief. If there are any questions, I will be glad to answer them.”
She picked up a bundle of javelin shaped poles that had emerald green practice flags attached to them.
“Flag Matches are on the last Saturday of the month while school is in, finals are held during the summer. The way the game is played is a gray flag, with a value number, is launched from The Seventh Mountain by a specially designed ballista. It may land anywhere on the school grounds playing field.”
She removed a javelin from the bundle and stuck it into the ground.
“The Island,” she pointed towards the moated Stonehenge type structure, “Is where the bonus flag is placed before the match begins. The bonus flag counts a whopping 144 points and almost always is the reason for the highest final point tally at the end of the match. Flag values increase each time a new flag is launched onto the field.”
She had a scoring tablet that she held up for the team want-a-be’s to see.
“There are four tribes that play in each match which begins at noon and continues to sunset.”
She removed the flag from the javelin, “Get the flag before the other teams get it, and keep it.”
She held the flag up. “Get it to our corral, on horseback or on foot.”
She handed the flag over the coral fence, where the Emerald Flag Team stood and listened.
“Emerald has twelve riders per team and there are four teams. First string, second string, third string and fourth string. Those who make it through try-outs today will be on the Fourth Team. The better you play the higher up the string you go and the more often you play. There is no remanifesting and no killing.”
“Today’s try-out rules are simple. Everyone is given a flag and a horse. The object is to get past those twenty-four people down there. They are going to do everything they can to prevent you from passing them. You’ll have ten minutes after the whistle sounds. Go ahead and prepare, either by horse or on foot or both.”
LeOmi stood back and accessed all the other want-a-be’s. Most were mounting their horses and not strategizing with anyone but there were a few: Mark Young, Jamal Terfa, Chenoa Day, and Nick Poparov, who were talking and trying to work out the best means of getting through.
It was a rough looking bunch down there. She had heard from Bekka that those were students who had tried-out in the past, and hadn’t made the team.—But once a year at the try-outs, this was an honor to do for the Emerald team. LeOmi was beginning to realize that team spirit ran high in the Emerald Tribe and the desire to win was very strong.
The whistle started the competition.
LeOmi jumped up on Fireball and she waited for the bulk of the want-a-be’s to make it to the restraining wall of horses, arms and legs.
She saw Mark Young among the other want-a-be’s and for some reason, she felt threatened by him. Fireball felt her tension and made a tight and complete circle, and then the other way making a figure eight, right there in the left center of the field, between Krisa and the front line.
“The dream.” It is hard to remember. “Out of nothing, nothing comes.”
But there is something about the future—not as an enemy—but maybe.
LeOmi watched as Mark and Chenoa followed the pack and broke left. They had wisely given their flags to their friends.
“Ingenious.” Fireball stood still now, waiting.
The idea came to her as almost an afterthought. She could use their sneaky distraction as a means of getting around or through the experienced wall of blockers.
Nick and Jamal broke right. After Mark and Chenoa made it around, unchallenged…the other two, Nick and Jamal threw their flags to their friends…Chenoa and Mark.
Fireball was ready. She nudged the horse into a full out run and since the group was preoccupied with the two who made it through, she stopped Fireball and rolled off of her into a summersault that knocked down two of the opposition who had remained close to the center. LeOmi basically used herself as a human bowling ball, plowing a hole through and across the line.
Human nature drew the attention back to the defensive ranks, but there was nothing that they could do. There were other students who saw what she had done to get through and several others tried a similar approach, but the defense knew what to expect now and the line was re-strengthened.
When Nick and Jamal reached the safety of behind the lines, Mark and Chenoa returned the flags to their friends.
The whistle blew.
Th
ere was a flag sticking up out of the group,
Krisa said, “Well if it isn’t Cap’n Ben.” Joel Benjamin O’ham crawled out on the ground, dragging his flag by the fabric. His bright green eyes were dancing with joy.
“I did, I did it, I did it.” He skipped around in a circle with his flag held high, and then as if he ran out of fuel he folded to the ground, still smiling as brightly. Later LeOmi heard that it was his third attempt to make the team. He had used her diversion as she had used Mark’s –the parting of the crowd to dive in. Cap’n Ben barely made it to the other side, but he made it.
Krisa said, “I’m impressed, five freshmen. Freshmen almost never make it.”
She rode across the front of the new members and said their names as she passed each. Mark…Chenoa…Jamal…Nikola…LeOmi… Cap’n Ben -- Joel Benjamin O’ham…., welcome to The Emerald Tribe Flag Team.
Mark rode up to LeOmi. “Hi. I’m Mark.”
“I know who you are.” He made her feel funny. Not like herself, like she was losing control. It was like there were two voices in her head: one telling her to run, to run as fast as she could and not look back. The other voice wanted to make friends with him. She chose to run away.
LeOmi turned, mounted Fireball and rode off towards Krisa. She still didn’t know what to think of him, whether he was a friend or a foe, and after there was some distance between them, he didn’t look like the world consuming menace that she just mentally pictured him as.
Krisa brought her back from her distracting thoughts. “Training and practice are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at four thirty. For freshmen, this takes the place of your riding class.
“Wednesday–riding technique lessons and practice. Friday–practice games.
“Flags Matches are on the last Saturdays, unless otherwise scheduled.”
She stopped about midway of the group.
“I will see you on Monday, right here at four thirty. Congratulations to you all.”
Slone, Ricky and Keith approached LeOmi as she was heading back to the stables. He didn’t have his sword with him today.
“LeOmi, where have you been? We have been expecting you at our afternoon get-togethers.”
“I’m not much on socializing.”
“I can understand that, but you really should come and just get something to eat, instead of adding to your bill that you will have to repay in labor. There is no charge for my food.”
Fireball had started rearing up–gently at first and then more and more as Slone came near, bouncing higher and higher. He tried to rub the horse’s mane to calm it down, but Fireball wasn’t having him get anywhere near her. LeOmi walked away from him without saying anything else, Fireball in tow.
Non-commitment may be worse than saying she would come, but there may be some sense in what he said.
She could hear her father’s words, “Time will tell.” That was something that he would say, as if there were always hope for her mother. Maybe there was hope for Slone and his cohorts too.
Fireball gave her a nudge and LeOmi jumped on and they rode to the stables where LeOmi brushed her down, just like she used to brush down Fury. All Flag Team members had permission to go to the stables to take care of their horses before and after matches and practice.
Bekka came around the corner just as LeOmi was putting away the pails and brushes.
“So you made it.” She surprised LeOmi with a quick hug.
LeOmi smiled slightly and nodded.
“The buzz is all around the school about the largest number of freshman recruits on record to make the flags teams, eight in all.”
Bekka counted each name out on her fingers.
“LeOmi Jones, Mark Young, Chenoa Day, Nikola Poparov, Jamal Terfa, Ralph Lawrence, Ricky Barns and Slone Voif. There is even talk of making a statue of the amazing ingenuity of the five–new Emerald Flag Team mates.”
“No, six. Don’t forget Cap’n Ben.”
“Cap’n Ben has been trying to get on the team since his freshman year.” Bekka was so happy she started doing a little Square Dance. She grabbed LeOmi’s arm and they spun around. Bekka clapping her hands to the beat. She grabbed a few other arms and before you knew it there was a small Square Dance going on outside of the stables, until everyone else shyly backed away just as LeOmi did, leaving Bekka clapping and stomping her foot until she realized that she was the only one left doing it.
“I know it’s corny—but that’s just what I do when I get happy. I have been told to restrain myself–but sometimes–I just can’t help it.”
Smiling, LeOmi picked up her book bag, and went over to Fireball for one last nudge of the head and she and Bekka made their way to the school grounds and after a short jog, they were at the Sword Shop.
“I wondered what was keeping you.” Ms. Vanmie was swinging a weight in a figure eight type motion with her arms extended out and her feet slightly apart.
“I waited for you as long as I could, but I am in a tight time frame and I wanted to get my workout in. You are welcome to join me if you like. I am on the cool down now.”
Both Bekka and LeOmi grabbed an extra set of weights and Ms. Vanmie changed to a less strenuous weight lifting exercise.
LeOmi said, “What are my options?”
“Well I know that you are already fluent in some of the exercises, but in other things you are not. My suggestion is that you come to the freshman level.”
LeOmi nodded while continuing the exercises.
“We will get there a little early to make sure that you can proceed past the first task. I am sure you will. After that it may be a little bit of a learning curve, but not that much. After you have made it to the end of the curriculum, you can either assist the other freshmen or you can continue at your own pace.”
Bekka said, “And there is another option?”
“The other option is simply starting with the second year students, but I do not suggest that.”
“Why not, she has such potential?”
At this Bekka stopped and looked at Ms. Vanmie.
Ms. Vanmie and LeOmi started doing the figure eight motion in front of themselves, and Ms. Vanmie said, “Well, truthfully it seems that she doesn’t have what it takes.”
“Doesn’t have what it takes…and what would that be?”
Ms. Vanmie continued the exercise and LeOmi kept pace.
“What do you think LeOmi?”
LeOmi hesitated, for a second and then said, “I think I need to learn all that there is to learn.”
“Well then, that’s settled. Freshmen, Monday after lunch. Come early.”
Ms. Vanmie started the small lifts again and then the stretches and Bekka and LeOmi joined her until the end. She had cool towels in a container and she gave them each one.
“Do you know why I don’t think you are ready?”
LeOmi shrugged.
“I have been observing you, and I see that while others are learning to depend on one-another, you are still jumping in and doing things on your own. That is not encouraged here at The Seventh Mountain, and I think that you know that.”
LeOmi nodded her head.
“I know that you have had more difficulty than most and it doesn’t seem fair how some are handed everything they need–or want, while others must work hard for it. You know that it only makes us stronger though. Don’t you?”
LeOmi looked up at Ms. Vanmie. She wasn’t being cruel but …
“Now as to your equipment, do you need anything for training?”
“I do have my own katana, bokuto, a combat knife and I trained with a six foot dory, although I don’t own one.”
“So, you will need a utility tool.”
As Ms. Vanmie spoke she pulled out a utility tool and handed it to LeOmi so that she could inspect it. Behind the counter, she had the same type of plate glass register that the book store had and LeOmi put her signet on the upper right hand corner.
“Okay, Monday after lunch, and don’t forget. Come early.”
&nb
sp; They all strolled over to the door, LeOmi with her parcels. As they left, Ms. Vanmie turned the sign and closed the door. Ms. Vanmie went one way and Bekka and LeOmi went the other.
As they started walking Bekka said, “I have your work assignment, are you ready to hear what it is?”
LeOmi stopped and went over to lean against the inner corridor wall. She set her parcels down on the floor and prepared for possibly the job that she would keep for many years to come.
“It’s not a death sentence. It is just a new addition to your daily activities. The work assignment team always tries to place a student into a comfortable role.”
“Have you seen the workers in the bookstore? I don’t know if I could do that every day.”
“The Work Assignment Team works with your strengths–and your weaknesses. If it doesn’t work out, they will transfer you.”
“Do you know where my brother and sister work?”
“I am not at liberty to say. Haven’t they told you? Or your father?”
“You may have noticed that we are not among the closest of families.”
“Yes I have seen that, anyway, neither of them is in this area. Are you ready? Postponing it will not change when you have to show up, unless of course it is tomorrow afternoon that you would finally have it revealed.”
LeOmi simply nodded and waited.
“Mucking the stalls in the stables, morning and evening.”
LeOmi stood up and began rearranging her morning routine in her mind, and Bekka moved her head around until she caught LeOmi’s attention and then she gave a huge smile.
“No I am just kidding, but you know that somebody has to do that.”
Bekka was still moving her head back and forth as if she hadn’t gotten LeOmi’s attention. She stopped when LeOmi appeared annoyed.
“You need to report to Mrs. Kirby at the Game Preserve tomorrow morning at seven a.m. She needs a new Guide for the Rainforest Trails on the weekends, and of course she would also have some additional duties ‘that are geared to having the system run smoothly’.”
“I think I would rather do the mucking.”
“Well maybe that can be arranged. In the mean time, Mrs. Kirby will interview you and find a good place for you.”
