Super Sports Spectacular

by George Ivanoff

  Down you go, towards the camel-wrestling pen – straight into an enormous pile of camel poo. And up again.

  You continue to spring through the different sporting areas, clinging on to the pogo stick, and then out into the trees beyond.

  As you crash through a particularly large and dense tree, you get caught in the upper branches. The pogo stick continues on its journey without you.

  Half an hour later as you are rescued – battered, bruised and stinking of camel poo – by the fire department, you think to yourself that perhaps you shouldn’t have tried out Xpogo after all.

  You wave goodbye to your teammates and hightail it out of there.

  You’re hot and desperate to get into the pool. In your careless rush, you trip over a stack of kickboards and fall head-first into the lost property basket.

  You are trapped in a sea of bathers, underwear, swimming caps and goggles. Struggling to get out you become entangled, until you can’t move your arms and legs.

  The only way to free yourself is to rock back and forth until the basket topples over. You spill out, still tangled in lost property, roll across the ground and plunge into the water.

  You are weighed down by your water-logged clothes. You can’t see because someone’s old undies are covering your face. You can’t swim because your hands and feet are bound by goggle straps.

  You sink.

  Your lungs feel as if they’re about to burst. You can’t hold on any longer. You gasp for air but end up with a lungful of water.

  You begin to lose consciousness.

  Suddenly, hands are grasping your shoulders and pulling you up.

  The next thing you know, you are lying by the side of the pool coughing up water. You end up being carted off to hospital.

  Your school never lets you near a pool again. And your friends will forever remember you as the fool who almost drowned with someone else’s undies over your face.

  Despite being tired, you decide to play again.

  The coach brings out a fresh Wantmore team. They are just as freakishly tall as the previous lot … except for one of them. Player Number 13 is tall, but not unnaturally so. She looks about 16 and is less than six foot.

  By quarter time, Wantmore are way off in the lead.

  But something amazing happens in the second quarter. The ball is passed to Number 13. She fumbles it, giving you the chance to steal it, bounce it and shoot.

  It looks like you’re about to score, but at the last second another Wantmore player casually raises an arm, catching the ball before it can fall through the hoop.

  During half-time, you watch the coach yell at Number 13, spit flying from her mouth with the angry words. Number 13 is sent to the bench and replaced with a fresh player.

  Your team is still on zero. You and your teammates huddle together to discuss the situation. Most of them want to give up and walk out.

  You glance at the Wantmore team, who are back out on the court, ready to play. Your gaze moves to the coach, who is standing to the side looking pleased with herself. And then you look at Number 13, who is sitting alone on the bench. You reckon she seems downright scared.

  If you want to quit, go here.

  Or maybe you should persuade your teammates to continue the game so you can talk to Number 13? Go here.

  Matty is supposed to be your friend, but he’s not even giving you a chance in this game. That’s how you justify it to yourself as you kick out at his legs.

  The two of you go down together in a tangle of limbs. You land on top of Matty. There’s a horrible snapping sound. And then Matty is howling in pain.

  You struggle to your feet as the coach and other players gather round.

  Matty is lying on the ground screaming and clutching his right arm, which is bent at an awkward angle.

  The first-aid people rush onto the oval and check him out.

  ‘It’s broken,’ one of them says. ‘We need to get him to hospital.’

  This is all your fault.

  As Matty is carried off the oval on a stretcher, he looks over at you. His eyes are filled with tears.

  You can’t imagine feeling any worse than you do right now.

  Matty is your best friend. You can’t trip him up on purpose. So as you watch, he goes on to score a goal – the first of the match.

  The game continues.

  Just when you think there’s no chance of you getting near the ball, a teammate kicks it to you. It’s a high kick, sailing over the heads of the opposition. Out of the corner of your eye you see Matty sprinting in your direction. If you let the ball hit the ground, you know he’ll get to it before you.

  You remember Matty showing you some spectacular volleys on YouTube, where a player jumps into the air and kicks a ball before it lands. But can you do that? It’s a difficult kick – and a risky move.

  If you want to try a volley, go here.

  If you’ d rather let the ball bounce, go here.

  It’s heads and your team is batting.

  Now it’s time to find out what this genius boy has to offer.

  ‘This!’ The kid holds out his bat. ‘It’s an electronically enhanced batting device, which I can control with my watch.’ He holds up his arm to show you the gadget on his wrist.

  It looks like an ordinary bat to you. And there doesn’t appear to be anything special about the watch, either.

  ‘Allow me to bat first and I shall demonstrate the validity of my claims,’ insists the boy. ‘By the way, my name is Wesley. Thanks for asking.’

  You silently ask yourself if this would constitute cheating … but quickly push these doubts aside.

  You decide that you and the boy will be the openers. But do you trust Wesley enough to let him face the bowler first?

  To let Wesley bat first, go here.

  If you’ d rather be the first batter, go here.

  You watch the boy pick up the pole … but you don’t say anything.

  The boy goes to the start of the runway. He stares at the bar. He shifts the pole in his hands until his grip is just right. Then he takes off.

  He sprints down the runway. As he approaches the bar, he plants the pole into the box. The pole bends. The boy leaps into the air. The pole bends further taking his weight until…

  Snap!

  The pole breaks. The boy falls. Missing the mats, he crashes onto the runway surface. His arm is lying at an impossible angle.

  You notice there is a bit of smoke around him. And there’s something poking out of his chest. Is that a wire?

  The other competitors gasp in horror. The coach runs to the boy, picks him up and rushes him off to a nearby tent.

  You see the boy who sabotaged the pole standing to the side, watching intently.

  Something weird is going on. And you are determined to find out what.

  If you want to follow the coach, go here.

  If you decide to confront the saboteur, go here.

  You race to the main entrance and hide behind a rubbish bin. And wait.

  It’s not the best place to hide. It’s a bit stinky. And people keep throwing more smelly things into it as they pass by – rotten fruit, mouldy sandwiches, putrid old socks.

  Your eyes begin to water.

  A guy walking his pet poodle dumps a massive bag of dog poo into the bin. You can’t help but wonder how one small dog could produce that much poo.

  Not everyone’s aim is that good, though. You end up with sandwich bits in your hair, and fruit juice and tomato sauce dribbling down your shirt.

  You notice a man in a suit hanging around, checking his watch and nervously looking up and down the street. He must be the guy from the WooHoo Money Corporation.

  Finally you see the truck. It backs up into the driveway.

  It’s only now that you start wondering what it is that you can actually do. Before you can think of a plan, a bunch of people on pogo sticks come bouncing along the driveway towards the truck.

  ‘In the name of truth, justice and the sporting way,�
� you hear one of them shout.

  The doors on the back of the truck spring open and five guys wearing balaclavas and WooHoo tee-shirts jump out, charging at the pogo sticks.

  You watch with wide-eyed amazement as the two groups attack each other. What should you do?

  If you want to join the battle to stop the WooHoo Money Corporation, go here.

  If you think it would be safer to stay behind the smelly bin and watch, go here.

  You continue practising. The coach finally ups your bounce ratio. You can now jump as high as two soft drink cans. Exciting … not.

  You lose track of time. You’re not sure if it’s been two hours or two days.

  The coach is about to increase your bounce ratio again when she gets a call on her mobile.

  ‘Emergency!’ the coach hollers at her team after finishing the call. ‘We’re needed at the main entrance.’

  The players mount up. You watch with curiosity as they each click something under their right handles. Little control panels appear at the top of their handlebars.

  ‘In the name of truth, justice and the sporting way,’ the coach shouts out.

  They press some buttons and they’re off, springing higher and faster than you thought possible.

  ‘You stay here and practise,’ says the coach, as she grabs her own pogo stick and bounds off.

  You’ve been left behind.

  Do you follow the Xpogo coach and her players? Go here.

  Or do you follow her instructions and stay put? Go here.

  You convince the others to continue the game, then sub yourself out to the bench.

  As the game begins, and the coach’s attention is focused on refereeing, you edge your way across the bench to Number 13.

  You ask her what the deal is with the coach and the Wantmore teams.

  ‘Get out of here,’ she whispers, ‘while you still can.’

  But you need to know what’s going on.

  ‘They’re not just basketball teams,’ Number 13 finally reveals, ‘they’re assault squads. The coach has been recruiting the tallest kids around the country, giving them scholarships to Wantmore, and then training them for basketball and combat. She’s nuts and she’s trying to take over the world.’

  Basketball teams taking over the world? That sounds a bit bonkers.

  ‘Yes, it is bonkers,’ agrees Number 13. ‘And that’s exactly why it’s going to work. No one would ever suspect it. The coach is planning to enter teams in competitions all across the globe. Once the teams are in key strategic positions, she’ll give them the signal to attack and take over the governments.’

  Something splashes onto your nose, startling you.

  ‘My, my, aren’t we rather chatty today.’

  You and Number 13 look up to see the coach glaring down at you, a drop of saliva balanced at the corner of her mouth. You barely have time to gasp before Number 13 is up and running out the gymnasium.

  ‘Squad number one,’ calls the coach, spit flying. ‘Attention!’

  The Wantmore team suddenly stops playing, standing up straight and tall, hands by their sides. Your teammates, taking advantage of the situation, finally retrieve the ball, dribbling and passing it down the court to score a goal.

  ‘Fetch Number 13,’ calls the coach.

  The Wantmore players each grab a basketball from the crate by the door and sprint out of the gym.

  ‘Now,’ says the coach, turning to face your way, ‘what shall we do with you?’

  Is your first instinct to run away? Go here.

  Or do you stand your ground? Go here.

  You decide there’s no point in continuing. You and the rest of the team walk off.

  ‘Losers!’ shouts the coach. ‘Loooooooseeeeeerrrrrs!’

  The Wantmore team laughs.

  You stop at the door as the others walk out.

  You’re angry!

  Are you furious enough to turn back and confront the coach? Go here.

  Or do you simply walk out with the others? Go here.

  A volley is too risky. You decide you have a better chance if you let the ball bounce.

  But the moment the ball hits the ground, Matty’s there. Seconds later he and the ball are gone, down the pitch and towards the goal.

  He scores! You groan.

  The match continues. No one bothers kicking the ball in your direction any more. Matty scores once again, just before full-time, and your team loses three–nil.

  You should have known better than to play soccer with Matty.

  You decide it’s worth the risk. After all, how much worse could things get?

  You charge towards the ball, launch into the air and kick.

  But your foot misses the ball. Instead, you somersault through the air and crash to the ground. With a mouth full of grass, you look up to see Matty sprinting towards the goal with the ball.

  He scores!

  ‘Unco!’ calls the guy who kicked the ball to you. ‘Why don’t you play properly instead of trying to show off?’

  You put your face down onto the grass and close your eyes. You’re not sure you want to play any more.

  ‘Good try!’

  You look up to see Matty jogging back to you.

  ‘You’ve just got to keep your eye on the ball when you kick out.’

  Matty’s enthusiasm makes you feel a little better. You get up and continue with the game.

  In the final seconds of the match, you find yourself in the same situation with the same decision to make. What are the odds of that? The ball, high in the air, is heading in your direction. Do you try for a volley again?

  If you want to take another shot, go here.

  If you think you’re better off playing it safe, go here.

  The opposing captain is bowling, so you decide that you’ll bat first – making it captain versus captain.

  You grab the electronic bat from the genius boy and take your position.

  The bowler takes a long run-up, running very quickly. A fast bowler! You would have preferred a spinner.

  The ball shoots down the pitch like a missile. It’s a yorker, going straight for the crease. You’re not good with yorkers, but you manage to hit it.

  Unfortunately, you hit it straight down the pitch. Wesley tries to jump out of the way, but the ball glances off his watch. Luckily his wrist is unharmed … but the watch is toast!

  You shout at Wesley to move and you manage to get one run before the fielders retrieve the ball.

  You toss the bat to Wesley. It’s his turn to face the bowler. He desperately fiddles with his smashed watch, pushing the springs and wires back into the casing. Finally the coach, who’s umpiring the match, tells him he has to bat now or leave the field.

  Wesley positions himself.

  The bowler delivers another yorker.

  Wesley swings the bat … and misses by a mile.

  The ball smashes into the stumps.

  ‘Out!’ the coach shouts.

  And so begins a string of poor batting performances. It’s as if your whole team’s confidence has been shattered.

  You are soundly thrashed by the opposing team.

  You let Wesley bat first.

  Watching from the other end of the pitch, you see the boy genius fiddle with his watch, then position himself in front of the wicket.

  The opposing captain is bowling. He takes a long run-up, running very quickly. A fast bowler! You hope that Wesley is up to the challenge.

  The ball shoots down the pitch like a missile. It’s a yorker, going straight for the crease.

  Wesley swings the bat with ease, hitting the ball low. It bounces between the fielders and over the boundary – four!

  Wesley watches the ball, nods to himself, then fiddles with his watch again.

  With a determined look on his face, the captain bowls again, this time bouncing the ball on the pitch.

  Wesley hits the ball high over the boundary – six!

  The bowler’s jaw hangs open in disbelief. But he composes him
self and tries again, with a full toss. This time he means business.

  But Wesley knocks it for six.

  And so it continues. No matter how many different bowlers the other side sends in, Wesley keeps knocking them for six.

  The opposing team gives in just short of Wesley’s century.

  ‘At least this way he doesn’t get to a hundred,’ grumbles the captain as he leads his team off the field.

  Your team wins! And it’s all thanks to Wesley and his electronically enhanced batting device.

  Mind you, he’s the only one on your team who actually got to play … which makes the victory kind of unsatisfying.

  You march straight over to the saboteur and demand to know what’s going on.

  ‘Shhhhh,’ the boy shushes you. ‘Not so loud. You never know who’s listening.’ He looks left, right and then over his shoulder. Satisfied, he leans in close to you. ‘This place is crawling with robots,’ the boy whispers. ‘They’re everywhere. I reckon they’re planning on taking over. Replacing the human race with machines. Did you get a look at that boy who fell? There were wires sticking out of him.’ He nods knowingly at you. ‘Robot.’

  But why sabotage the sports equipment?

  ‘Proof,’ answers the boy. ‘I need to show the world that the robots are among us.’ He grabs you by the shirt and brings your face up close to his so that you’re nose to nose. ‘The question is, are you gonna help me?’

  Well, are you?

  If you agree to help the boy, go here.

  If you decide not to, go here.

  You head straight for the tent into which the coach carried the injured boy.