The tournament

300: Ready

"It's a chance to see your mother, Daphne. Are you willing to let go of that?"

Those words didn't cease roaming in my head the entire hours after that conversation I had with Professor Ephraim.

Doctor Westward had treated me and gratefully I have no headache or any physical pain apart from the confusion in my head.

My mother is alive? My mother is presently living on the ultimate planet. Professor Ephraim had said she was the winner of the twenty-sixth season.

Why didn't my father know about this? He could've been happy at least, it would have eased his pain. I don't know what he and my mother had but I know he loved her. He talked about how much I love her all the time.

It pained me so much he couldn't see her before he died, he had no idea she was alive.

What helped a little was a surprising audio record of my mother to me; for the first time I heard her voice, I know what she sounded like.

She is the reason I'm here right now, she pleaded with the court to let me in this year so we could be together again. And as promised, every winner shall receive anything they desire, it's among the tournament bonus, so I got a free ticket to participate.

It thrills me mother still wants me, it thrills me she has hope in me.

Wait she has hope in me? Does she think I can make it across the contaminated universe to the ultimate planet?

Can I?

I heard her saying she knew I can, she believes in me, she trusted me, she said.

She pleaded to hold me in her arms, she cried hoping she can see how much I've grown up, how much I look like my father.

I couldn't help the tears rushing down my eye while listening to the woman that gave birth to me.

And so I have nothing more than to get going.

I have to win if it meant being with my mother again.

The woman who had me for nine months in her worm yet never get the chance to be with me because it was her eighteen years. And so she had no choice but to participate.

***

I showered and change my racked clothes, shimming into the matching brown boiler suit the kids were wearing yesterday at the headquarters compound.

I have to say, this is the nice clothing I wore after almost ten years.

"You're ready? Come I would introduce and show you around." Professor Ephraim offers. "You must have your breakfast on the dining table with everyone, that way you'll get to know the contestants well." He added as we walk along a bright shallow corridor.

"So I can feel better when killing them tomorrow?" I derisory throw at the old man, who appears unaffected.

"So you can know how to survive them tomorrow." He corrected.

It takes me some seconds to take off my eyes from him and look ahead. To where I've been when I arrived. Just like the other time the compound is crowded and busy until a bell went off, surprisingly it calls everyone's attention and now they're all looking at me.

After what I pulled yesterday I should be lucky no one is mocking me, not yet at least.

"Hello everyone. Meet Daphne Reuben, the thirtieth participant for the forty-second annual tournament." Professor Ephraim announced.

No one said a thing, they all ceased their activities and looked.

I feel like disappearing into the steel floor.

"Introduce yourselves, now." He commanded them.

"I'm Paul Julius." That's when some lean boy begins.

"Rees Julius." The taller and hugest, behind the back waves at me.

"I'm Rebecca Manchester."

"Drusilla's the name." Says the blonde girl looking better in the same uniforms as everyone.

"Agnes Cornelius." The girl snorts and turns away, apparently not interested.

"Theodore Bernard."

The introduction continues until it came to the familiar face I first woke up to after getting here.

"Harper Griffith, it's nice to have you here." She politely introduced herself.

I flash her a smile and follow the lead of Professor Huntington, as said.

He has a magnificent book in his arms and outfit that defines him easily.

He instructed everyone to take a sit around the benching area.

"Can we take two?" Some guy I didn't quite remember his name, queried.

"No kelvin, you all have to take this seriously. In the next twenty-four hours, you would be out there on your own. This is a place you'll be completely alone, you need guardianship and support."

"For the hundredth time, we know," Rees murmured and everyone except me burst into laughter.

They're not taking this seriously, they have no idea how deadly this is. It means only one among us might reach the goal, this isn't some game is battle.

"You should learn to have each other's back or you wouldn't make it to the final stage, it's might seems funny to you but outside here is dark, wild and nothing like you've ever imagined. It's full of surprises, something you've never thought of."

"Have each other's back? I'm sorry Professor we could all be friends here but as the bell ding, we are enemies fighting to survive." Some girl called Ariana said.

At least she has a brain, I will give her that.

"Why have each other's back when you're going to kill them anyway?" Someone from behind me added.

They've forgotten how hazardous this is, they're making a fool of the Professor.

It's all clear the game must have only one winner, which means twenty-nine among us have to die. They think is okay to seat here and joke like tomorrow is a normal day?

"You wouldn't kill each other, believe me. You would unify against what's coming for you." The Professor simply said.

"Says who I need someone's help? If others had made it why wouldn't I? Unless you mean the racked girl. Should I be worried she's a competition? I heard she's good at being alone." The sassy blonde girl seating a roll ahead blatantly mocked me.

What's her problem with me anyway? I don't owe her anything.

"Don't you think is pathetic already chickening back? What about reserving your fear until on the battlefield?" I annoyingly throw at her, is it Drusilla or whatever her name is.

"You don't want to cross paths with me once we get out there, darling. I promise you I'll tear you to pieces and feed your remaining to whatever hungry creatures are left out there, that way everyone would learn you're all bark and no bite coward."

"The two of you either have to concentrate or go back to your room if you're not here to learn." Professor Huntington sternly warns.

The girl shrugs and rolls her eyes. "Just saying, I'm a winner, don't you see?"

The Professor ignores her attitude and continues with explaining to the remaining students.

"You will be dressed in radiation uniforms which you have to make sure is intact because when a small piece tear, you're going to be exposed to whatever is out there. Also, you will have an oxygen tank with seventy-two hours of air time. The survivor is expected to reach the gate in three days so you have to stay awake to stay alive. The rules are simple. One, waste no minute on unnecessary events. Two, don't overwork yourself, heavy breaths take in more oxygen. You don't want to be out of oxygen days or hours away from the ultimate planet."

"What? That's insane." Sal interrupted.

"What happens if the oxygen level gets low?" Someone asked.

"You derive out of air." Professor Huntington answered.

"What happens if we take it off?" I curiously ask him.

"You burn from radiation. There are diseases out there you've never heard of. It's capable of killing the human body in less than a hundred and twenty seconds." He explained, walking around the aisle.

"Burns." Chuckled Rees.

Why is everything funny to him.

"Keep your head in the game, collect as many wristbands as you can, may the best reach the gate." Professor Huntington said and dismissed the class.

Wristbands?

I am left dumbfounded as I followed everyone to the dining room.

I wasn't fascinated by the luxury environment or the unbelievable long tables filled with food I've never had my whole life. I was completely keen on the tournament, fear of losing, and also excited I might see my mother.

"Sorry about Drusilla, if it makes you feel any better, she's mean to everyone." Harper smiles and slides next to me.

I take a moment to examine how beautiful Harper is; she's pleasingly plump and has a face that never frowns.

"I assure you, I've already forgotten about her bragging." I smiled back and shove a pile of mashed potato in my mouth.

"I'm Harper, in case you haven't grasp my name from the introduction."

Well, I did but to not make it awkward, I nodded.

"I'm Daphne."

"Is nice to meet you, Daphne," Harper said and begin serving some food for herself.

***

Time never waits for anyone, dad used to say.

As a story, he used to recites every night, about a boy who forfeits a battle to go back to his family but even after reuniting with his beloved woman and child, time showed him no mercy.

Right now I am standing in a maroon hazmat suit, covered intact and ready for the exact time to impact, I don't know how this works even after all the lessons I had my entire stay in the headquarters, right now my nerves aren't integral.

when doctor Westward came into the isolation room I had been waiting for minutes, I let out a relieved sigh.

"Hey, you're okay?" She asked, seeming worried.

"I don't know. A part of me is excited for this, I might get to meet my mother and the other part of me is scared." I honestly answered. My voice sounding breathier from the head protector.

"Scared of what?"

"Outside."

My whole life I had lived here in the bunker, I have no idea of what the outside world will be like apart from the stories we've heard from others.

Her lips pull back into a smile when she promises. "Is okay to be scared. We all are when changing new environments, fear is required. But don't let yourself dwell for so long. Fight, my dear."

She's right, it makes me feel better. But all of a sudden I worried about something different, something not necessary.

"Why are you here Doctor Westward?"

"Everyone's... they all have their families over. To say goodbye your know?" She stuttered, cautiously not to offend me.

But why would I be? I had let go of pain and accepted my reality for a while now.

"Oh okay."

"Uhm oh and Bella says to give you this." She dug into her white lab coat pocket and surprisingly brought out the half piece of me.

The golden stone, my dad entrusted me with, the last day I saw him.

I take it into my hand and smile small reminiscing my father's smile, he was a good man. I still don't understand what he did to the surfer that much.

I would do this for him, I will reunite with mother, and tell her how much he loved and waited for her.

"Thank you," I murmured, feeling the rock against my cloaked fingers, Softly recalling what my father used to recite in my ear every night before our six years together ended. "Dry, green, water, hills, and bridge."

I don't know what they mean but he says them anyway.

"Stay alive." She smiles.

I'm sure she didn't hear me.

"I would try." I hope so.

"One minute to impact." The courthouse announces from the microphones.

My heartbeat is beyond demonstrating, I had to close my eyes and swallow.

It would be okay, it's just a new place. Somewhere billions of humankind had called home fifty-five years ago.

"A little hint, don't trust anyone and you're three kilometers away from your left and right neighbor, you should keep an eye." I couldn't say anything, I stood there and observe her without words. "I would go." Doctor Westward suggests and turns away for the door.

"Doctor Westward?" I called.

"Yes?" She stops by the door and swirls around to face me.

"Tell Bella, I would see her soon." I can't imagine being able to see Bella anymore. She is my only family.

"Five... four..." The radio continues to counts.

For a moment I swear I caught doctor Westward face dropped.

"You shall not come back, Daphne. Earn what you're worthy of."

"What?" I retorted but it was too late for it's already time for impact.

"One!"

All that I thought was I will walk myself out there but everything was different when I begin inhaling something different. Three intakes was enough to weaken every muscle in my body and like dust, everything faded in an instant.