Death Match

I twirl the dagger back-and-forth in my grip taking care not to cut myself on its blade. The thing is already coated in a thick build-up of rust and dried blood, I’m pretty sure a scratch from the thing would give someone an infection. Unfortunately, this is all they gave me to protect myself with. My life now relies on a single bloodied dagger.

I glance up as the crowd erupts into chaos. Another down, I’m next. My hands fall slack at my sides as I watch the men run across the arena and toss the last competitors remains into the cart; along with the others. They treat the corpse as if it's no more than food scraps as if it wasn’t a living breathing person mere moments ago.  Will that be me in twenty minutes? Am I crazy for even trying?

“Alice,” my little sister Bella squeaks. “Promise me you’ll come back to me.”

I turn around to glance at her, but just as quickly look away. I can’t stand to face her, everyone knows lying is easier when it isn’t face-to-face.

“You know I will.”

“Promise.”

“I promise I’ll come back to you.”

Bella shuffles up beside me on the bench and wraps her chubby arms around my waist. I put the dagger aside and return the hug, my eyes sting as I fight back my tears. I have to stay strong for her.

As I wait on the edge of the arena, my brother Charlie waits beside me. He may be two years younger, but he towers above me like a giant. Neither of us knows what to say as the seconds pass by.

“So,” he starts, breaking the silence. “Any last wishes.”

Charlie knows the unlikeliness of me pulling this off, he knows that he may lose me sooner than any of us expected.

“Take care of Bella,” I reply. “Take care of yourself.”

Like me, Charlie’s eyes are all puffy and red. It’s clear we’ve been crying.

“Do you still think it’s worth it?” I swear I can hear a pinch of resentment in his tone. I can’t blame him.

“We need the money,” I say, cooly. “And if worst comes to worst, you’ll have one less mouth to feed.”

“You’re already saying you’ll,” Charlie spat. “Have you given in that easily?!”

I spin around to face him. “I’m choosing not to live in denial. We both know the chances are slim.”

“Well, the Alice I know doesn’t give up so easily. She wouldn’t let the odds get the better of her.”

“Maybe she’s come to terms with this being the only way. Maybe she knows this is impossible!” I let out a strangled cry.

“I’m sorry, Charlie, I really am, but we cannot keep on living this way. If I can give you two a chance - even one so slim - then I’ll take it.”

“I know why you’re doing this, but I’m not as strong as you. All my life I've watched you sacrifice everything for Bella and me, and now that it may be up to me-”

I don’t wait for him to finish, I wrap my arms around him, squeezing him against my chest.  

“I believe in you,” I whisper in his ear. “You can do this, I know you can.”

“And now we welcome our next competitor to the ring!” A Goblin calls through his megaphone, sealing in my doomed fate.

“Love you,” Charlie says as we break apart.

“I love you too.”

Then I’m off. There is no turning back now. I can only hope that Charlie doesn’t see what’s about to happen, that he has the common sense to look away.

I wait expectantly for the fight to begin, my opponent - the Ogre - and most likely, my killer stands before me. The air around him reeks of rotten flesh, I can even spot chunks of the stuff between his foul looking teeth.  Was that the guy before me? I don’t want to know.  He has a potbelly, beady black eyes, a wicked scar running from his forehead to his chin and his flesh is light blue; almost a pretty shade. The Ogre spots me watching him and grins, flashing me a smile that sends a shiver running down my spine.

“Let the match begin!”

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to do first. Thinking back on it I should have made a run for it as I'd planned, but at the time I was frozen on the spot. The Ogre charged, and the ground rumbled beneath each pounding footstep as the gap between us shortened. At the last second, I came to my senses and rolled out of the way, mere inches off being squished.

Pull yourself together.  People are relying on you. Bella and Charlie need you.

I scrambled to my feet, the shouting of the crowd ringing in my ears. From watching the previous matches, I already knew what hadn’t worked for the other competitors.

Number one had tried fighting it out. Number two had been clever enough to use his agility to his advantage until it hadn’t, and number three had tried talking his way out of it. And now they were all dead, which I would be too if she didn’t hurry up and enact my plan.

I ran, the gravel tearing up beneath my feet as I crossed the arena, coming to a stop before the mound of boulders; some jagged, others worn and smooth. The crowd began booing and I tried my best to block it all out; the sound was a nuisance.

I made contact with the rocks and began the climb. The skin on my fingertips strained as I pulled myself upwards, I felt my nails crack. The Ogre roared behind me. The sound was enough to make me lose my footing, and I fall a few centimetres. The rocks beneath my shoes wobbled as I climbed. It felt as if they could come crashing down at any moment, bringing me down with them.  

Just as the Ogre made it to the rocks, I reached the top and pushed myself into a crack between to rocks, praying he would attempt to follow. The gap was a tight fit, and for the first time, I was thankful that there wasn't more to me than skin and bone.

“And will you look at that,” the Goblin yells. “We’ve got ourselves a coward!”

I grit my teeth. There are many things I am, but a coward is not one of them. It takes all my self-restraint to stop me from abandoning my plan.

The rocks begin to shake as the Ogre begins picking them up and tossing them across the arena. The one beside me shifts, and I move further into the gap.

The Ogre gives up his aimless search when he catches my scent, and begins to hurtle himself up the rockface to my hideout. It’s time for me to make my move.

The way out is always harder than the way in. My hands become even more bloody as I make my way out of the tight space, and into the open. I’ll be needing some antiseptic afterwards, although of course, that would sting. My hand flies to my dagger kept safe in its leather sheath at my waist. I glance over the rock side and watch as the Ogre struggles to climb. Just like it was for me, the rocks shake, but because of its lumbering size, they fall out from under its feet and hands.

I pull out my dagger, and as its hands reach over the edge to grab for me, I stab. The blade finds a home in the Ogre’s hand, tearing flesh. It bellows in rage like a wild animal. I yank it out with all my might before it lets go and ungraciously collides with the gravel. Knocked unconscious from its fall, its bristly tongue hangs out of its mouth, and its eyes are rolled back in its head. The spectators fall silent.

“A winner?” The goblin nervously asks the crowd. He seems just as shocked as I am.

I start to worry.  Was this not enough? Was I meant to kill it?

Nobody has beaten the Ogre before, it's hard to know for certain.

The crowd overcomes its silence and erupts into cheers. A wide grin spreads across my face, a rare thing. I did it; I actually did it. I don’t care to listen to what they say next, I run from the arena and head straight for my siblings.

“Alice!” Bella and Charlie cry as they run to meet me. I burst into tears at the sight of them.

“You kept your promise,” Bella squeals. “I didn’t believe you, but you did!”

I embrace them both, overjoyed to even be having this moment. Not long ago I'd thought I'd be parting from them forever, but now we have all the time in the world.

“You did it,” Charlie says, beaming. “I knew you could.”

 I grin back.

“Excuse me,” someone says, interrupting our moment.

I turn around to glare at them but think better of it when I see it's the Goblin with the megaphone.

“Yes?” I ask expectantly.

He removes his bowler hat and begins to fiddle with it in his elongated fingers.

“I believe this is yours.”

He points to a chest that's being carried towards us. The lid is open, revealing that it's stuffed with gold. I’ve never seen so much in one place before.

Bella squeals and grabs my hand. “You did it!”

“You pulled it off,” Charlie says in awe, clapping me on the back. “Mum and Dad would be so proud of you.”

I can hardly believe I've done it. We never have to starve again.