Story of the Daredevils

My name is Genesis Dare.

Once a lifetime, everyone is given the ability to dare you one thing. Anything.

Eat a booger, go sky diving, face your biggest fear, Kill a person. Anything.

Today I get to have my dare. My chance to be a daredevil.

It started long, long ago. With a small group of kids. Friends, and a lurker. This is the story my mother told me. Her mother told her, and her mother told her. On and on it went. Generation by generation.

This is the story of the Daredevils.

---

The year is 245 in Simvian standards. Kalena was in her final year of schooling, and leaving for her family's business was not the thing she wanted to do. She would much rather spend time wandering in the humble woods behind her schooling dorms, or wander the echoing halls, waiting for someone, anyone to talk to her.

Outcast, alone, weirdo, nobody, lurker, silly little Kalena, living so far from her poor mum and da.

Slipping out into the woods is where she went, trying to keep the haunting idea of leaving the school for her home, miles away from anything, the prime idea of nothing. Following the overgrown paths, she crept past the sallow faced watchers. Their pale gray eyes following her small form as she sat in her normal spot. Only a few paces from the watchers she sat in a ring of ferns. An ant crawled up to her, pinching at her bare feet in protest of her sitting so close to his home. Yelping she swatted, stumbling up in a hurry to get away from the inferior creature.

Backing up she fell onto a watcher who quickly pushed her off, grumbling roughly. She fell to the ground, staring up at the watcher who looked down, his hard gray irises piercing her.

"Kalena Dare. Leaving is not permitted." it spoke roughly, an odd look passing on its face.

"I wasn't- I mean, well, I wasn't trying, I don't want to leave!" she mumbled out brushing off the dirt giving the watcher a glare.

The watcher gave a stiff nod, its lips pursing.

Calming herself she backed away from the scattered line of watchers.

Turning away she ran through the ferns, soon she came to a lake.

Lilybed lake she supposed.

A small fire was burning on the other side of the lake, singing students dancing around it in a merry jig. Leaning on a tree Kalena watched, aching to be friends with them.

Only a month till she left for her home, her desolate nothing, Mum would love to see her again, Da... Da was a different thing. Even Mum was scared of Da. Steeling her mind, she forced herself closer to the people, slinking in the tree line, lurking in the shadows.

Approaching the group, she called out from the trees by the fire, having snuck up on them.

A few whirled around, startled. "Kalena Dare? Is that you? Why are you lurking again?" one girl called out, her hair as orange as the fire, a boy looking much too old for her, held her hand, whispering something to her that made her giggle.

"Yes, it's me, Can I- Can I join you all?" The girl laughed waving her over, "Of course Kalena, just have fun! We were all bored out of our minds studying for that stupid test! Thomas decided tonight was perfect for a party!" she said looking up at Thomas who was clearly high. Kalena nodded sheepishly, stepping out walking over to the fire.

As soon as she got close to anyone they seemed to move away. She didn't know why, the girl had said she could join them, why weren't the others trying to even acknowledge her?

Tired of the people avoiding her already she retired to the side, sitting on a log, moss crawling up the sides, moist from the cool night air.

She smiled, watching the people laugh together, poke fun, sing as loud as possible. Soon the girl stumbled over to her, plopping down on the log.

"Wanna, play a game... Kalena Dare? It'll be reall- " she paused searching for a word.

"FUN!" she practically screamed scaring Kalena out of her wits.

This girl is so drunk. Kalena thought lightly sensing the presence of alcohol.

"What kind of game?"

"I dunno! Maybe the daring game!" she said her voice getting pitchy.

Kalena begrudgingly agreed letting her drag her to the fire, helping her pull people over to a corner, soon having the entire party sitting in a circle, a broken bottle in the center.

The orange haired girl smiled at her patting her hand, making her feel more welcomed than ever if she ignored the sensitive looks of the others, a few giving her nasty glares, disliking her just for her past.

"Daring game! when the bottle lands on you, you get to dare anyone to do anything!" one of the boys said roughly shoving his friend.

"Oh yes! Me first!" The fiery headed girl exclaimed, spinning the bottle.

Kalena watched in anticipation, shrinking away from the popular kids as they shook their heads and yelled at not being picked.

it had landed on a short hair boy, bright green eyes.

"I dare Heidi to sit by Kalena and hold her hand! Maybe even Kiss her!" he yelled. A girl recoiled in shock.

Kalena sat wide eyed. Why was that such a bad thing to sit by her?

Soon the girl walked over, sitting by her, a disgusted air about her.

"Hold her hand, hold her hand!" they began chanting.

Kalena sat in shock. Soon she felt Heidi's warm palm in hers. They weren't any different. What was so bad about her? Why was she different?

Kalena jerked her hand out of the girls, wiping a small tear off her cheek.

Soon the bottle was spinning again, landing on the orange haired girl.

She stood clapping her hands wildly. " I dare Kalena to kiss a watcher!"

The group went silent. Everyone knew that was too far. No one touched a watcher for a stupid dare. Kalena, however; Was sick of them treating her different. Maybe she had to prove herself.

"Don't do that Kalena, it's so stupid, dangerous even. Pick another dare." someone murmured.

She shook her head. "One dare. You have to do it. You stupid high kids call yourself Daredevils, why so scared?" she jeered riling up a few of them.

"I'm going to kiss a watcher. I'm Kalena Dare and I'm going to Kiss a watcher!" she said earning a clap or two from them, their faces animated with interest as she pushed away from the circle, going back to the watcher she had seen earlier, a trail of daredevils behind her.

Pausing in front of the watcher she bit her lip wondering what would happen. The watcher gazed at her solemnly, its gray eyes glittering with a pasty emotion she couldn't place.

"Were watchers' creatures? Were they just beings of controlling demeanors, or machines of the higher ups.

Squeezing her eyes shut she pushed forward, pursing her lips, touching the watchers cool stone like lips. She felt the watcher move under her kiss, surprise maybe. She pressed a little harder on its lips. Her eyes flew open when she felt it push back. its gaze locked on her eyes.

Pulling back, she tried not to stumble. Behind her were the daredevils, gaping at her. "I- um, well, I did it." she said.

The watcher took a step forward watching her with a cold interest.

"Kalena Dare." it clucked, tilting its head at an odd angle.

"A good name for a bad game. Fitting." it said. Kalena gave it a questioning look.

"Why dear, you've just reset the rules of this whole world." his eyes turned a heavenly gold hue. Kalena stepped back in fear.

"I did what?"

"By the daredevils hallowed soul! Kalena Dare, you have no idea what you just did."

---

That was my Great, Great, Great, Great grandmother's story. Kalena Dare's story.

Outcast, alone, weirdo, lurker.

It's now time for my story.

Someone's going to kiss a watcher today.