Despite all my heroics and otherworldly intrigue I still had to spend the night wedged between boxes in the back of the store. Sure our hideout had air conditioning and a futon, but it was still no way for an adult to live. When morning came I limped out of the store, and grabbed a trolly to the square.

The festival was to celebrate our creation myth. There was the mother island Menaya who on the same day for seven years gave birth to a new child. Five daughters and two sons in total. It’s kind of like everyone’s birthday. There’s free food, entertainment galore, and a pageant where each island selects their most spoiled child to lead them in a parade.

It was a ton of fun, and this was the best one in years. Of course I was getting special treatment. I was one of the Braves, so local girls would gives me flowers and braid them into my hair. The braiding was an old tradition most just clipped the flowers into my hair and ran away giggling. It happens slowly at first, but by the time the fighting starts most of the braves had blazing crowns of flowers adorning their heads.

Everything and everyone was so beautiful, I could scarcely believe I’d been sleep walking through so much lately. This island and it’s people were special. If only we were alone. The jester was right where he was yesterday, urging people to try their luck. I gave him a wide birth. His promise of another quiz today had unnerved me, and I'd spent a good bit of my sleeping hours mulling over his question.

“Yorrick.” Victoria slid in next to me as I took a skewer of crab and vegetables from a vendor. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Hey.” I leaned into her. “How did things go with the…” Otherworldly conflict.

“They’ll be attacking the plantation any moment now.” She said seriously. All I felt was relief. This was finally going to be over. “They wanted as many people away from the outskirts as possible.”

“Good.” I looked around the square, it was a good crowd. Most everyone on the islands would be here. “Kind of nervous.”

“Don’t be.” She smiled. “You saw how they handled themselves.”

That’s true, and if nothing else they could always just drive a train through the mansion. That was bound to cause some damage. “Do you understand what’s going on?” The jester asked me if I’d figured it all out yet, and I couldn’t feel further from the truth.

“Not completely.” She confessed. “They’re bad we’re good. They’re somehow using the plantation to corrupt the soul of the island. The more corrupt it gets, the more of those pits appear, the more of the island is consumed.”

“That’s insane.” Then I smiled. “But also good news.”

“Why’s that?”

“The plantation isn’t the soul of the island.”

She shared in my smile, and nodded at me. “Can I tell you something, that only you can understand?”

“Sure.”

“After they’re done here. I’m going with them.”

My eyes went wide. “You mean, you’re going to leave… on that train.”

“Yes.” She nodded solemnly. She had a distant look to her eyes. “I just can’t stay here, knowing what I know.” She then looked to me, there were years of friendship and newfound trials in her eyes. “We could go together, then I wouldn’t have to do it alone. I know things can’t be the same for you since…”

Stolen novel; please report.

“I’m staying.” I allowed my smile to renew. “Ever since the pit… everything around me has just felt right. This is exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

That made her frown. “I’m actually kind of jealous of that.” She shook her head bitterly. “Everything just looks like cardboard to me, the people seem hollow and ignorant. Even the sun seems wrong.”

My head swam with that statement. I couldn't blame her, or resent how she felt. Victoria had gained a glimpse at a far wider world than we had ever imagined. She had the strength and courage to look further. I was only sad it left the beauty of her life dull in her eyes. She must have been so lonely these last few days. “I’m gonna miss you.” I pulled her into a hug, and tried to make it last.

She sniffled. “You’re supposed to ask me to stay.”

I laughed and sniffed a little myself. “I’m not going to stop you from seeing new worlds, besides you were always the one who was going to get out. The one destined for greatness.”

“I know.” She said, not without a hint a humor. “I just always thought you guys would be there to see it.”

“Just do me a favor, at least give Hayden a clue about what’s going on. If you just up and disappear I think he’ll actually kill me.”

She sighed heavily. This wasn’t the first time she’d broken up with Hayden, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last. “I’ll see what I can do.”

We then parted, and I was sure I’d never see her again.

“Okay feeling a little girlfriend jealousy here.” Andie approached me from the crowd. She had her arms crossed defensively in front of her to show her jealousy wasn’t all just talk.

“You have nothing to worry about Victoria is like a sister to me.” I took her hand. “Plus I’ve been obsessed with you for a while now, I’m gonna wait at last a few more weeks before screwing this up.”

“Okay.” She smiled at me. “You’re saying all the right things.”

“How about this?” I held both her shoulders. “I’m signing up for classes.”

That got a smile out of her. “Really?”

“Yes.” I practically giggled, she was so proud of me. “You inspired me. You’ve never given up no matter how much was on your plate. I realized that everything I hate about myself is what I like about you.” I don't think that came out right.

“Hey.” She cupped my chin. “There’s plenty of you to like too.”

“I know.” I started taking off my shirt. “I’m going to be this year’s champion.”

“Oh wow.” Andie giddily ran her hands along my torso once I revealed it to her. I wouldn’t say I was ripped, but I wasn’t skinny either. I trained regularly, and threw bags of mulch around all day. Which is to say that I wasn’t ashamed of my body. “This for instance.” She said happily. “There’s a lot to love here.”

“Will you paint the targets on me?”

She squeed. “I’ve always wanted to do this!” I led her towards the stage where people were starting to gather for this year’s Painting of The Braves. The stage was lined with cans of watery paint for the braves to adorn themselves with. “What’s your lucky color going to be?”

I thought about the ticket in my pocket, I’d won that through luck. “I have a good feeling about the blue.”

“Excellent choice.” Andie dipped two fingers in the dye, and swished them about. She then used her blue fingers to paint a circle around my face, my heart and the space between my shoulder blades. She then squiggled something along the small of my back. The circles were targets for my opponents. If they put their handprint on all three targets they won. The squiggle, I’m not sure what that was.

As she painted me the tournament organizers began to welcome the crowd and pronounce the rules for the tournament. I thought of the people from the ghost train. While I was suiting up for a fake battle, they’d be assaulting the plantation. Ian and Hart would, what? Die? Be captured? I didn’t know what the rules of their war was. All I knew is that I wanted them gone, and of the two groups only one seemed to be putting down roots.

I pushed it out of my mind. I had to focus. Vance and Victoria were both on Hayden’s side of the stage. I was supposed to be over there, we were going to split the prize money and get surf boards. Now Hayden wouldn’t even look at me.

Stop.

Focus.

There were sixteen competitors in total. These were all high school seniors and college students. I beat my first two opponents with ease. I don’t want to brag, but Andie had said I was one of the better fighters on the island. In last years’ competition I came in third. Well Cyrus and I tied for third. Hayden had made it all the way to the finals, but lost to a champ who’d aged out of the competition.

That’s why the rivalry was so hot this year. This was our year. The year where we had fully developed adult muscles we could use to defeat gangly teenagers.

Defeat them we did, Cyrus, Hayden, and I all climbed to the semi finals. There were just four competitors left, us and an unnamed nobody who’s chances I didn’t like. If either Hayden or I got to fight that nobody it meant one of us would get to fight Cyrus, and then we’d face each other in the finals.

So of course, when the lotto was drawn, Hayden was my opponent.