I nodded softly, distracted by all the action going on.
Desmond lined up with another guy, both of them standing behind a white line painted on the ground. Their shirts were off, but they were both wearing shorts... thankfully. A gunshot rang out, startling me a little.
They jumped off their platforms and burst into monkeys. Their shorts fell to the ground, abandoned and forgotten, as they went to scale the wall in front of them. When they got to the top, they jumped and landed on their feet as fierce cheetahs.
They were in a mad sprint toward two trees. Desmond turned into an elephant and the other guy turned into a grizzly bear. Desmond knocked his tree over first and changed to a bird to fly in a predetermined pattern through the hoops.
The other guy followed him as soon as his tree fell. Desmond dropped to the ground as a fox before he ran through a tiny burrow in the ground. After a few seconds, he emerged from the other side. He dove into a pond, shifting into a fish before he slapped the water.
He jumped out from the other side, turning into a panther, and within a breath, he was crossing the finish line. The other guy was at least fifteen seconds behind him.
I noticed Ash watc
hing him with absolute tunnel vision. I hadn't even noticed my family before that moment.
She saw me looking at her and waved at me. I waved back and her eyes quickly cut back to Desmond. She would've probably liked the little show I got earlier from Desmond.
I shivered slightly as the embarrassing moment popped into my mind. My nose turned up.
Tallis and I watched for a while. There was one up there who was kind of sad. The guy kept changing into a kitten and a chicken.
"What's wrong with him?"
Tallis tried not to chuckle. "He's still new. He's trying to change into a big cat sometimes and a bird at other times. He needs a little more practice." The guy finally crossed the finish line. As he ran across, he accidentally changed back to human.
"Oh no. Another naked guy. Seriously?" I buried my head in Tallis's chest and he put his hand on the back of my head. I could feel his chest bobbing slightly as he laughed.
"Sorry, Aria," he said while still laughing. "I guess they're not so modest after all."
My stomach growled, and he looked down at me. "Let's go see if there's any soup left."
"I don't want you to miss the games. It can wait." I was somewhat embarrassed by my grumbling guts.
"It’s fine. I see this all the time. I'm hungry, too. We missed the food while we were in my room.” He took me by the hand and led me in.
We sat at the bar and ate soup and little mini sandwiches. Ash came in and saw us sitting there.
She smiled as she spoke to Tallis. "Can I grab a water?"
Tallis shot up and grabbed a bottle of water before tossing it to her.
"Thanks," she said while smiling.
Tallis smiled back. "No problem."
There was a small candle on the bar that suddenly lit up by itself just as Ash turned the lights off. I turned to glare at her but she winked at me.
Tallis just shook his head while smiling. "Blazers. They always have to show off."
I just laughed and enjoyed our makeshift candlelit dinner.
Chapter 10
Looking Over Your Shoulder
The same monsters are still there in the light, but they always strike more fear when they're hidden within the shadows of darkness.
I jumped straight up in the bed in a cold sweat. My heart was racing and my hands trembled in fear. I was breathing hard, like I was exhausted. I couldn't come to grasp with the reality that I was safe in my room.