Stop Being Human

Chapter 6

When Friday hits, everyone is ecstatic about the competition. They decorated all the halls to represent each of the contestants. It's all anyone and everyone were talking about throughout the day. I guess I just don't know what it all is... not yet, at least.

Melody couldn't stop talking about it, either. She has been both excited and nervous for Axel. To be honest, she seems more nervous than Axel himself.

"You ready?" Melody asks me when she returns from the dorm's bathroom.

"I've been ready for an hour now." I tell her with irritation on my tongue.

"Oh boohoo. Come on, we're going to be late." Melody holds the door open for me. I shake my head at her and stand from my bed. The only reason we are late is because Melody wanted to look good for the party that's supposed to happen after. A party held by the school, to be exact.

Melody wears a burgundy button up top that has a tie at the bottom with some dark blue jeans. Her style is nothing compared to mine. I'm literally in some leggings and a light gray tank top.

"Why don't you try to look nice sometimes?" Melody throws her shade at me. That's all she ever says to me, which is why most of the time she's picking out my outfits for school.

"I thought we didn't want attention." I say back. Less attention, less suspicion. Besides, If I'm going to be sitting around for a few hours watching some magical kids fight, I'd rather be comfortable than cute.

"Yes, but you could still have some fun." Melody guides me down our dorm steps. I'm not exactly sure where we're going, so I'm just following her lead.

"You realize you're contradicting yourself, right?" I point out, but she only smiles. "Where exactly is this competition being held?"

"The basement." Melody casually says as she floats down the stairs. I pursue her, my tail dragging over each step.

"There's a basement here?" That seems like a college murder scene waiting to happen, if you ask me. She nods her head in the direction she begins to walk once her feet hit the floor. I watch her wings slowly extend down.

We make our way to the back corner of the building. Behind a small glass down are some swirling stairs, which I assume lead to the basement. Melody easily flies down the center while I have to quickly make my way down them. I wonder if her wings ever get tired of flying so much?

Finally, at the bottom of these nauseating stairs are two double steel doors. Melody pushes the doors open, and what is inside is not what I was expecting at all. We are at the very top of an arena. Seats upon seats layer down until reaching the bottom where a fighting ring sits in the center of the room. Some of the seats are already filled with other monsters, anxiously waiting for the first fight. "Come on." Melody waves me to follow and we go down more steps. I'm sick of steps already.

We decide on some seats towards the front and in the middle. When Melody looks down at her phone's clock she leans over. "Are you ready for the best competition ever?"

"Sure?" It comes out more of a question because I'm not sure what I'm supposed to expect. College students fighting for a competition? This would pretty much be illegal at home.

The lights flicker and spot lights fly over the crowds. "Are we ready for our twentieth annual Willows Forest Fantasy Games!" an announcer yells through the speakers. We all clap and yell. "First up is... Liana! A bolt!" A yellow spot light scans the arena and stops at the left side by an entrance.

A tall, normal looking woman walks out into the arena. She is wearing a long-sleeved bodysuit with matching black shorts. Her hood is up, covering her hair. Liana pulls the bow out from behind her back and everyone cheers louder. With her other hand she holds it out palm up and an arrow appears. I watch curiously and in amazement. She loads her bow and shots at the ceiling. The arrow flies but just as I thought it'd hit the ceiling it pops into a firework.