Trackstar Antelope

Trackstar Antelope Volume 42

Chapter 394: Morning Before

This time, in 24 hours.

I'll be heading off to bed, preparing for the biggest, most important day of my entire life.

This is it. The day I never even dreamt of reaching. Only 12 students in my age group have gotten this far, out of possibly hundreds of athletes in the entire state.

I've overcome great challenges and hurdles, some of which haven't been faced by any herbivores or athletes before, but I did it... I got here, alive and in one piece.

The Werrina State Championships. It's here.

"Our training session isn't until 4PM tomorrow, so you should take it easy until then" Sam tells me. "Coach Harris said that he'll be around, so it'll just be us three"

"You guys are lucky" Nalu says as he gets into bed. "Peri and I have our training session earlier in the morning. So, we're gonna be sitting around doing nothing all afternoon"

"Nalu, we're probably gonna be sore and tired after our training tomorrow. You have it good" Sam tells me. Sam flicks off the light, and we all head off to bed, ready for the final day.

~~~

"The time has come, Jamel..."

I swear, once I get back to Whigata, I should probably think about looking into therapy or a psychiatrist, because I have no idea what on earth this voice wants from me

"The Owl is close... he shall reveal soon."

At least this voice is being less vague that what it was last week. Maybe I'll see this owl at training tomorrow, or even the race on Wednesday...

"Everything will fall into place" the voice says, trailing off.

What the hell is this guy's problem?

~~~

I wake up the next morning, and see that Sam's still in bed, thankfully not kicking around in his sleep. I've been thinking about what he's told me last night. Growing up, from a teenage into an adult is scary, and I don't mean because carnivores get even bigger and stronger

There's so much that the world expects out of us, and it still feels like we're children. Very soon, we'll have our own responsibilities and challenges to face. Even Peri has it tough, and he's only two years older than me.

He's somehow juggling all his schoolwork, revision for his final exams, looking into what universities to attend AND State Finals. It all just seems like as soon as we grow up, the world just throws itself at us, and there's never a break.

I have to cherish the last couple of years of my youth. I turn 16 in a few weeks' time, and there's already things to think about for that; my driver's license, being more organised, independence from my parents, and even more...

Life's just moving too fast at the moment. I wish there was a way to slow things down and just take in the moment.

I move out into the hotel living room, ready to turn on the TV, when Sam moves out behind me. Most felines I know aren't exactly at their best during the morning, especially this tiger, but there's something about him this morning... he seems like he's glowing with positive energy.

"I'm really excited about today, Jamel. And as soon as Coach Harris gets back, we can talk more about your race tomorrow" Sam says from across the room

"I am too, but I just wanna take it easy for now. It's about six or seven hours until we head out, and I'm still feeling empty after that GICA machine yesterday..." I say to him