“Hey...you really think you can pass this?” asked a Pagori who was now walking alongside me. He’d said it as though he believed I was mentally challenged. Apparently he found my presence here just as ridiculous as Jared did, which was a shame really because he was actually good looking and I didn’t want to think of him as a wanker. His mousey hair had been shaven to stubble, and the style suited him really well, giving him quite an intense look. His blue eyes were shining in amusement as they appraised my slender figure, which didn’t even have a muscle to pull.
“Don’t tell me you feel threatened by a woman.”
“Hey I believe in equality and all that, but there’s no way you’ll pass this.”
“Enough talking,” snapped Jared, stopping where the trees began. A group of vampires – all male, typical! – were waiting there. Going by their militant posture and the respectful bow of the head that they each gave to Jared, I guessed that they were members of the legion.
Jared informed us, “Your aim in this task is to reach the end of the forest in the fastest time that you can. Three things you need to know. One: you can’t step on the floor. You can use the trees, logs, rocks...but not even once can you step foot on the ground. Two: you are not permitted to use your own unique gifts; this is all about your strength, speed, and agility. Yes, before you ask, I do have people watching. The third thing you need to know is that you will have someone chasing you the entire time. If they catch you ? task over.”
Anxious with anticipation, I watched as each vampire took their turn at the task. Each had a ten second head start before a member of the legion was on their tail. Most seemed to be completing the task within forty seconds, providing they weren’t first caught. Of course, from outside the forest I couldn’t see a thing. It wasn’t until they returned through the forest that Jared would be told of the applicant’s success, or lack thereof.
Standing there waiting for my own turn was agonising. I couldn’t even plan a strategy as I had no view of what the forest was like inside. Worse still, the members of the legion that were stood here were all Pagoris. There was no way to outrun a Pagori unless you were one yourself. Sure Sventés were stronger and faster than the fittest human, but it didn’t compare to Pagori strength and speed.
However, there was one thing that could go in my favour: Pagoris lacked agility. Sventé vampires, on the other hand, had the dexterity and sprightliness of a jungle cat. If these legion members weren’t used to working alongside Sventés, they might not be prepared for it. So if I tapped into that and also made good use of my head start, there was a chance – I didn’t like how slim that chance was – of succeeding.
Was it any wonder that I was left till last to do the task? Or that Jared paired me up with the stockiest legion member of the lot to chase after me?
Jared gave me the fakest, most patronising ‘good luck’ that I’d ever heard, so I gave him the fakest, most patronising ‘thank you’ that he had ever heard.
It felt like forever before Jared finally said ‘Go!’
I sprung forward with as much force as I could, grabbing hold of the nearest branch for only a fleeting moment before then swinging to the next one ahead of me. Never letting myself forget that soon I would be pursued, I zoomed through the forest with such grace and litheness, like a feather in the wind.
Plenty of logs and boulders scattered the ground, but for now I was relying only on tree branches. Bouncing from branches to boulders and back again would be nice and creative, but would slow my speed. That was the last thing I needed. Before long I could hear my pursuer...and there was no sign yet of the end of the forest.
I put more force behind my swings, but the Pagori behind me was fast and I knew that I couldn’t stay out of his reach for much longer.
“I is a comin’,” he called out in a fake, and somewhat odd, accent. Clearly he considered himself playful and believed this was a game that he was going to win.
Ah, crap! He may just win it. Up ahead there was a wide river. Plenty of rocks stuck out of it, and although I could easily dash across them that would slow me down. I almost felt dispirited until I saw what was beyond the river: the end of the forest. As I noticed the fallen tree in front of the river, an idea entered my head.
“Don’t hurt yourself now,” the Pagori was shouting in a patronising voice. Arsewipe.
As I reached the river, I landed nimbly on the fallen tree and pushed hard on my legs as I leaped into the air...almost there...almost there. Down. Ha. I’d cleared the river.
“Fuck me!” exclaimed the Pagori in surprise.
I’d rather not. Swinging from branches again, I could hear the Pagori stomping across the rocks. Apparently he couldn’t match my leap.
One more swing. Yes! I celebrated in my head as my feet met the ground outside of the forest. Three seconds later, the blond Pagori was beside me. He shook his head at me, his smile filled with surprise and his eyes glowing with respect.
“What’s your name?” The Australian had dropped his playful accent now.
“Sam.”
“Well, Sam, I think I’ve just fallen in love.” His state of disbelief now had him chuckling. “Come on.”
We ran back through the forest at vampire speed, finding Jared waiting at the mouth of it. He seemed amused. Until the Pagori spoke.