He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “You in good enough shape for this?”
I shrugged. “I can run like the winded.”
He laughed. “Hmm. Well, I've been out for a solid six months now,” he sounded like he was bragging, and I tried not to begrudge him for it. “So this should be a cakewalk for me. Tell ya what, why don't we have each other's backs, for old times sake?”
I scoffed. “You mean like when I covered for you with that stunt you pulled in the mess hall and ended up locked in solitary?”
“That was legitimate business.” Henrik crossed his arms over his chest. “But I still figure it’s my turn to do you a solid since you did get me out of a few tight spots.”
“Well, you don't have to. But thanks.”
“Listen up!” one of the organizers shouted, clapping to get more attention. Henrik and I both turned to face her.
She had two swirling Skinscript symbols inked on her right arm, but no others I could see. All of the organizers here had Skinscript. Were they all Voyagers?
For the first time I noticed the figure who stood off to the side partially obscured behind the first organizer. Well, well, if it wasn't the handsome hideout intruder from last night. The one I wanted never to see again. My hand drifted involuntarily to hover over the spot on my chest where the Skinscript was hidden beneath my top. Was he also a Mistrun official? He hadn't noticed me, but almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind, his eyes slid over to land on mine.
He took a step toward me. I took a step back. He stopped, sending me the same knowing look from last night. A flare of heat shot to my face as I remembered the challenge he'd accepted for himself yesterday.
“Who's that?” Henrik asked.
“Just some jerk,” I told him.
I scowled, tamping down the impulse to send a rude hand gesture his way. Pissing off someone who could end up judging my performance in today's race was a bad idea.
The first organizer cupped her hands in front of her face and continued shouting so everyone could hear. “Today's Mistrun is an obstacle course.” My stomach churned. I was fast, but I wasn't particularly observant. If they'd strung up trap wires and other obstacles, I'd be eating a lot of sand and dirt. “On top of that, this race will be around the entire inner perimeter of Mesmoria, meaning that your finish line is right here,” she tapped the starting line. “It should take you at least six hours, end to end.”
Nausea rose within me. Endurance running was also something I hadn't had any time to train for, and six hours might as well be eternity. I couldn't ever remember running for that long in my entire life.
“There are officials wearing this,” she continued, holding up her wrist to show a large coconut fiber bracelet with small bone charms hanging off it, “At regular intervals around the island. They will be recording details of everyone who passes them to ensure every participant makes a full lap around the island. No shortcuts! If you need assistance, ask one of them. This is a no-limits Mistrun, meaning use your judgment when encountering obstacles and other racers.”
This was a parade of unfortunate news at this point. This race would get ugly, with ample sabotage and bloodshed. Both viable strategies to ensure you kept a spot in the top one hundred. My potential future trapped behind the hulking bars of the Reformatory flashed like a spectre. I’d bleed, or bleed others, to stay out.
At least I had one friend in this race with me. Henrik would be able to slow down some of the competitors, if nothing else.
“We start in fifteen minutes!” she lowered her hands. My mind was already racing.
“I'll catch you at the finish line,” Henrik said.
I rushed over to the nearest stall selling water. There were scant few coins on my personage, but I spent them all on water, chugging three shell's full before pacing myself on a fourth and fifth. We would be running for long enough that thirst would be its own obstacle, and I wasn't about to let it take me out of the competition.
I steadied my breathing, leaning into a few final stretches as I made my way back to the starting line. There were only a fewminutes left, and I needed to be as focused and calm as I could be before then.
This was just another day, another challenge. I'd faced worse in the Reformatory. I could do this. I would do this.
“We are starting the Mistrun! Please get into position! We start on 'Go!'” called another official. She was wearing both a coconut fiber bracelet, anklet and necklace. I hoped some of the others had gone to the same lengths to make themselves more visible.
I lifted myself up into a ready position, stepping up beside a few of the other competitors, as far away as I could get from the burly one who had given me the ugly glare earlier. My best chance at qualifying today would be to avoid him and anyone else unsavory. Henrik had taken up his own position nearby, but not too close.
“Three!”
I inhaled deep and held the breath. Everything in me felt tight like a spool of twine wound too tight.
“Two!”
There was a rhythmic pounding in my ears. My heart was hammering.
“One!”
