Tulips

Jon and Gilly stood staring out at the field of Tulips. It wasn’t a large field, maybe a hundred feet wide and three hundred feet long. The pastel sherbet of their swaying heads was misleading, hypnotic. If you stared too long you could swear you heard words whispering from their petals urging you forward to come and lay down among them.

Jon looked over at his partner, left eyebrow raised, cocking his head. “How you gonna do it?”
Gilly shrugged. “I don’t know, man,” he said. “Run like hell I guess. He ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “Im pretty fast. I think I can make it.”

Jon nodded absently. “Yea, maybe. You are the fastest in class. You might just make it.”

Gilly bent down and tied his running shoes. They were the best money could buy-lightweight, flexible, great tread. He was going to run the fastest he ever ran in these. He looked up at Jon. “Tell me again. Why we are gonna try this?”

Jon grinned. “Girls, fame and glory. But mostly girls,” he said, his voice faraway. “And we cant forget about the money, either.”

Gilly wasn’t ladies man like Jon was. He was shy around girls, found them fascinating yet curious, complicated creatures. Jon seemed to have a new girl each week. He knew what made them tic, how to make them blush and giggle. And they never got mad at him. Gilly wished he had that same ability.

The Moderator walked up to them, reached into her pocket and pulled out the watch. Opening the cover, she glanced at the time and snapped it shut. “Ok, boys. Its time.” She looked at both them and narrowed her eyes. “Who’s going first?”

The boys knew this question was coming and had been dreading it, neither wanting to go first or last. Jon looked at Gilly. “Rock, paper, scissors?”

“Sure. Why not? Its as fair as anything else”

The boys turned and faced each other, taking the classic game stance. They shook hands.

The Moderator looked at each of them. “Ready?”

Both boys nodded.

“Ok. On the count of three, you play the game. Loser goes first.” The Moderator looked at each of them and wondered on their chances of surviving. “You got that?”

The boys nodded again, speaking at the same time. “Yes, Maam.”

“One. Two. Three.”

Jon and Gilly pounded their fists in the air three times and laid out their choice. Jon played rock, Gilly played paper.

“Jon, you go first.” The Moderator said.

Jon nodded, his cocky smile no longer there. He knew the consequences if he didn’t make it but he also knew the reward. There had been only a handful of people who made it across but their lives had been changed forever. Jon knew that this was the only way. Graduation was in two weeks and if he didn’t do this he would be a nobody forever, stuck behind a desk. He couldn’t live with that.

The Moderator explained the rule. “There is only one rule. Make it across and you win. Its that simple.” She looked at Jon. “You ready?”

Jon nodded, eyes narrowed, intense. “

Then step up to the starting line. When you hear the shot, you start.”

The Moderator pulled Gilly to the side, giving Jon plenty of room on the starting line.
She looked down at him. “Aren’t you the Williams boy?”

Gilly nodded. “Yes, maam.”

The Moderator smiled. “You know my daughter, Terry, don’t you?”

Gilly felt himself blush. “Yes. She is in my class.” He said.

“She likes you, you know.”

Gilly felt his face redden even deeper.

The Moderators voice tightened. “Jon broke her heart last year, you know. She cried for months.” She looked away and pulled out the watch, opening it. “Ok, Jon. On your mark. Ready? Set.” The Moderator snapped her watch shut as the shot rang out.

Gilly watched as Jon rocketed off the platform and ran into the gently swaying Tulips, cutting a swath through the fragile flowers easily. He had gotten about hundred feet when he started to slow, the Tulips no longer swaying but darting into him, striking snake like and quick. Even from here Gilly could see the blood starting to well along his arms and legs, painting them a bright red. Jon stumbled, recovered quickly and made it a few more feet before he tripped, fell head long into the biting flowers. His screams were sharp, drawn out wails of pain and disbelief and then he was silent.

Gilly could feel his tears run down his face. He wished he could turn back and forget all this but the contract he signed was very clear. Skip out and your family was killed. It was that simple. Big risk for a bigger reward.

The Moderator cleared her throat. “Im sorry about your friend, Gilly. But are you ready?”

Gilly swallowed, nodded once and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He was going to die.

The moderator bent down with a handkerchief to wipe his eyes and whispered “You know how to make it through the Tulips?” She asked

Gilly shook his head.

“You only live if you tiptoe.”