"Where Fools Walk Freely: chapter five" by Meg J Milano

That evening at dinner, Win reluctantly spoke to Max again. Sitting across from someone made it particularly difficult to ignore them, when they struck up a conversation.

They discussed the benefits of being able to count, and to be able to read. Naturally, Max had been the son of a wealthy merchant who sent him to school, and that was where he learned

"Does your father know you"ve enlisted in the Zayn games?" Win asked him.

"No." Max replied, "I ran away." He looked uneasy, like something was confusing him. He shifted back and forth on his seat, and bit his lip.

"You ran away!" Win was shocked,"Why? Its seems as if you had a good life ahead of you"

"I did, it just seemed too good you know? And things with my father were bad. Very bad. So I ran away, and then I ran out of money."

Win was curious, why, would a wealthy merchants son run away, and then join an organization that provided fatal obstacle courses as employment?

When he asked Max this question, the man just said"So?"

"So? So, aren"t you worried about not making it?" Win asked.

"I think I can handle anything they throw at me" he replied, smirking. Max didn"t seem very interested in talking about his past, but, Win was becoming annoyed, and angry, fast.

" You don"t know what they"re going to "throw at you", Max."" he said exasperatedly. The newbies were always so confident. It"s what got them into trouble.

 "So you better wake up soon and realize that these games are deadly. And you are not going to survive just because you have a good attitude." Win was shouting now. His temper continued to rise when Max just laughed.

"You better think, when your in those games, or your gonna be sorry." Win"s voice shook with anger. Then he walked off to his cabin, and still fuming, dressed for bed. His anger had exhausted him, and he quickly fell asleep. He did not dream at all that night.

The next day Win did not speak to Max. He led his unit in duties, and went straight to bed after dinner. Unlike the last night, Win found he couldn't sleep. He waited until all the other challengers were dreaming, so he wouldn"t disturb anyone. As soon as he was sure no one else was up, he went on deck to look at the stars. Not long after, he felt some one standing next to him. It was Max.

"I thought about what you said, and you were right. Attitude wont win anything. But, I think it was wrong to assume that I was incapable of thinking." Max stated calmly.

"What! Of course you can think, You always need to think. Sadly, in your case, You just .. don"t" Win explained sadly."Not thinking is how you get killed."

"I don"t think so." came the response

Win could feel himself clenching fists"Okay, so tell me master of all knowledge," Sarcasm was Win"s best subject, "How is not thinking going to help you survive."

"Don"t you think that sometimes, instincts, are better resources?"

"You"re mad!, If you don"t want to be here then GO HOME. You have a fortune waiting for you."

Now it was Max"s turn to get angry. "You don"t know what I have waiting for me Okay? You don"t know anything about whats back there, so just SHUT UP."

With these last words he shoved Win, and his temper flared. He had been known to make stupid decisions when he was mad.

And Win did not like it that Max thought he could just push him around.

He was the face of the Zayn games, he was a god to the other challengers. How dare Max even touch him.

In retaliation Win punched him in the face. Got to love rash moves right? He thought. Win had just enough time to notice, proudly, that Max"s nose was bleeding. Then, the other man"s fist connected with his stomach.

"OOF!" Win was doubled over in pain. Max punched him again, in the jaw this time. The hit was so hard Win saw stars.

He kicked Max in the groin, and while the man was preoccupied, Win kicked his legs out from underneath him. Thud!Max fell to the ground with a thump, but manage to grab onto Win"s shirt and brought them both down. The two men were causing an unfathomable amount of noise, and woke up Borka.

Borka, upon seeing the fight ripped the two apart. Win was suffering from a cut above his eye, inflicted by a loose nail Max had found. He thought he also had a broken nose and at least one cracked rib. The pain was immense and Win found it hard to breath.

Win gave what he received through. Max was bleeding from his nose and lip, and right eye was beginning to swell. His wrist was twisted the wrong way around too.

Borka put the two down but stood between them. By now, the whole ship was awake, and waiting to see what he would do.

"THERE IS ABSOULUTLY NO FIGHTING ON THIS SHIP!" Borka screamed,"IF I EVER CATCH ANYONE FIGHTING AGAIN THEY GO OVERBOARD!" the first mate was mad with rage.

Win sneaked a peek at Max, he wanted to make sure that the other man was in as much pain as he was. He leaned backward a little in confusion. Max was shimmering. Sort of. A prickly sheen surrounded him, like an aura.

Win wasn"t sure what, but something was defiantly wrong with this guy. Before he could look again, Borka shouted "To your rooms, ALL OF YOU!", and Win had no choice but to obey.