It Rained Red Upon the Arena by Kenneth Champion Page A

Once he was inside there was a long hall ahead, and to the right a station of water presumably for showering. Nick was stripped naked of his white cloth given to him at the holding cell, in favor for a green cloth in the same manner. All the inmates wore the same green cloths.
    His information was taken down, and the masters guided him to his cell. It was the first cell on the right. The hall stretched long and was filled with numerous cells. There was commotion as other inmates could see Nick, the newest of the arena to arrive at his cell.
    “Dead, dead, dead...” Nick heard from a cell down the hall.
    “He looks tasty, doesn’t he?” a distant voice said, which came from a woman.
    “Shut up! All of you! Lights out, no talking. Only sleeping!” said Master Jerry. He pulled out his sword and struck a metal pole on Nick’s cell to quite the inmates.
    The cell gate shut behind Nick. His cell was smaller than his last. A small circular and rocky room, no mattress this time. He had a cloth blanket and a pillow. Nick had not slept in over a day and had not eaten much at all.
    Everything that happened to Nick happened ever so suddenly. There had been no time for Nick to mourn for his father. So he sat down in his cell, and he wept. He cried for hours. Other inmates have surely heard a new inmate break down and cry the first night they were at the arena, but those that cried were out of fear. Nick did not feel fear for the arena, he wept for his father. If only he could have reacted faster, he could have saved him. If only he did not stab the man so many times, he would be free right now, searching for the ones who wanted his father dead.
    Nick also wondered of his best friend Thomas, and the wonderful Penny. He worried about what they would think of him. Word would spread around Vincot of what Nick had done. The dream of joining the Refect together with Thomas was gone, but at that moment Nick just wanted someone close to his heart to talk to. He was alone; he felt completely alone in the world.
    As he sat in his cell grieving, crying, and thinking of could have, should haves, he awakened his spirit. His fight was in two days’ time. If he wanted to live and fight with strength he needed sleep. He had to sleep and focus on the present, not dwell on the past. He laid down on the cold rocky surface and closed his eyes.

Chapter Six
    Nick’s eyes opened as a new day began. His first day in the arena prison. A click and clack of metal was heard down the hallway. Nick put his face up against the cell bars to see what was going on. Numerous Refect were going down the line of cells and opening each one. As each cell opened the inmate would step forward and stand at the front. The Refect started from the back of the hall and worked their way down to the front. A very tall Refect came to unlock Nick’s cell.
    “Ah, a new face I see. Welcome to the glorious arena,” said the Refect. “You’re young, but I see fight in you. Let me explain what happens every day. The inmates wake up, we go to the kitchen, the inmates eat. After you eat you have two hours of combat practice in the dungeon training area. After that it is back to the cell. Depending on whether or not the game commissioner scheduled fights for that day or not, then it would be arena time. If you are chosen you fight; if not chosen you stay in your cell until it is time for dinner. You go to the kitchen, eat, and then go back to your cell for sleep. Welcome to your new life.”
    “Thank you, Master,” replied Nick. The master turned away and joined the other masters at the back of the hall. Nick felt as though he had to get used to calling the Refect master. It felt as if he was a slave and they owned him.
    “Single file, let’s go!” shouted one master at the other end of the cell hall.
    The inmates walked in a sharp determined line, Nick could only imagine what it took to discipline the worst criminals alive. Nick began to walk and caught the first glimpse of