The contest of catastrophes

After four days we finally found the right diving spot. “Are you sure this is safe?” I ask Calvin as I slip into the diving gear. Calvin’s caramel eyes dance with laughter at my question.

“Barring any catastrophes while you’re under the water; I promise this is the safest gear you are going to find in time to retrieve the locket,” he replies.

Not the answer that I want, but he’s right. It took two precious days to find this gear, and I need this locket. My thoughts wander to a week ago.

“You were each carefully selected. You are the strongest, most resilient young women left in the world. You each deserve a good future for yourselves and your families. To earn the right to live in my castle, you will have to face my challenges. Whoever succeeds will become my heir,” the Red Queen said, dressed in her scarlet ball gown. Her golden crown and necklace, set with rubies, refract like stained glass. “Find my heart shaped locket and return within two weeks. If you don’t succeed your families will be killed. Each of you has been assigned a Red Knight to help you complete these challenges. You will meet them momentarily. If you succeed in becoming my heir, you will marry your knight. You each will receive a unique clue, guard yours carefully.”

“Sadie,” Calvin says, gently shaking my shoulders, “are you okay?” I can see regret in his eyes as soon as he utters his stupid question. How could I be okay? Instead of replying I step into the frigid water. The clue led here; the locket must be here. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I dive.

The world goes quiet, it’s the most peace I’ve had in a long time. Only the tips of the ruined skyscrapers could be seen from the water’s surface. Now I could see flipped cars and destroyed houses. Before the flood I had visited this bustling city with my family. I look around, searching for the Red Queen’s old home. The clue had been vague. If I had been alone, I would never have made it this far.

I opened the letter given by the Queen to the contestants, the Red Maidens. I read my clue as I wait for my Red Knight. When I see who I have been assigned I smile. It’s Calvin, two and a half hands taller than me with his messy hair adding another couple of inches. Back before the catastrophes he had been my best friend. But why would the Red Queen choose him as a Red Knight? The current heir is Calvin’s older sister, Elise. Is she testing Elise too? Trying to find the strongest heir? Pushing aside my concern about the Queen’s motives, I wave.

“Hi Sadie,” he smiles, “I’m glad I was assigned to you.”

“Me too!” I replied, I hand him the letter “Here’s our clue.” He takes it and reads it quickly.

A heart is what you seek,

and therefore, you must meet,

my greatest friend and confidant

that I left in the deep.

“I know what this means. Elise told me that the Red Queen’s husband died in a flood,” Calvin said.

Elise...Concern bubbles up in my chest when Calvin mentions his sister. What will happen to my relationship with Calvin if I must hurt Elise to satisfy the Queen? I force down my concern as Calvin continues, “I know the general area where her house was. It won’t take long to get there, but it might take a little bit to find the right area.”

I don’t have time to get lost in thought. If there is an earthquake while I am under the water, I could be crushed by the ruins. I look around on the ridge, searching for a house with the Red Kingdom’s insignia, a red heart with a crown. I spot it on the roof of a two-story brick building. There is an open window on the second story. I swim through into the mostly dark room. Light comes through the window and illuminates a door. I try it, but it’s locked. The Red Queen must want me to find the locket in this room.

I turn to explore the rest of the room. I wish I had an underwater flashlight to help me see, but they’re harder to find than diving gear. I feel my way over to the double bed situated in the middle of the room. If the demented queen used her husband’s body for this contest, maybe he’s in the bed. I rip off the red comforter but there is nothing underneath.

As I continue to search the room my gaze lifts to the ceiling. Floating in the top right corner is a body dressed in royal garb. The King? Glittering around his neck is the golden heart shaped locket. A feeling of dread and disgust rises in my chest. I guessed that I would find a body but seeing it in front of me now… I don’t want to get closer.

“Sadie,” my mom whispers, “promise me you’ll keep your sisters as safe as possible and that you’ll stick together.” My two younger sisters are huddled together facing away from the horrible scene. Mother’s body is crushed under a cypress tree, fallen moments ago during the latest earthquake. Father is crushed next to her.

We hadn’t noticed the decayed tree as we fled for cover during the earthquake. It toppled as the ground shook. Now its roots reach towards the sky like skeletal hands rising from the grave, my parents underneath.

Tears streak down my muddy face, both from the exhaustion of fleeing the catastrophes and the shock of my parents death. I alone could care for my younger sisters.

I nodded to acknowledge my promise, not able to form words. My mother is already stiff. The ground began to tremble again with an aftershock; I was worried that the earthquake would cause sinkholes in the swampy ground. My sisters and I depart quickly. There was no time for last rites. Our parents' bodies would rot with no other grave marker than the fallen tree.

The floating body reminds me of what my parents’ bodies must look like now, slimy and partially decayed. I force myself to get closer, unclasping the necklace. Funny how if the king hadn’t died, I would probably already be dead. The Queen needs a strong heir. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t entertain the idea of keeping so many people alive.

With the locket in hand, I surface near the bank where I started my dive. I climb up and take off the diving gear hurriedly, ecstatic at my success.

“Calvin,” I call, “I found the locket!” Silence. Frantically I look around, he should be here. “Calvin?” I call again. I walk over to the tree stump where I last saw him. Embedded in the stump is a red handled knife, part of the Red Guards uniform. The blade, made to look constantly bloody, glints ominously in the fading sunlight. Below the knife is a note.

Return to the Red Castle. Your last task is to fight and kill the current heir to the Red Kingdom. Do so and you will be rewarded, fail and more blood will be spilt.

Anger clouds my vision. Now the Red Guard held captive both my sisters and Calvin. I am sick of these twisted games. Sick of the wars, catastrophes, and death. But now the only way to change any of that is to kill my best friend’s sister? How low does the Red Queen intend to stoop?

I am no longer tired from the dive. Seething with anger I start the trek back to the castle. I am constantly alert for Red Guards or other Red Maidens, either would kill me to obtain the locket.

How many Red Maidens are left? The Red Guards job is to try and kill the contestants. I had Calvin to help me fight the Red Guards we encountered on our way to the ruins. Now on the return journey I am alone. Those who are left would have the advantage in a fight.

I keep walking through the night. The lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me, but I must keep going, fueled by my rage.

I reach the shimmering Red Castle by mid-day. Red Guards block the entrance to the castle but let me pass into the courtyard when I show them the locket. As I reach the center of the courtyard, I feel dizzy with exhaustion and hunger. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me. If I am forced to fight Elise right now, I will lose.

I hear the ringing of metal as a sword is loosed from a scabbard. I turn. Elise is behind me. She is a hand’s length taller than me. Her hair is the same color as Calvin’s, brown with streaks of gold. She is wearing a red gown, the ceremonial garb for the current heir of the crown. Her eyes are red, and her face is puffy from crying.

“Calvin is gone because of you!” she spits, furry and sadness coat her words like acid.

Gone? What does she mean gone? He couldn’t be dead? Before I can respond she lunges at me, her sword slashing my arm. My reaction time is too slow. Warm blood soaks into my shirt. Time crawls as I see her blade rush towards my chest.