Day #6: All in the Family by Elizabeth Averay
Staring out the window from my seat on the family jet I am a mix of both excitement and nerves as the private island that has been in the family for generations comes into view. This is my first time to the island. It has no name, simply known as the Family Island. That’s it. And it’s my first time here because anyone under eighteen is forbidden from even knowing its general location.
Waiting for our turn to get the all clear to land, we circle the little runway with the other planes holding family members from across the world.
Last week Mum and Dad sat me down and told me a little about a family tradition that’s been going on for over one thousand years, and which starts a week before Christmas.
The tradition is this: the family games. Held every year ending midnight Christmas Eve. The oldest member of the family picks thirty potential victims for the games. Those agreed to be exempt from the games still come for the choosing day as they are tasked with helping the thirty chosen to enter the games. There are only two rules: all participants must be eighteen years old at least, and you only win the game if you leave the island alive by midnight on the twenty-fourth of December.
This is all my parents would tell me, stating that the rest will be explained when we arrive at the island.
Finally we start our descent to the runway and land with no problems. The planes remain on the tarmac long enough to refuel then leave again to make room for the next circling jet.
I did notice a strange thing as we flew over the island – exactly half of it is covered in snow and ice. With no gradual change at all it goes from white and frosty to lush green forest and clearings of smooth grass.
We are led over to what looks like a maintenance shed but which is really an elevator that takes us down to the greeting hall, where we all wait ’til everyone has arrived. We line up around the room against the walls and wait to find out who will be in the games.
The Matriarch, my great-grandmother, is led in with a blindfold over her eyes so she cannot see who she is choosing. She makes her way around the room, tapping each selection. Half the room has been traversed and nineteen people selected. Ten more steps and she is in front of me. Her hand reaches out and I am tapped. Like the others I am led out to a side room to wait for the last ten to be picked out.
All thirty of us are assembled in the sick room. Great grandma enters, takes her seat, and begins. ‘You are the thirty chosen for this year’s games. This will be your last night before we start the first trial at dawn. My brother will now divide you into groups so you can all talk amongst yourselves as the first trial requires you all to be in one of two teams. Best of luck to all of you and I hope to see you on Christmas Day. If you manage to survive.’
With that she looked us all in the eye in turn then left the room. Milling around, talking quietly, great uncle Jake goes around telling everyone that they are a one or a two. When he has finished he says that the ‘ones’ go to the left of the room and the ‘twos’ to the right.
At dawn we are taken to the surface and led to a large ice rink. Great uncle Jake is there. Clearing his throat he begins: ‘Your teams were chosen last night. On the far side of the rink you will find changing rooms. You will be playing ice hockey. Pick amongst yourselves who will be playing in which position. Then go and change and gear up.’
I was chosen to be the goal keeper. Heading out we all take to the ice and do a double take: the hockey sticks are large candy canes. The goal nets are half igloos and the referees are giant snowmen.
The two captains stands in the centre of the rink with a snowman who is holding a large chocolate chip cookie. The captains take position and the snowman drops the cookie to the ground. The cookie is the pick!
The snowman glides away and rings a bell.
The game is on.
Ten minutes into the game, the number twos – my side – score a goal. We all cheer but stop suddenly when another snowman comes onto the ice, grabs a number one team member and glides away rapidly with a player. We never see her again.
The match lasts forty minutes with losses on both sides. Team one lost three players to the snowmen and team two lost two to them.
Somewhat subdued after the match we are given enough time to change back into our clothes from before we were herded to the next task.
Coming to a snow-covered field we spy twenty five enormous reindeer with the biggest antlers you have ever seen!
Again great uncle Jake is there. ‘Now is the time to forget teams. You are each on your own from now on. This task is to win the trust of a reindeer so much so it will carry you to the next event. But be warned – these are not ordinary deer, each having its own temperament. Best of luck.’ With that he leaves and we enter the field. Immediately three deer take exception to our invasion of their home and charge straight at myself and one of my cousins who is of similar age to me.
Two of the deer swerve away at the last second, leaving myself and my cousin trembling and clinging to the fence, but the third one lowered its heard and gored my cousin. Snowmen popped up out of the ground and removed the deer and my dead cousin.
Looking around, our numbers have dropped drastically – there are now only ten of us.
Taking a deep breath and groaning with resignation I move forward, knowing that to stay glued to the fence means to fail. Eyeing up the deer are left I make my way slowly to one that looks to be quiet. Getting within ten feet of the deer I stop and talk to it. I don’t know why I talked to it but I did, saying how lovely he/she looks and I have no desire to cause him/her any harm. I just finished saying how healthy and velvety its antlers are when it gets up and comes toward me.
Frozen with terror, the memory fresh in my mind of the deer goring my cousin, I watched warily. But this one moves slowly over to me then sits down and rubs its head against me. Then it jerks his head as if to say hop on. So I do, praying that nothing bad will happen.
Thankfully, all that occurs is the little deer stands up and starts walking to the gate.
After a few hours it is pitch black and the trees seem horribly close. ‘Excuse me, Mr – or Miss – Reindeer, if you want to have a break and sleep you are welcome to.’ I feel stupid talking to the deer but I think he understands. I also decided to think of him as a he.
After a few more minutes we came to a small clearing with a partly frozen stream; the deer stops and looks at me, so I slide off his back and my legs promptly buckle. I land with a thud. The deer goes to the stream and drinks deeply. Since my legs don’t want to work I curl up and go to sleep.
I am wakened by a soft furry nose rubbing my cheek. It’s the deer.’ ‘It is time to go?’ The deer nods so I climb onto his back and we start off again.
Two more days of travel and we are in the green fields and I see great uncle Jake.
H smiles at me. ‘My sister will be pleased to know you have gotten this far. Now dismount. We must not wait for the others to come.’
I slid of the deer’s back. ‘Thank you, Mr Reindeer – you’ve been wonderful.’ The deer bows his head then rubs his nose against my cheek, then starts to graze. Great uncle Jake looks surprised but shrugs it off. Turns to me and says, ‘Rest up as much as you can. We wait for two days then the final trial begins.’
Morning of the final game there are only four of us left out of the original thirty. Third of the three is the cousin that was almost impailed by a reindeer. All the deer except the one that brought me here left as soon as my family climbed off them. But my reindeer remains, and when great uncle Jake comes over stands with me I absently start stroking the creature’s great back for comfort.
‘Well. You four are all that is left, and will very soon be on your final journey before going home – of your survive. Now, your task is to make it back to the elevator for the underground hall. You must be at the elevator before midnight on the twenty fourth. That is two nights from now. If you are not there in time you are left all alone on this island to fend for yourself. What you have with you right now is all you can have to help you. Good luck.’ With that he gets in his little golf cart and drives away.
Looking at each other we realise we are meant to be moving, and scatter.
Mr Reindeer kneels down and motions me to get on his back. He runs faster than ever. We overtake Auntie Kelly just as a massive gingerbread man lunges at her, tripping her up.
Mr Reindeer keeps running. With me on his back we have to take the long way around. I tell him he should leave me to it as it could be deadly for him to assist, but he won’t leave so we remain a team, flying over the ground, out-running other reindeer, polar bears and penguins with crossbows.
That night we took turns keeping watch, and at dawn we ran again, passing my third cousin who was being hounded by Christmas beetles.
Mr Reindeer leaps over a small river, avoiding the quicksand under the water. Safely on the other side we slow down. I want to get off to give Mr Reindeer a break from my weight, but he won’t stop. He seems on edge, head swivelling from side to side. The trees part and give way to nothing but green fields and there, in the middle of the first field, is the cousin that survived the reindeer charge – but she is on the ground. Not moving.
We get close, still moving slowly, when we hear her shout: ‘Watch out, there are hares that jump up and fire an odd powder at you that paralyses you. I got hit just after dawn and I still can’t move anything.’
Mr Reindeer walks up to my cousin Faye and sits down on all fours. I climb off and with great effort get Faye on his back, then he gives me The Look (get on my back now, dammit). So I climb on and he runs faster than ever. Straight over the field using his antlers to knock the hares away from us. Rounding a small hill he comes to a sudden stop. Right before us is the elevator shed.
‘You are absolutely amazing, Mr Reindeer! I can never thank you enough.’ I lean down and kiss him between the antlers, then I slide off his back and ease Faye down as well. Then we wait for midnight.
On the stroke of the hour great uncle Jake opens the elevator doors and jumps in surprise to see myself, Faye, and Mr Reindeer all there staring at him.
Clearing his throat Jake says, ‘Congratulations! You have won the family games and are exempt from taking part in future ones.’
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