The first football game of the summer was today, and I was looking forward to it, since I’d finally get an opportunity to see Kallie play. She’d finally been made the team’s quarterback, like her coach had promised her last semester, and I knew she was going to be amazing out there on the field. It would be nice to go to a sports game and get our minds off everything for a while.
There were four football teams made up of inmates at the Institute, and they played against each other, with games every other week. They were composed of mixed genders, since supernaturals were typically equal in physical strength. In previous years, I’d heard the teams had sucked, but the lineup from the past two semesters had become decent enough that there were rumors teams from other supernatural schools might be bussed in to play against us in the fall. That was very exciting, seeing we didn’t get to talk to anyone outside the prison. It almost felt like we had the potential to become a real college, and shake off the dumpy reform school reputation that we so totally deserved.
Charlie pushed my chair through the crowd in the prison yard, while Oberi carried a little flag we’d made in his mouth, wagging his tail. At the entrance to the football field, Mission members were handing out pamphlets.
“Seek salvation from the God of The Mission! Don’t wait to make this world a better place!” a boy shouted through a megaphone. The girl beside him shoved a pamphlet into my hands without asking if I wanted one or not.
I scowled as I gazed at the pamphlet’s cover. It had an illustration of a group of people moving toward a great light, while a second group walked in the direction of what looked like a building that was on fire.
Whoever thisGod of The Missionwas, I didn’t like what he was trying to sell. I handed the pamphlet back to Charlie, who waited until we were away from The Mission members before he tossed it in the trash.
“This place is turning into some kind of religious private school,” Charlie said.
“More like an indoctrination center,” I replied. Mission members wereeverywherenow. You couldn’t walk to the cafeteria anymore without getting swarmed by a group of Mission kids, begging you to sign up.
I guess theyhaddone some good. The school was cleaner now, because Mission members volunteered to help clean it up, and there were more extracurricular activities after classes and Work-Study, so it kept inmates out of trouble and prevented them from getting into fights.
Problem was, you had to be a part of The Mission to participate, and it felt exclusionary. It was definitely clear that Mission members were the favorites around here.
The stands had been set up around the field so people could watch the game, but there wasn’t really a place for me to put my chair. We managed to find an empty spot on the side of the stands, and Charlie took the lowest seat next to me. People kept standing in front of me, so it was hard to see. If I couldn’t watch the game, Charlie wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, either, because I wouldn’t be able to describe it to him, and there weren’t any announcers at this crappy school.
“I’m sorry, can you please move?” I asked the people in front of us— though, what I thought was,Bitch, move your ugly ass. They turned around, and my stomach soured when I realized it was Brianna and Edwin.
“We like our spots,” Edwin said. “Why do we have to be inconvenienced just so you can see? It’s not like Wahkin’s gonna notice anything, anyhow.”
“Yeah, why is he even here?” Brianna asked. “He can’t watch the game, andyoucan’t play, so why do you have an interest in sports?”
I’d felt bad for Brianna after her cousin had died, but clearly, the loss hadn’t done much to change her perspective on life, since she was still terrible to everyone she met.
“We’re allowed to be here just as much as you!” I shouted.
“You two get enough perks for being cripples. We should get some benefits, since you’re living it up in theConjugal Visit Wing,” Brianna quipped.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Charlie snapped.
“You guys don’t even love each other. You just got married so you could get a bigger dorm than the rest of us,” Edwin sneered.
“It’s honestly not that much bigger,” I argued. “It has two rooms, but it’s hardly enough to move around in.”
“Maybe in that clumsy chair,” Brianna said.
Edwin gave a nasty laugh. “You two are the running jokes of the prison, the blind guy and his legless wife. Talk about a charity case. What, is your dog gonna start limping around next?”
Oberi gave a pathetic whine, and began limping toward Edwin. When he got close enough, Oberi lunged to bite. Edwin let out a shriek as he cringed away from Oberi’s teeth.
Charlie stood up. “Look, my eyes don’t work, but my fists sure do, and if you don’t shut up, you’re going to get one to the face.”
Brianna scoffed, but Edwin lost a bit of color. “Let’s go,” he grumbled under his breath, then grabbed her by the arm to drag her off.
“People here are such dicks,” Charlie growled as he plopped down next to me.
“Don’t mind them,” I said. “Here comes Alistair.”
Pig meowed as she led the way, ahead of her warlock. I shouted his name, and Alistair turned, reaching out for a seat so he could sit beside Charlie.
“Wow, it’s so loud. Everybody’s out here today,” Alistair said. “The crowd could’ve moved a little faster, you know, so I didn’t have to whack my cane against their ankles.”
I giggled. “How are you, Alistair?”
