The Marathon

Welcome to the Spot Writers. The prompt for this cycle is to use these words in a writing: jeep, marathon, pizza, wealthy, bedroom.

This week’s contribution comes from Chiara De Giorgi. Chiara is an Italian author and currently lives in Berlin, Germany. She writes fiction, with a focus on children’s literature and science fiction.

 

The Marathon

(an Inn at the End of Dreams story)

by Chiara De Giorgi

 

Created with Canva

At the Boarding School at the End of Dreams, spring was the time for races and for the School Marathon, a much-awaited event for all students.

This year, among the participants was Rocco, a young Imperial Toad Prince. He was looking forward to competing and had been training with great enthusiasm throughout the winter. However, like all male Imperial Toads at puberty, Rocco had trouble controlling his transformation. (It was a variation of the classical frog-prince curse: all male Imperial Toads could transition to either form throughout their lives).

On the day of the race, he was tense, but his closest friends—Alex, a half-elf skilled in human technology, Mara, a fairy heiress, and Lisa, a descendant of Hermes who could run incredibly fast—were there to support him.

“Don’t worry, little frog!” said Mara with a smile. “My cousin Thomas is here, with his flying jeep. We will follow you from above and step in if needed. We can’t get too close to the race roads, or the judges will disqualify you.”

Thomas was a wealthy Fae and owned a gorgeous flying jeep, equipped with every comfort.

“Take this fitness bracelet and wear it,” Alex added. “I have installed an app on my phone connected to it, so we can monitor your heartbeats. We know that you are about to transform when your heart starts beating irregularly, so we can intervene.”

The others always had many questions about the technology Alex brought back from the human world every time he went to visit his maternal grandparents, but they had learned to trust him.

Lisa winked at Rocco. “We have everything under control, don’t worry! You just run.” Encouraged, Rocco accepted the bracelet and went to the starting blocks.

 ***

The race started under a clear, bright sky and Rocco set off running with focus and determination. His friends followed him from above, keeping a safe distance. Lisa, who had not entered the marathon because she was not interested in competing (she would certainly win anyway), was stretching her muscles, ready to do her part.

After a few miles, the app beeped.

“It’s happening!” called out Alex. “Rocco’s heartbeat is going crazy!”

Thomas wasted no time and lowered the jeep just enough to get Lisa down quickly. With her incredible speed, she reached Rocco in the blink of an eye. Wearing a disguise that made her look like him, she discreetly scooped up Rocco (who by now had completely changed into his frog form) and continued running in his place.

After a couple of miles, she heard Max’s voice through the earpiece she was wearing. “He’s about to turn back into a boy!”

With a swift movement, Lisa placed Rocco back on the ground. Within seconds, the frog was a human again and Lisa quickly ran back to the jeep.

Everything seemed to be going well and Rocco finished among the front runners, but their trick had not gone unnoticed… One of the judges, an old wizard with a razor-sharp eye, had spotted the unusual movement, so Rocco was disqualified and sent back to his bedroom.

“Ugh,” he said, disappointed. “Now I have to wait until next year to compete again…”

Mara tried to comfort him. “Well, look at the bright side. In a year’s time, you might have learned how to handle the transformation and you’ll run on your boy legs from start to finish!”

 ***

That evening, Thomas, who also wanted to do something to cheer Rocco up, showed up with a huge pizza, big enough to feed an army. He smuggled it to Mara, Alex, and Lisa, who sneaked into Rocco’s room to surprise him. Soon, there was a full-scale party; the kids were laughing and chatting and swapping slices of pizza. Unfortunately, the wizard judge who had imposed the punishment on Rocco went to knock on his door. Knock knock! Then, without waiting for an invitation to come in, he entered. The kids froze mid-laughter and looked at him apprehensively, not knowing what to expect.

“Are you going to expel us?” asked Lisa defiantly.

“You know, not only do I have very sharp eyesight,” said the old wizard, ignoring Lisa’s question. “But also an exceptional sense of smell. And this pizza smells delicious!”

“Well, why don’t you take a slice too?” asked Rocco politely.

“That’s exactly what I am going to do, young Imperial Toad Prince.”

In the stunned silence of the kids, he sat cross-legged on the carpet with them and took a slice of pizza with olives and spicy pepperoni.

“You know,” he said between bites, “I don’t believe in punishment. And by the way, if I have to tell the truth, I really enjoyed your little trick.”

He winked at Lisa.

“And now,” he continued, speaking to Rocco, “I should probably tell you something deep and wise, like You lost the race but found real friends, or something.”

“But you won’t?” said Rocco, perplexed, since the old wizard had stopped talking to focus on his slice of pizza.

“Don’t you already know that?”

The kids looked at one another, smiling tentatively. They were still a bit tense, they did not understand why the old wizard was talking like that. Was he going to expel them, after all?

The judge sensed their discomfort so gave one last bite to his pizza, then wiped his hands on his suit and stood up.

“Listen,” he said. “Maybe I’m a bit of an unconventional character, but I do believe friendship is more important than competition. So. Who wants ice cream? I know just the right place!”

And just then, he turned into a frog.

 

 

*****

The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com/

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/