January 23, 2028.

            Alright for the last few years I thought about recording down my story for Bomb Survival. Bomb Survival is a strategy all for one arena. I entered because my family was not restoring itself after all the past years of misery when our father passed. Our father was a soldier in WWIII. We tried talking him out of joining but he always said that it wasn’t his choice. We were a family living in Boulder, Colorado until our father had to relocate. We went to live in Windsor, Canada until we had to relocate AGAIN. We relocated 17 times across 3 Continents, 42 Countries, and over 105 cities. I always expected everyday my mom would go to my room and say “pack up your things, we are moving.” Well I was sick of it. The last time we relocated was when we went back to Boulder, Colorado. Everyone was surprised to see me at school again. I was gone 5 months and 25 days. I opened my notebook and my friend Peter quickly sat next to me. “Are you going to enter this Month’s Bomb Survival?” He asked. I slammed my notebook shut and stood up. I had that particular shock on my face that meant I forgot all about it. It happened to me a lot of times. I sat back down and opened my notebook again. “Note to self, remember Bomb Survival this Wednesday.” I whispered into my voice recorder. “Nicholas.” The teacher started. “It’s Percy” I Interrupted. She gazed at me like she was about to rip my soul out and eat it in front of me. I gulped. “Yes?” I said in a cracked voice. “Please listen now. This is no place for goofing around.” Mrs. Gold asked. I looked at the end of the room and saw Emily talking to her friends, Sara, Katie, and Lorraine. “Someday, she’s going to notice me.” I whispered. “Are you still gazing at your crush, Emily?” Peter asked. “No! Impossible!” I yelled. “Nicholas!”Mrs. Gold cried “Percy!” I interrupted again. “Stay focused.” Mrs. Gold pointed at the board about the Pythagorean Theorem. “Ask her to the dance this Friday.” Peter insisted.

           I shut my notebook as the bell rang. “I’ll think about it.” I said in disbelief. When I dashed to my locker, I saw Brett Griffins smugly walk up to Emily’s locker. He leaned against it and acted all cool. I just made jealousy faces. “So, you know. I was thinking that we should go to dance. I got a car and all. It’s a Ferrari.” He said. “What about Vanessa?” Emily asked. “We broke up.” Brett explained. “You mean she dumped you.” I Interrupted. He grabbed my collar, lifted me up about 3 Inches and slammed me against the wall. “It was mutual!” He yelled having his dog foamed saliva shoot onto my face. “I’m going to give you 3 seconds to.” He stopped. He had the biggest grin on his face that it was not human. “What’s this?” He yanked a book out of my hand. “Give it back!” I yelled. “Dear diary, I want Emily to notice me, I like her.” He mocked. “It’s not a diary, it’s a journal and it doesn’t say that!” I cried. “Give it back!” At this point he pressed his hand against my head and used me as a hand stool. “And what are you going to do about it? Face it. You’re a Bomb Survival loser who can’t get a date no matter how many times you try!” Brett insulted. He was right. I took my journal and ran to next period. I was about to cry until I remembered what my dad said. “Don’t cry. If you do, it shows you admit defeat.” And I was not about to admit defeat to that bully. I trotted my way to Physics class on time. “Now, kids. When you drink your cola halfway and lean it on the table. It leans by itself!” Mr. Philips explained. Peter and I finished our leaning cola and moved our hand around so it looked like we were using magic to lean. Everyone crammed at Brett’s desk. They were watching my Defeat of Bomb Survival. Ugh. “This is your part!” Peter whispered. A 40 year old man ran past me and I scratched my head wondering where he was going. Two heat seeking missile shot the ground below me and I fell into the lake with 65 health points. It turned out that the 40 year old man won the game. Everyone laughed at me for 2 periods until we got on the bus and went home.

               I grabbed my skateboard and used the coffin trick to go down the road hill. I slid my feet as brakes and arrived at my apartment. I pressed the buzzer. “Mom it’s me, I am back from school.” I said. She buzzed me in and I walked over to the door. I gave my mom a hug and kissed my little sister on the forehead. “Percy, before you go. I have some thrilling news.” Mom said. “I’m getting married. That means you are going to have a stepfather.” I dropped my skateboard and made the most shocked face. Everyone knows in those movies when a kid gets a stepfather or stepmother, it’s always an evil one. Percy Jackson, Cinderella, Snow White. Not like I watch dumb Disney Princess movies. “Don’t be alarmed. This one is nice. Come on in Tobias!” Mom said. A well dressed man with great posture walks in like he was a cast member in Down-ton Abby. “Percy.” My mom said while holding Tobias’s chest and back. “This is your new father.” Tobias walked over to me and shook my hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, young man.” He said in a British accent. I replied awkwardly “Nice to meet with you too.” I sprinted to my room and sat down in my chair. I had a piece of paper on my desk next to my laptop. I wrote a bunch of rules for me to win Bomb Survival. I taped it on my wall in front of me.

Rule #1: Don’t trust anyone that is in the arena with you at all.

Rule #2: Always be aware of your surroundings

Rule #3: Use Skills and Perks when necessary

Rule #4: Never! Ever! Touch a bomb!

               With this, I was guaranteed to win. I ran to the town hall to sign up the next morning. I woke up an hour early. I wrote my name in and looked at my right. It was Emily signing up for Bomb Survival. She looked at me and smiled “Hey Percy.” She said. She knew my name. I thought about asking her to the dance but then I thought to play it cool. “Hey Emily.” I said with my voice cracking with every word. I covered my mouth as she laughed. “Hey look! It’s Dork face!” Brett yelled. He walked over towards me and pushed me to his goons. They caught me and he punched my stomach. He laughed as I started to fall. I fell on the concrete pavement unconscious. All of a sudden I was sitting on a bench in the Gym with decorations and punch. People were dancing, having fun. I squished my way through the large crowd of people and walked into the middle of the Gym. I looked where the spotlight was pointing and I almost puked. I can’t write this down because it is too horrible. Then I was in the arena for Bomb Survival and saw a bunch of people running around. I looked up as a missile hit me. I woke up in bed but it wasn’t my bed. I had an Ice Bag on my forehead. “Oh good, you’re awake.” A mysterious figure said while approaching to me. She sat down and turned on the lamp. “You should have some stew. It’ll heal your stomach pain.” Emily said. “What stomach pain?” I asked. I clutched my stomach in pain and slurped on the stew. The stomach pain had gone away fast.  “What time is it?” I asked “12:30 PM Wednesday.” Emily answered. I got up, got my bag, and ran to the street. “Easy! My mom can drive us to the Arena.” Emily said. 2 minutes later I was in a car with Emily. We were bored out of our minds so Emily did some origami. She was great at it. I thought about bomb survival, but that meant competing against Emily, which was one of my fears.

               We arrived at the Transport bay. There were tubes that would take us to the Arena. We went down different tubes. We got our uniforms, our Skills and Perks, and we were ready. They stuck a health meter in my arm to tell how much health we have. “Are you ready?” A woman helper said. I nodded. I stepped in a tube with a plate at the bottom. It carried me up the tube into a forest. I see a bunch of other people running around the forest dodging bombs. 2 minutes past and no bombs hit the ground. An announcement was made. We all stood and listened. “Ladies and gentlemen” President McBride announced. “This year’s Bomb Survival is cancelled because a Lazy worker of mine selected this map. This was not made to be played in, therefore having you people know too much. Our soldiers will come in and execute you. Good day.” Everybody ran while the soldiers were shooting people. At least 14 people were killed by today. Peter and I ran to a cave. “What do we do?” I panicked. “I don’t know, but we are safe here.” Peter explained. A glowing figure behind us was lighting up. It was small and round. I didn’t know what it was but I did know it was suppose to be some kind of a grenade. Two people ran by the field near our cave and fell dead. 5 gunshots were heard. “We got to get out of here!” Peter cried. We must have been talking loud because then two soldiers jumped at us. We broke free and ran at least 5 feet in front of them. One brings out an RPG-7 and fires it. I activate the grenade as it hit the rocket. A mysterious voice in my head said “The ball is opened. He who opens the ball, forever seals the prophecy as the Keeper. Protect these people Percy. They are innocent.” I look at my hand as green light glows through my veins. I shook my hand and fell unconscious. I woke up in the middle of the Arena. “He’s awake!” Peter yelled. Another contestant with a blue knight helmet walked over to me. “Drink this.” He said. “Who, who are you?” I asked as I drank the mysterious drink “You’re lucky you survived, you could’ve died of Radiation.” He said. “I healed him.” I stand up. A pile of corpses surrounded us. “What happened to them?” I asked. “Shot dead. I wish I was there to help them.” He said. “I’m Brady.” “Where’s Emily?” I asked. They look at me in sadness. “I’m so sorry. I thought she was one of them.” Brady said. “You killed her!?” I cried. “Hah! I’m just joshing you. She’s with this Brett guy. They are over there.” Brady said. I sprinted over to where Brett and Emily were standing. “What are you doing in here, Brett?” I asked. “None of your business” He mumbled. “He’s just mad because one of the soldiers killed his friends.” Emily said. I check my hand again. Nothing was there. “Was it his ex girlfriend?” I asked. Madly, he grabbed me and threw me onto a tree. I rubbed my head and got up. “Hey! We are all a team here.” Brady yelled. A gunshot was fired and hit Brett’s arm. “OW! I’M HIT!” Brett yelled. My hands started to make green flames. I threw it at the soldier. He collapsed. “How did you do that?” Peter asked. “I have no idea.” I said. We ran for the edge of the arena. “Look, it’s a door!” Brady said. Out of nowhere a Soldier jumped out and shot Brady in the chest. Brett punched him. “Brady, get up!” I yelled “It’s too late for me. Go. Go and finish this for all of us.” Brady said while coughing. “I can’t leave you!” I said. “Please, stay alive!” Brady looked at all of us. He took off his helmet and gave it to me. “I won’t need this anymore, take it Percy.” Brady said. Those were his last words before he died. We all got up as I put on the helmet. “Guys, let’s do this.” I said.

           We all charged into the control center. “President McBride.” I said. “What a surprise.” “Well this has been fun.” President McBride said. “Good day now.” President McBride sprinted for the exit. We didn’t catch him in time. “If we are going to stop McBride, we are going to need some powers. Emily, grab my hand.” I said. “Okay.” Emily said. A stream of green fluid transported from my hand to Emily’s hand. “No you can turn invisible.” I said. Everyone else grabbed my hand as they got their powers too. President McBride walked to his car. Emily stood on the car while turning visible. “Where do you think you’re going?” Emily said. We all walked over to President McBride. Brett punched the ground as the concrete moved up and hit McBride. He got up and said “Fine! You want a battle? I will give you a battle.” He crouched down as a red ball surrounded him. We all took a step back as he evolved into a Guardian Sword Wielder. “Peter! Don’t let him use the sword!” I demanded. With his super speed, Peter ran to his face and started hitting his eyes. I used my stretchy body and tripped him. He got up and swung his sword. Luckily Brett grabbed it and threw it back. “Look it’s a core! That’s where the energy is made!” I said. “We need to destroy it!” I turned into a catapult and Peter stretched me back. Emily got on and Peter let go. She hit the core and it blew up. We arose from debris of the Guardian Sword Wielder. President McBride got up as well. The police arrived and arrested him. “No! You cannot do this to me!” He cried. “I’ll be back! Mark my words! I WILL BE BAAAACKK!!!” The citizens came over to us and applauded. I walked over to Emily and I said “Do you want to go to the dance with me?” She responded “Sure.” I woke up in my bed. Everyone was staring at me. “What’s going on?” I asked. My mom said “You were found unconscious at the town hall.” “So this was all a dream? I never asked Emily to the dance?” I asked “Dude, she’s going with Brett.” Peter replied. I got out of my bed, kneeled down, and said what only came to my mind. “THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!” “Nope, have it on tape right here.” Peter said. I watched the tape and cried the word “NOOOOO!” My mom drove me to Bomb Survival. I got second place which beat my other records. Guess who got 1^st place? Brett. And guess who cheered? Emily! And guess who were queen and king of the dance? You guess. I have another whole story about what happens next, but for now I’m going to have to write a big fat font saying.