NEW HEROES
IN TOWN
When a tremendous noise like crashing thunder echoed through the long corridors of the Maximum Security Prison, I shot out of bed. It was the first of the fifteen-cannon-ball salute that signaled the grand opening of the CSC. Immediately afterwards, firecrackers began to
explode all over the City to the toll of church bells of all denominations.
Thank God, I woke up in a better frame of mind than I had gone to sleep. My heart and soul had been cleansed and crazy thoughts swept far away. This must have been the result of my mother’s prayers for protection. She was with me the entire night, running her soft, aging hands through my hair and murmuring comforting words as she taught me a gentle supplication
— “Lord, hear my humble plea. Purify my heart and help me live thy will.” I know it was just a dream, but it seemed incredibly real.
Through the prison bars, I gazed into the sky at the smoke firecrackers’ smoky trail from the festivities. I could only imagine how the City would be celebrating the inauguration of the stadium.
I knew that it would follow the sequence planned by the organizing committee. First would be the cannon salute followed by the fireworks and church bells. After the Orchestra played the City Anthem, would come the parades — students carrying streamers and young athletes with their banners. Allegorical floats would show the story of the CSC with flag bearers waving the City’s arching fish on wind-rippled hues of aqua. Without a doubt, it would be beautiful. Champion, supervising the tiniest of details, would not have it any other way. By this time of day, the City’s marching band must have already reached the bridge where they’d stop to perform. Everyone knew the parade’s itinerary because it had been published in the calendar of events. After crossing the bridge, the parade would cross the public square, circle the CSC, and finally stop at the stadium’s monumental entranceway.
That what had been planned.
And that’s just what happened.
Representing the executive power of the municipal government, Mayor made an official speech. After he finished his discourse, which of course must have been very moving, Padre gave the City’s Sports Center his blessing.
Shortly afterwards, at the stadium, the authorities faced a moment of indecision. No one had specified who would cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the CSC.
Mayor, quickly made a decision and called Champion to join the authorities. He was certainly a fair choice. Champion, however, choosing to stay out of the limelight, thanked Mayor for his considerate invitation, declaring that he preferred for someone of authority to fulfill this duty.
“Why not the Judge?” he suggested.
The crowd showed its approval of the idea by a long round of applause, which made judge turn completely red in confused embarrassment.
To the sound of even stronger applause, with unconcealed nervousness, judge cut the ribbons. The CSC was now officially open, thus beginning a new era of sports in the City.
Champion, in his easygoing, charming manner, had a plan up his sleeve.
By honoring judge, he had hoped to earn my liberty in exchange, so that our team could be complete for the inaugural match. Yet, he knew that the initiative had to come from Judge himself since the magistrate would not tolerate interference in judicial matters. “Perhaps,” Champion thought, “a subtle plan would work.”
With this in mind, Champion had added a surprise attraction to the events calendar. Secretly, he had arranged for caged birds to be set free in what he hoped would be the climax of the opening ceremony. He himself holding up one of the cages approached the judge and called out.
“Set them free, your honor! Free all of the prisoners.”
As the judge opened the cage, others did the same and suddenly the sky was a flight of colors. Birds soared in all directions, quickly content like sparking matches. They seemed inebriated by freedom. Much to Champion’s pleasure, the judge seemed enchanted by the spectacle, and this filled the old athlete’s heart with hope. He took a step forward and hinted again.
“How beautiful liberty is! Your honor, free everyone! Make sure that every single prisoner is free!”
“They already are free,” the judge answered, closing the subject.
The truth was that the judge didn’t care about soccer, and didn’t even know that his only prisoner was on the CC team.
Since this plan didn’t work out, Champion started to worry. If I didn’t play, at best our team would tie. In spite of the other team’s advantage of an extra player, we could count on our goalie, “the wall”. A tie wouldn’t help us at all though. Good sportsmanship would demand that in a tie, the trophy would go to the visiting team, and just to imagine the Loner’s beautiful crystal trophy in the hands of our rivals made Champion seethe. His mind was a jumble of tortured thoughts.
Meanwhile, at the Olympic track and field events, athletes were warming up for competitions. In all there would be seven events: four races and three jumps. Winners would get beautiful acrylic medals in shades of blue, shades of the City Lake.
Right in the first race — a 400-meter obstacle course, a runner enchanted his audience, and people wildly cheered to see him running, jumping obstacles and pulling far ahead of his nearest competitor. Unknown before the race, soon everyone was talking about Silvio.
In his second race — an 800 - meter dash, along with first place,
Silvio won the hearts of the crowd. From that point on, each new medal brought heartier approval from his fans. The high jump was his last competition and with the speed of the wind and lightness of a feather, he entered City sports history, breaking the record previously set by Champion in his youth.
The outburst of applause in the stadium was deafening while everyone celebrated the new record. Fans spontaneously began cheering in unison: Silvio, Silvio, Silvio.
On the left side of the stadium, a gigantic human panel broke into movement. Holding brightly colored signs above their heads, they formed the design of an athlete high jumping a rainbow in the sky.
When the roar of the crowd died down, a committee representative invited the pretty, young woman the group had selected to present all of the 7 medals to the winner, Silvio.
Champion was touched as he took in all of the details. His voice trembled
as he approached the new hero.
“I’m happy that you were able to break my records,” he said, shaking the hand of his successor.
The crowd went wild again praising both the past and the present, and their respective athletes.
At that very moment in the Olympic pools, swimming competitions were being held. Teto surprised everyone by his performance.
Unlike Silvio, who was a brand new face for the public, everyone knew Teto. No one had forgotten that late afternoon when he swam as fast as a fish and ended up discovering the Waterfall. Coincidentally, that was also on a day of celebration — the inauguration of the river, bridge and town square. What the public couldn’t imagine was Teto’s competence in a pool, and that’s why everyone was amazed to see him win prize after prize, taking first place in all events. During the final event, the freestyle, he won by half the length of the pool.
The card section displayed their animated mosaics to the roar of the fans.
Their multicolored cards showed figures of athletes in different events while CC’s prettiest flag bearer hung medallion after medallion on our hero’s neck.
Champion was radiant with the way the inauguration day was going.
He was satisfied with the outcomes so far and hopeful for the rest of the events. Many promising CSC athletes had been revealed during the competitions. Yet, in spite of his good mood, thoughts kept spinning through his mind. He hoped that sooner or later, a solution would emerge from the midst of his confusion.
His first plan hadn’t come close to working, since Judge wasn’t tuned in to the importance of the game, and so, now he’d have to try plan B.
A strange chill went down his spine. It was hard to describe the sensation.
He was nervous, and yet, confident that things would work out. CC would win the game. Distracted by his intuition, Champion hadn’t even noticed that lunch time had come and gone. He glanced at his watch. The match would start at 4:00 in the afternoon. He had just alittle bit over an hour. He’d have to work fast while there was still time.
“God help me,” he said softly and left in a hurry. No one knew where he was headed.
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