Page 56 of Monster's Baby

I reached a light post and looped around it, trying to decide what to do next.

The timer in my ear started to beep slowly, indicating I had one minute left.

Something spectacular.

I wasn’t sure I had “spectacular” in me.

But I had to try.

I cast a color-trail spell on myself, hoping it worked.It wasn’t exactly a practical spell, so I hadn’t had the chance to use it before.

If it worked, it would leave a trail of color behind me as I moved, kinda like a rainbow attached to my back.

“Oh dear,” I muttered, nervous to draw so much attention.

The timer was counting down.I had to do this.It was now or never.

I streaked down the wall of the audience.

Gasps met my ears.I hoped that was for me.

I crouched lower on my board, speeding faster.If I was lucky, I could splash the sand behind me.That would look pretty cool.

My stomach did not enjoy the speed, but it was kinda exhilarating.Loose strands of hair that had fallen out of my French braid were whipped around my face by the wind.

The last few rows of the audience were coming up.I zipped past them, changing angle and direction to dart along the center of the stadium.

I had been right; the sand was splashing up behind me like a solid wake, mixing with my rainbow tail and shimmering in the light.

The beeping in my ear got a little louder.I only had ten seconds left!

Closing my eyes to avoid the sand, I did two backward cartwheels and came to a standstill just as the beeping stopped.

My turn was over.

I waited a moment to let the sand settle before opening my eyes, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do now.

Attendants were waving me to the side of the stadium, so I slowly rode my surfboard over to them, keeping an eye open for any other competitors who might stray across my path.Almost everyone was still in the air.

I wondered where the judges were, and how they could possibly keep track of everyone.

“Please return to the tent,” the attendant said when I reached them.“Keep to the side.Your object will be evaluated there and added to your score.”

“Thank you.”

I didn’t want to walk in the sand, so I stayed on my board and floated back to the tent.The power from the ley lines quickly replenished the slight amount of magic I had used in the event, making me feel almost giddy.

When I got back to the tent, I stripped the extra spells off me, almost falling over once my feet were back on solid ground.

I handed my surfboard over to the judge, who examined it physically and magically.He made a notation on his clipboard before handing the board back to me and walking away without a word.

“I guess I’m done then?”I said to nobody in particular.

A muffled snort came from behind me.

I whipped around to see my grandfather.

“You made it!”I exclaimed, dropping the surfboard at my feet and throwing my arms around his neck.

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