Just as Marcus's words remained heavy in the air, a sudden, deafening blast of sound echoed through the courtyard.
We were startled, and we both turned to see the horn-bearing man atop the platform, he held his breath and with all his light screamed, "Let the games begin!"
All of a sudden, the man pressed the horn to his lips and blew with all his might.
The resulting sound drowned out all other noise, leaving Marcus and me momentarily stunned, and I grabbed my ears in pain.
The echoes of the horn finally faded soon after, 'saved by the bell, or in this case, the horn!' I thought to myself. A wave of relief washed over me.
My heart was still pounding from the close call with Marcus, but for now, he couldn't care less, as everyone was focused on the commencement of the games.
I wondered what challenges lay ahead, and thought to myself whether I should've stayed close to Marcus, to increase my chances of survival.
