The Leyon's

Theirs a bridge just outside my small town of Malburg, it’s not too far from my house which is on the border between Malburg and our sister town of Shannoning. I walk to the bridge every morning it’s a crystal clear bridge that looks transparent blue due to the reflection from the water, with long bars that hold it together and crystal cupids positioned all around it. It’s my favorite place in all of Malburg, some people like the city square it’s always filled with noise and the overpowering aroma of funnel cakes and fried dough there’s always a street performer juggling or dancing ,but not me I prefer the bridge hands down. It smells of ocean and wisdom, it’s a quiet place filled with thoughts and serenity I’m usually not the only person there some come to read and others like to look into the water and think of passed or passing loved ones. In the midst of my thoughts Ani runs on the bridge while trying to catch her breathe she blurted out “Where have you been” and once she caught her breath she extended her sentence “Where have you been your mother and I have been looking for you all day” I answered with an astounding “I’ve been here, Like every other day after the farmer’s market getting enough for a sandwich I walked here” she grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction she had just ran from. I trailed behind her letting her lead me to my impending screaming and irrationally tight hug and when we got there that’s exactly what happened my mother yelled “Where have you been Ani and I have been worried sick you can’t just run off like that ,and not tell anyone where you’re going” and then she hugged me squeezing me with that monster strength that probably came from all those years she worked at the lumber yard cutting wood “I just love you babe I had to make sure you’re okay you know I love you right” and I replied with I love you too ma I’m fine I was just at the bridge” after our brief moment of clarity and several kisses she told me why she had been searching for me all day. “Today’s the Festival of Roses” it’s the one festival that Malburg and Shannoning share we all get together on the main road that connects the two towns and we watched the floats go by carrying the royals and knights from both sides. This year would be better claimed half of Malburg because both towns Leyon division would be there the Leyon’s are a special tasks force granted special weaponry and training to insure the survival of Malburg and Shannoning in case any major war or attack was to take place. After The Great War a century ago against the Leyon’s from Veldecrof a town 3 days away, who got a hold of some chemical engineering allowing them to clot the blood flow in the important arteries of the body. It took 900 casualties and an overfull of emergency blood transfusions and surgeries to return our town to its now semi euphoric state. Our Leyon’s were picked from the best blood lines and all the volunteers our labs could take, embedding their bodies with steroids that would enhance the bodies abilities and in some cases provide them with mutated abilities that would not only last in their bodies but be passed on to following generations allowing them to continue the Leyon division for future issues to come. As a child grows there are signs of Leyon capability and parents can decide whether to train their children to become a Leyon recruit but not all do some children with Leyon capabilities refuse to join the Leyon division and with the possible need for Leyon’s the division has turned to non Leyon capable kids allowing them a super charged weapon, or a strain of the blood transfusion that started the whole Leyon process. Someday I’m going to be one of them just like my dad he’s a non Leyon capable, as they went by I could see him in his sleeveless white uniform. He blew a kiss to mom and yelled “hey kiddo” like he always does, he was wearing his electrified brass knuckles they even had blades that came out the side they were pretty cool around him was a woman with a whip that had thorns sprouting out of it and A huge man with two axes and a pair of lizards on his back. Once the Adults passed, The started squadron followed with huge smiles and waving arms it started with Bruce Conway who had realized his Leyon capability in on our gym classes when our teacher told him to climb the rope and he jumped up to the top and through the gym ceiling, the Goldie locks three girls with golden Rapunzel hair who took the Leyon strain and their hair grew and started to eat stuff and after them Ink a boy who writes things into reality. After our floats, came Shannonings Leyon’s they wore dark red and weren’t as friendly but their weapons were just as cool, There was a lady who had turned blue from the blood transfusion she blew fire as she went by following her was a big guy with two even bigger dogs he sarcastically smiled at us and we waved over excitedly as their starter division went by. I didn’t expect to know them especially being that they lived in Shannoining but I also didn’t expect them to look so polished. The look of innocence and enthusiasm was drained from them much the same as their adult Leyon counterparts even as we waved they snuffed their noises especially a furry kid who stood on all fours and a girl who sat on top of a bear she nudged the boy next to us who caused the ground to shake and laughed as we jumped back. After the last floats went by including the royals though no one paid them much mind all they really did was rob us with taxes and remind us we weren’t as well off, we walked over to the city square and shannonings natives walked to their square and we had a big party and all of Malburg attended. Performers performed extra special routines and the funnel cake and fried dough had extra sugar dad even danced and he never dances, mom showed him how it was done and all the parents joined in. I met up with a few of my friends from school. Seral was showing off his dubstep to the parents he’s really good, and Cali had his back she was an amazing ballet dancer they’ve been dancing together since they’re parents got married and opened Malburg’s Finest it’s a dance studio downtown, Henry was licking the powdered sugar off his fingers he had four fried dough’s and a powered donuts each his parents owned the bakery, Carson watched all the women going by and Archie sat next to him watching all the men though neither would admit it. Eyra my newly official girlfriend was walking toward me our eyes met and she kissed me , it caught us both by surprise but we just kept going up in till our mothers walked over and pulled us apart and laughed at us then went back to dancing we would’ve went back to kissing but Ani came over with her friends. Edward who rushed to introduce himself I told him Archie would be way more excited to meet him when he walked over we watched hoping they would hit it off but we looked away pretty quick pretending we weren’t prying though we’d just find out later. Next was Kira she was short and kind pretty with a tooth smile I could fill the ew grill that Eyra was giving her. Her father was Malburg’s dentist which many found funny, Lonnie Jr was a big guy he played football at our school Ani had a huge crush on him many a nights she had told me he was the son and soon to be co-owner of Lonnie’s Pub the “Alcoholic Hot Spot” Is what mama calls it she hates drinking, dad use to drink way back when he was even called the Town Drunk in till ma moved in way back in 92 she says he shaped up and begged my granddad for his daughters hand and my granddad said “If you can get entrance to the Leyon division then you can marry my daughter” and look at them today dads the commander of his squadron and mom works at the lumber yard they married and had me Aalen Lexar Avalon but everyone just calls me Lex.