The City of the Broken (Prince of the Broken) by Ceri Beynon

pulls up for Calix and just as I begin to wave him goodbye and start walking off, he doubles back and kisses me.
    “ Bye Seren” he says and departs. Yes, it shall certainly be difficult to act unhappy when I am intoxicated with glee from his kisses.
     

Chapter Six.
    BlackBall
     
     
    Calix arrives at the cafe we decided to meet at precisely on the second it becomes five ’o’ clock. He’s punctual to an eerie degree.
    “ No car?” I enquire.
    “ No. I thought it would be romantic to walk” he says and I smile at him enthralled.
    We walk from the caf é to the graveyard. One gate leading to the dead ,the other to the black city of the living dead. Calix opens the gate, the black key the only hint of the awaiting destination.
    There is a unique atmosphere here, its not excitement but even these gloomy citiz ens seem to have a whisper of expectation in their eyes. They all seem to  know some important secret and I cant help but wonder what it is. I look at Calix quizzically. He smiles, holding out his arm to usher me into the city. There are huge banners everywhere, silver with purple lettering.
    ‘ Tonight SuperBall-Eternal Blacks VS Purple Predators’
    This feels like a huge event, there are crowds of people, dressed in black as usual or all-purple.
    “What is all this Calix?”
    “ The SuperBall, the biggest sporting event in the city. It only comes around every eight years”.
    “ Eight? Wow that’s a long wait, what sport do they play?”
    “ Blackball, the signature sport of this city”.
    Everything looks cinematic, a blur of black, purple, and silver. There ’s a distant echo of a slow motioned chanting. The Blackball cheer of the Broken, a faded memory in the subconscious of a premiership football match. Its like a party’s taking place in a shadow world. Its still an old black and white film crackling from dust, but more vivid than before as if a little colour is fighting to break through.
    They march to the beat of a different instrument, one that I never knew existed. I can hear what a harpsichord and see stalls selling mini banners. The black fountain in the centre of the city is spouting its glorious water. The dark lullaby sounds its musical notes through the whole city. Its eerie yet wondrous, sang by the BlackBall fans, the closest to passion they could ever hope to touch.
    “ This is amazing Calix, why didn’t you tell me?” I enthuse.
    “ I wanted it to be a surprise”.  I can see he is dressed up in his regalia, all pomp and pageantry.
    “ Are you on duty tonight Calix? You look so…”I pause not quite knowing the correct word. “Regal, like a Prince” I continue.
    “ Why thank you Seren, I’m introducing the games .I’ve reserved a seat in the Royal Box for you”.
    A surge of joy turns to panic.
    “The royal box! Calix what about your father?”
    “ Actually Seren ,father doesn’t get involved with these sort of events. He knows they are good for the city, uniting everyone and bring a sense of patriotism but he’s dubious regarding the amount of excitement they bring on. He worries they might cheer everyone up too much, so he made me patron of this event and I’m always the official face of the games. It’s a great honour, my absolute favourite duty to perform. That’s why I invited you. I had to make sure you could be a part of it”.
    “ Oh Calix,  this is wonderful. Who else will be in the royal box?”
    “ Well there will be my Dads secretary…”
    “ What? She’ll only tell him that I’ve been here”
    “ Hmm, there is that. I know, why don’t your wear a disguise?”
    “ What kind of disguise?
    “ There are BlackBall cheerleaders back stage. You can dress up as one of them”.
    “ Will this work? Even with a costume she will know my face.” He stops for a moment, trying to think up another of his master plans.
    “ Well to be really convincing I guess you’d need some kind of wig. There’s a costume dress shop across the street. We’ll try