Skookum: The class story is finished. Students are anticipating its publication date with excitement. For a sample, see below. The remainder of the story will be published on June 18, 2019.
New Beginnings
Ethan’s family told him not to come here, but he went anyway. “The desert is no place for a son of mine,” his parents complained. But they wanted him to stay as far away from Water Bear Desert as possible.
Desert City is located on the eastern edge of Brufftopia. Roads once cut through the desert and connected Desert City to other oasis cities. Six years ago, a horrendous monsoon season brought tremendous rainfall to the region. The only city to survive was Desert City. Some say the city survived because it was on the coast. Others say it survived because the walls of the city were built with tardigrades.
Regardless of how the city survived, it was the only place in Brufftopia that someone could become a hero. Ethan was attracted to the city like a moth to a candle flame. Desert City was the city of his dreams. To mark the beginning of the monsoon season, Brufftopians from across the desert and eastern region make annual pilgrimages to Desert City to take place in the Grand Auction.
The Grand Auction has the most incredible selection of goods on the island. Building supplies, water pumps, even pet lions can be purchased if you are fortunate enough to have enough money.
So many people began taking part in the auction that governors began holding multiple auctions. This way people could still afford to get what they needed. Within a few years, people complained the first auction had all the best items.
The governors created the game Skookum. The game would reveal skookum traits from its players. Players would show how brave, strong, and impressive they are. Winners of the match were awarded preferences to take part in the Grand Auction. Each year, the governors changed the sandpit where the game was played but they always kept to the original rules. The winners of the contest were also given a home to live in, a statue carved out of stone and it would be placed around Desert City and throughout every major city in Brufftopia.
Walking through the city, Ethan passed shops and vendors selling their items before the contest. Flags and pennants were everywhere. People passing by wore colors of their favorite skookum clubs.
Ethan dreamed of having his face carved into stone. “I think I should smile when they carve my portrait. Maybe I should hold my didgeridoo, that would be cool,” he mused to himself. Before you could say, “Oh Doctor,” people were pushing Ethan aside to clear room for a parade of cheering fans. A group of forty people stormed by chanting,
“We don’t care what you’re sellin,
We are the mighty Udellans,
We’ll crush all of your melons,
We are the mighty Udellans.
Jump and swing about,
You’ll be left with a pout,
Get ready for the rout
We are the mighty Udellans.”
Ethan looked at the crowd of cheering fans skeptically. This wasn’t what he always thought becoming a Skookum player would be like.