Born For The Alpha

Arda, Karina and Jacob strolled towards an event center on the day of the birthmark show.

It was in the late evening and the event center was a bungalow of a building with a spacious parking space that currently contained very few vehicles.

A stone fence went around the building and the entrance gate was locked with a huge padlock.

The signpost just outside the event center displayed a marquee that proudly announced, Marvelous Event Center.

Arda and her friends joined the crowd to stand outside the gate.

It was not a large crowd and a flamboyantly dressed woman in her forties holding a megaphone, came to stand beside a man around her age just inside the gate.

The man had no hair on his head and it was shiny. It seemed to be the only bright thing about him. He was dressed in a black suit and wore black shoes, his face grim.

“We regret to tell you that we have cancelled the event.” The woman announced, shocking them all.

“But why?” demanded a few people from the crowd.

“We figured out too late that lots of people might come to this competition and try to deceive us with tattoos and we cannot handle that stress.”

There were groans from the people and a few people among the crowd started leaving, some swearing and cursing as they left, others, silent.

“Should we go as well?” Karina asked Arda who shook her head.

“Somehow, I knew what her answer will be.” Jacob commented.

“We’re already here. I need to hear all they have to say.” Arda told them.

“Okay.” Karina agreed.

“Whatever you say.” Jacob said halfheartedly but Arda ignored him. Surprisingly, so did Karina.

“Anyway,” the woman went on, “we have a website setup for this purpose. Just get there, fill the form and upload your mark. This is now an online competition. Also, fill in your bank account and our team will inspect your mark. The winners will be announced on the site and paid what is due them.”

The woman looked expectantly at the man beside her and he cleared his throat before opening his mouth to address them.

“The website is www.birthmark.com and I repeat, www.birthmark.com, everybody got that?”

Nobody responded and he cleared his throat again but remained silent.

“That’s it. Just shut up. We heard you.” A gothic looking girl shouted from the crowd, which had some of the people laughing.

“Well, that is good to know.” The man responded coolly, unfazed by the insult. “Submissions will go on for seven days, starting by tomorrow. We look forward to receiving your submissions.” He turned to the woman. “What do you say to them?”

“May the best marks win a price.” She said with a smile and the crowd cheered.

stood between Karina and Jacob, taking their hands in hers. The woman and her counterpart turned away from the crowd and started making their way towards the building. As

you both don’t have to worry about me exposing my mark. The

and Karina exchanged

think?” he asked her telepathically and Karina

She responded

observing their exchange. “Why do I feel like you guys are not really on my side?” she said teasingly and they both smiled

silly.” Jacob responded.

a

inside the pockets of her

was real and not a tattoo. That would explain her

was mounting her bike, seemingly oblivious

head and caught sight of her

Arda.” Tracy said. “It’s starting to

say that. Did you come for

came to

“Likewise.”

“I see. Okay.”

it won’t be

Tracy agreed. She watched Karina and Jacob come to stand beside Arda. The two waved

of the participants.” Arda

guess you could say that I’m one of those people out to

so short-lived that no one could join her. “I guess I’ll see you

did it

the glasses on her face even though it did not seem to

see you around.” Arda

Tracy responded, kicked off her bike and hit the

her attention to her friends standing

she going to compete?” Karina asked. “What kind of mark

doing a good job of hiding her mark. It would be unfair for her

know he was expecting

she began, about to tell them of the mark she had earlier seen on Tracy but she changed her

Tracy’s seeming lack of real interest in the show. She hadn’t been there just to watch the

in her night dress, her eyes glued to the page of a history book. Her phone rang with a

“Hello, Luke.” She said.

“Hey.”

down on the bed.

wedding after their date and they had not been able to see the doctor about his headache as

been able to see since

Your sister’s wedding

“Thanks.”

“So what’s up?”