Couch Derby

Esther Ko

           

The weeks of strategizing has finally ended. The troops circle around their prized chariot, and the four kingdoms prepare for war. With half the army having deserted their posts, the remaining soldiers now depend on one another to win a battle that will leave its mark in history.

First, the freshmen with their glorious Disney chariot.

Second, the sophomores with their dark and enigmatic Halloween chariot.

Third, the juniors and their chariot glittering just like its name — 2020 Bling Bling.

And last, but not least, the seniors with their… Christmas couch?

The most ancient of all kingdoms, the seniors thrust their way through the raging competition, pumping with 2-months-prior anticipation for the holiday; and, as if enchanted by some mysterious magic, they transform a once torn and tattered, old couch into a mesmerizing thing of beauty. The judges give their votes, and the first victory—of most aesthetic couch— falls into the hands of the seniors.

But the war is now beginning.

The four teams line up their embellished couch at the starting line. The tension cloyingly hangs in the air as the three brave souls from each team take their positions on the couch. The seniors pump with anticipation, not for Christmas, but for the second victory—the fastest couch—they are about to bring home. As the teams eagerly await the starting signal, the seniors suddenly sense a foreboding chill run down their spine.

But before anyone has the time to question it, the race begins. Everyone strains to push the couch and its riders forward — everyone except the seniors. They all peek under the couch in horror, realizing something is terribly wrong with it: the wheels are broken.

“Uh oh,” says Lauren Lee (12). “There’s no way we can win.”

But there is.

Amid the dire situation, everything seems to be falling apart; but the seniors refuse to give up their victory. The wise class of 2019 lift the Christmas couch up together and begin running across the racetrack, passing by one team after another. To everyone’s surprise, the seniors cross the finish line first, taking home yet another victory.

“The Couch Derby was something StuCo has never done before, but personally, I thought it was a lot of fun,” comments Shannon Frohlich (12). “Although it didn't go as expected, I feel like it helped bond the different classes together as we struggled to carry our heavy couches around campus."

The battle ends with a single victor, but the four teams appear more united than ever as they gather together with a movie showing on the projector and snacks snuggled in their palms. With a sense of peace and accomplishment, they celebrate the night away.