year?”
“No.”
“Wonder what the course is like.”
“We’ll find out.”
Richard looked away, ending the conversation. How did Scott and Jake do it? That was painful.
Tweet!
“Mr. Joyce, it’s your turn,” Jen said sternly.
He took off like a shot, high stepping through a series of cartires. Next he had to run across a long log about a metre above the ground, followed by a water jump and a series of hurdles, which led to a four-metre-high wall. A rope hung in front. Charlie grasped the rope and hauled himself up and over using his feet against the wall as leverage. After the wall there was another series of tires, a rope bridge, a long tube to crawl through, and finally three walls that went up to his shoulders.
He’d just clambered over the last wall when Trevor yelled out, “How’s the elbow?”
Charlie waved back. “It’s stiff, but I’ve been icing it non-stop and it feels way better.”
Trevor flashed a thumbs-up, and Charlie ran back to the start; and as Jen had said, it was fun. Charlie enjoyed doing the course, and so did the other guys. There was no lack of laughing and joking around before long.
Jake got the biggest reaction when he headed down the course walking on his hands and he tried to continue on his hands through the tires. He ended up wiping out, of course. Even Charlie had to admit it was funny. Jake wasn’t the same kid here. It was weird. The Jake he knew was the guy who’d been laughing when Zane challenged him to a fight. So who was the real Jake Wilkenson?
Jen held up her hand. “Organize yourselves into your teams. I want Team 1 on the left and Team 3 on the right. Time for the run off. Teams 2 and 4 will go next. Winners of each race go again for the championship. The champs get a prize — and trust me, you’ll want it.”
No one seemed too happy about the prospect of another run. Charlie was always up for a race, but he joinedhis Team 1 teammates in complaining, so as not to seem uncool. Corey was first up for Team 3. He was staring forward intently, knees bent, flexing his fingers slowly.
Jen blew the whistle, sending Corey charging down the course. Charlie was fourth in line, behind Savard. Burnett had led off for Team 1 and returned with the lead, Corey thundering after him. Everything seemed like such a struggle for the guy. The lead grew with each runner, so by the time Charlie tagged Savard’s outstretched hand, he had a half-course lead. The rest of the race was a formality. As his teammates celebrated, Charlie noticed Corey off to the side, hunched over.
“So how are ya making out?” he said.
Corey straightened abruptly. “Oh … hi.” He growled and kicked at the ground with the toe of his shoe. “Team 3’s such a joke. They don’t even put in an effort — bunch of babies. Why’d I even bother running? Still can’t believe I’m on Team 3. Can you?”
“Maybe they want to give some other players a chance. You’ll move up, I’m sure.”
Corey’s head jerked up. “You think I will? Do you really? When?”
Charlie was taken aback. “Um … like … I’m not sure. Soon.”
Corey’s expression grew worried. “Lot of competition up the middle. Savard can play, and I hear that Wilkenson guy is a stud too. There’s talk of him moving up … and … and … you’re in there too. Not many spots.”
Tweet
.
“Teams 2 and 4 are up,” Jen announced. “Winner takes on Team 1.”
Corey didn’t seem like he had anything else to say. Charlie cleared his throat. “I’m gonna watch this race … see how my friends do.”
Corey barely nodded. “I’m gonna go up the course and watch the next race — and good luck in the finals.”
This race was closer. Pete was Team 4’s first runner, and he tore the course apart. Scott kept the lead, but then Team 2 closed the gap slowly. The two teams were practically even when the last runners left. Jake was anchor for Team 2, and he won the sprint back to the starting line for the win.
“No.”
“Wonder what the course is like.”
“We’ll find out.”
Richard looked away, ending the conversation. How did Scott and Jake do it? That was painful.
Tweet!
“Mr. Joyce, it’s your turn,” Jen said sternly.
He took off like a shot, high stepping through a series of cartires. Next he had to run across a long log about a metre above the ground, followed by a water jump and a series of hurdles, which led to a four-metre-high wall. A rope hung in front. Charlie grasped the rope and hauled himself up and over using his feet against the wall as leverage. After the wall there was another series of tires, a rope bridge, a long tube to crawl through, and finally three walls that went up to his shoulders.
He’d just clambered over the last wall when Trevor yelled out, “How’s the elbow?”
Charlie waved back. “It’s stiff, but I’ve been icing it non-stop and it feels way better.”
Trevor flashed a thumbs-up, and Charlie ran back to the start; and as Jen had said, it was fun. Charlie enjoyed doing the course, and so did the other guys. There was no lack of laughing and joking around before long.
Jake got the biggest reaction when he headed down the course walking on his hands and he tried to continue on his hands through the tires. He ended up wiping out, of course. Even Charlie had to admit it was funny. Jake wasn’t the same kid here. It was weird. The Jake he knew was the guy who’d been laughing when Zane challenged him to a fight. So who was the real Jake Wilkenson?
Jen held up her hand. “Organize yourselves into your teams. I want Team 1 on the left and Team 3 on the right. Time for the run off. Teams 2 and 4 will go next. Winners of each race go again for the championship. The champs get a prize — and trust me, you’ll want it.”
No one seemed too happy about the prospect of another run. Charlie was always up for a race, but he joinedhis Team 1 teammates in complaining, so as not to seem uncool. Corey was first up for Team 3. He was staring forward intently, knees bent, flexing his fingers slowly.
Jen blew the whistle, sending Corey charging down the course. Charlie was fourth in line, behind Savard. Burnett had led off for Team 1 and returned with the lead, Corey thundering after him. Everything seemed like such a struggle for the guy. The lead grew with each runner, so by the time Charlie tagged Savard’s outstretched hand, he had a half-course lead. The rest of the race was a formality. As his teammates celebrated, Charlie noticed Corey off to the side, hunched over.
“So how are ya making out?” he said.
Corey straightened abruptly. “Oh … hi.” He growled and kicked at the ground with the toe of his shoe. “Team 3’s such a joke. They don’t even put in an effort — bunch of babies. Why’d I even bother running? Still can’t believe I’m on Team 3. Can you?”
“Maybe they want to give some other players a chance. You’ll move up, I’m sure.”
Corey’s head jerked up. “You think I will? Do you really? When?”
Charlie was taken aback. “Um … like … I’m not sure. Soon.”
Corey’s expression grew worried. “Lot of competition up the middle. Savard can play, and I hear that Wilkenson guy is a stud too. There’s talk of him moving up … and … and … you’re in there too. Not many spots.”
Tweet
.
“Teams 2 and 4 are up,” Jen announced. “Winner takes on Team 1.”
Corey didn’t seem like he had anything else to say. Charlie cleared his throat. “I’m gonna watch this race … see how my friends do.”
Corey barely nodded. “I’m gonna go up the course and watch the next race — and good luck in the finals.”
This race was closer. Pete was Team 4’s first runner, and he tore the course apart. Scott kept the lead, but then Team 2 closed the gap slowly. The two teams were practically even when the last runners left. Jake was anchor for Team 2, and he won the sprint back to the starting line for the win.
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