Chapter 14
There were three long rows of identical obstacles, presumably so each pair could do them at the same time.
Directly in front of our platform was a series of smaller, circular platforms that were all spaced out and staggered in a loose formation. Just after those was another small, solid platform.
Beyond that platform was a series of large balls with small metal protrusions. Then there was another platform.
It carried on in a pattern like that, first the obstacle, then a regular platform, except the obstacles curved and stretched beyond what I could see, and the obstacles that I could see didn’t look like anything I recognized.
It was as if someone had taken inspiration from the game show ‘Wipeout’ but put a deadly twist on it. I saw far too many spikes and moving blades for this to just be a friendly game show.
The entire course was raised high above a deep pool of water, and beneath the water’s surface…
Good god, were those sharks?
I peered over the platform’s edge and into the water below. Sure enough, I could see huge, dark shapes as they glided just beneath the surface, and occasionally a dorsal fin broke through the top.
“I really don’t like this,” Sadie whispered as she stared at the obstacles that looked more like torture chamber equipment.
I didn’t, either, but I knew she needed comfort right now.
“It’ll be okay,” I assured her. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
“Or you,” she reminded me with a little frown.
“Or me,” I amended as I grinned at her.
If I should be so lucky.
“Each pair needs to complete the course together in the allotted amount of time,” the disembodied voice announced.
Shit, this was going to be timed? There were three of us, though, and there was no way I’d be able to safely run the course like that.
A massive, holographic screen appeared in the air, and the timer was set to sixty minutes.
Okay, sixty minutes seemed doable… maybe.
I still couldn’t see just how big the course was, but if I was quick enough, maybe I could take the women across one at a time.
Kyle smirked at me like he’d just been told the greatest news ever, and I knew he was thinking this was my price for matching with two women. Now, I’d have to do an impossible task.
And perhaps it would be impossible under normal circumstances, but I had even more skill points now, and they had to count for something.
“Line up at the beginning of the course with your partner,” the voice continued.
We all moved to stand in front of one of the three individual courses.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I said as I turned to Sadie and Parker. “I’ll take Sadie across first, then I’ll come back for Parker.”
“This whole obstacle course looks like one big deathtrap,” Parker protested. “If you come back for me, then you’ll be required to do it three times. Plus, we might not have enough time. I can try to do it on my own. I could follow behind both of you.”
“No way,” I said with a firm shake of my head. “It’s too dangerous to try it alone. Please wait for me.”
Parker looked like she wanted to protest further, but then her shoulders sagged in defeat.
“Alright,” she mumbled her agreement.
“Are you alright with the plan?” I asked as I turned my attention to Sadie.
“I-I guess so,” she stammered, and her eyes were still glued to the sharks that were circling in the water.
I carefully guided Sadie closer to the beginning of the course while Parker took a few steps back. As soon as everyone was in position, the disembodied voice spoke again.
“Each individual who completes the course before the time runs out will continue into the next round.”
Wait, did it just say individuals? So, we’d work as teams, but survival was entirely based on which individuals made it to the end?
“This round will begin in ten seconds,” the robotic voice continued.
I took a deep breath, and I glanced at the other contestants. Tyler caught my eye and gave me a nervous smile, and Kyle looked laser-focused on the course ahead of him. He looked like he was about ready to leave Clarisse in the dust, and I hoped for her sake that wasn’t the case.
I glanced back up at the timer, and the moment the seconds began their countdown, I leaped into motion.
The first obstacle was the circular platforms. They weren’t very large, maybe three feet in diameter, big enough for two people to stand on but that was about it.
Each platform was spaced about two feet away from each other, which wasn’t a huge distance, but when one had shark-infested waters beneath them, every extra inch counted.
I leaped onto the first one, and as soon as I had fully regained my balance, I turned and reached out my hand to help Sadie over as well.
She gripped my hand tightly and jumped over the gap onto the little platform, and once I was sure she was stable, I moved onto the next platform.
We followed this same pattern, I’d jump first, then help her get across, and before I knew it, we’d reached the big platform, just before the next set of obstacles.
With all the jumping we’d done, my legs felt surprisingly steady and not tired the way I expected them to be. I wondered if my skill points had kicked in.
“Wait here,” I told Sadie. “I’m going to go back for Parker now.”
Sadie nodded, and she watched as I carefully crossed back to the main platform. Then I did the same exact thing all over again with Parker. I moved across the platforms first before I helped her do the same.
I didn’t pause to see how we were doing on time until we’d safely gotten back to Sadie.
Then I glanced up at the holographic screen, and a little over four minutes had passed, which was about double the amount of time it had taken everyone else, but still not as much time as I’d expected.
It helped that we all worked really well together.
I didn’t waste any time worrying about whether we’d make it or not as I turned my attention to the next looming obstacle: the giant balls.
There were significantly less balls to cross than there had been platforms, and they were much larger, about six feet in diameter.
But they also looked like they were spaced further apart, maybe three feet or so.
Plus, the balls weren’t a flat, stable platform, and their round shape would make a stable landing much more difficult. I studied the balls for a minute while I tried to decide the best way to approach them.
Once I had a general idea in mind, I braced myself before I jumped. I landed close to the top of the ball, but I immediately began to slide down its side.
Fortunately, I was able to grab onto one of the protrusions so I didn’t slide off into the water below. I scrambled to find another protrusion with my foot, and after a harrowing few seconds, I was able to lift myself all the way up to the top.
Then I turned back to the two girls, who were watching me with horrified expressions.
“It’s alright!” I called back to them in assurance. “Sadie, you’re up next.”
Sadie stepped near the edge of the platform, but I could see the panic in her eyes. She was too far away this time for me to grab her, so I was sure this task looked far more daunting.
“When you jump, try to grab onto the protrusions sticking out,” I instructed her. “It’ll help you balance, and don’t worry about falling, because I’ll catch you.”
Sadie nodded, and her terrified expression never went away, but despite her fear, she tensed her legs and leaped forward a moment later. She grabbed at one of the protrusions and clung for dear life while I helped her up next to me.
Then I moved to the next ball.
I jumped, and this time I was more prepared for the odd angle, so I was able to brace myself on a few of the protrusions and didn’t slide down as far as before. Then I had Sadie do the same thing, and again I helped her up.
I glanced over at the other contestants, and even though they’d reached this part of the obstacle course sooner, they were having a much more difficult time than we were.
Tyler and Claire were on the course next to us, and they were still on the second ball. Claire was struggling to keep her balance on the ball’s uneven shape, and Tyler was helping to steady her.
Next to them was Kyle and Clarisse. Clarisse was still on the first ball, but Kyle was already ahead on the third. He kept shouting vague orders back at her instead of actually, physically helping her across like he was supposed to.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to what we were doing.
I jumped to the next ball without incident, and it felt like I was starting to get the hang of this particular obstacle because I climbed up to the top without much issue. Sadie also seemed to slowly get the hang of things, and I wondered if she’d also gotten some points in her ‘body’ skill.
We safely crossed the four balls, and once I was sure Sadie was securely on the next platform, I began my return trip to Parker.
Tyler and Claire were on their final ball by the time I made it back to the first, and Clarisse had successfully made it to the third. But Kyle was already on the platform ahead of her, and he kept yelling at her to hurry up.
Dick.
I was able to safely help Parker across the first ball, and then the second, but on the third ball, Parker put more force behind her jump than she intended.
When she hit the ball, she did so at a weird angle, and she wasn’t able to immediately grab a protrusion for support.
Parker started to slide down the ball faster than expected, and I had to launch myself forward onto my stomach to grab her.
I caught her, but then our weight, combined with the curved shape of the sphere, made both of us slide forward.
Shit.
I angled my feet so they’d catch on some of the protrusions, and I was able to stop our descent just in time. Parker stared up at me with wide, frightened eyes as two of the sharks moved to circle directly below us. It was as if they could sense the potential meal dangling above them.
“I’ve got you,” I said as I tightened my grip on her hand. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, but I need your help.”