User:Spartan 501/A Life Stolen/Chapter 5

1600 Hours, September 24, 2517 (Military Calendar)/

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach Military Complex

planet Reach

Every inch of Leonid's body ached. His vison was growing hazy, and he could feel his heart pounding in his skull. Mendez had said that it was a short run to the playground, but that short run had turned into two miles. Every soar and bruise from that morning seared, and by the time the children arrived at the "playground" Leonid could feel his muscles starting to unravel. And the so called plaground was nothing at all like he had expected.

Rope cargo nets and wooden bridges—some of which looked ready to collapse—hung between a forst of twenty meter tall wooden poles. The bridges and nets and ropes crisscrossed in mid air, a maze in the sky. A pool of water stretched underneath the poles, along with knotted climing ropes and looped pulley baskets that looked sturdy enough to hoist several children. It was hard to imagine being able to get anywhere near that thing. This was definitely much different than the playground at his old school.

"Trainees, form three lines." barked Mendez, and Leonid and the others got into them. The instructors didn't have to herd anyone.

"The first person in every row will be team number one," said Mendez. "The second person will be team number two...and so on. If you do not understand this, speak up now."

No one moved, and no one spoke.

"Todays game, is called 'Ring the Bell'" said Mendez, continuing on. "There are many ways to get to the bell; I leave it up to each team to find their own way. When every member of your team has rung the bell, you are to get groundside double time and run back here across this finish line."

Mendez scratched a line into the sand with the toe of his boot, and Leonid focused his gaze on the tallest of the wooden poles in the center of the forest of beams. Atop it, a small dented brass bell stood glistening in the late-afternoon sunlight. As the other children asked Mendez questions, and he answered something about earning and losing dinner, Leonid scanned the forest of poles and tried to find a potential route. He saw several others doing the same, and didn't bother to look at his teamates. He didn't care about them.

"Go!" bellowed Mendez, and Leonid tried to race forward.

But something happened. Someone behind him pushed, and Leonid went rolling toward the water. Leonid stopped the roll, but saw the other kids already breaking for the basket. He sprinted for the nearest bridge, which one kid was almost to the end of. He ran across it and saw the other kid jump, the abruptly felt his whole world turn upside down as the bridge flipped. Icy cold water stabbed at Leonid's exposed skin, and his cloth clothing soaked to the bone and grew heavy. Leonid had never learned how to swim—there wasn't enough water on Arizona III—and for a moment panicked. Then some unknown instinct filled him with adrenaline and he kicked for the surface, and grabbed a pole that extended into the water.

Leonid grabbed it and pulled himself up onto a cargo net and scanned the area. He jumped onto a bridge and grabbed a knotted rope and began to climb, hands aching from the rough rope. He saw other kids begin to ring the bell, descend and run across Mendez's line, and accelerated his pace. He wanted to finish right in the middle; not early, but not late either. He wanted to attract the minimal amount of attention possible. Finally he grasped the brass bell and rang it, the slid into a pile of cushions at the bottom of a metal pole. He walked slowly across the finish line and sighed happily, despite his wet clothes and aching body.

Leonid glanced up at Mendez and too his surprise saw a smile flicker across his rugged face as he scanned the assorted trainees. Pherhaps he was a bit proud of them.

"Good work trainees. Lets get back to the barracks and chow down." said Mendez, and the children cheered. Just for the sake of remaining incospicous, Leonid cheered too.

Moments later they were running back to the barracks. Leonid was as tired as he had ever been when they arrived, but he instantly perked up when the instructors brought out plate after plate of delicous steaming food. It was better than anything from his old life, and by the the time it was lights out, he was stuffed and happy to go to sleep. However, instead of immediately collapsing like some of the others, Leonid instead laid on the bed, muscles throbbing, silently repeating over and over in his head I can do this, I can do this...