𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙

10 | Disc Golf

THE WARM SUN HUNG high over the PCA track as Chase, Dana, Logan, Mia, Michael, Nicole and Penny pounded the pavement beneath their feet.

Their legs felt like lead, each step a battle against the exhaustion that had taken root deep in their muscles. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, glistening in the relentless heat, soaking through their gym shirts. The rhythmic sound of sneakers hitting the track was punctuated by the sharp, piercing blasts of Coach Phelps' whistle.

"Come on! Pick up the pace! This isn't a stroll through Grandma's blueberry patch! Run faster! RUN!!" He yelled, glancing up from his comic book.

Penny wiped the sweat from her brow as she jogged beside Chase, her breathing heavy.

"You know what's worse than running laps?" She asked Chase, her ponytail bouncing behind.

Chase just shrugged, far too tired to guess.

"I don't know. What?"

"I was hoping you'd think of something."

Penny's blue shorts and matching PCA t-shirt clung to her, soaked from the heat of the day.

"Pick up the pace!" Coach Phelps bellowed, taking a swig of his Blix whilst Michael fell to the ground.

"Oh." The coach groaned, raising his whistle and blowing it. "Get up! This ain't the nap shack!"

Mia glanced over her shoulder, her brown fishtail braid swinging as she saw Michael sprawled out on the red track. Without hesitation, she jogged back to help, Chase following closely behind.

"No! Just leave me here to die! Tell my parents I loved 'em!" Michael moaned dramatically, clutching his side as Mia bent over him, hands resting on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Come on, mate, we're nearly done." She reminded him, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, which kept slipping down from all the sweat.

Despite her words of encouragement, she felt the burn in her own legs, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her lavender PCA vest clung to her and her face was flushed from the exertion.

"You're getting heavy, though." Chase teased.

Together, he and Mia lifted Michael back to his feet and jogged to rejoin the others. But as soon as they reached the group Michael collapsed again, his dramatic fall earning an eye roll from Dana.

The coach surveyed the group with disdain.

"Good grief, you kids are lame! I mean, look at ya! All sweaty and out of breath! Hey, you know why you don't see me all sweaty and out of breath?"

"Because you've been sitting in a chair reading a comic book?" Chase sneered, a flicker of amusement crossing Logan’s face.

"All right, Matthews, you've just bought yourself an extra lap." Coach Phelps remarked, sternly.

"Can I return it?" Chase joked, his sarcasm earning a few tired laughs from Mia and Penny.

"No. Now, listen up!" The coach replied, trying to blow his whistle. It sounded quite wheezy. "Dang it! Why do my whistles keep breaking? I'll be back."

Mia bent over, hands on her knees, trying to regulate her breathing, while Penny glanced down at Michael, who hadn’t moved from off the ground.

"Hey, check and make sure Michael's not dead."

Following Penny's instructions, Dana bent down, grabbed Michael's ear and lifted his head up.

"You dead?" She asked, flatly.