Growing Up Rainbow

Obstacles

"Light, I hate losing," said Awana as she collapsed next to Annabelle.

"Me, too, and we're getting lots of practice," answered Annabelle.

Just three days into the class and neither of them had finished a course completely. This was the third time today they'd tried this one. The course only had five obstacles. Annabelle had been watching Awana try it, hoping to get something that would help her finish next time.

Awana had made it across the log without problem; that was the easiest one. Then there was a three-meter wall, which they had skipped after rubbing their hands raw trying to get over it. You could only skip one obstacle. Then there was a series of wire tumbles to get through. Next a bundle of razor wire slightly higher than your waist, and 100 cm off the ground. Both of them had tried to crawl under, and while that worked, they were sporting scratches on their backs from it. The sludge pit had stopped both of them. It was twenty meters long, one meter wide and there was more razor wire on either side. You were forbidden from touching the wire and there wasn't enough room to try and straddle it.

Sitting in the stands in defeat, they watched the Space Cadets run the course. Their run was so quick it was hard to see what they were even doing. They seemed to flow up the wall like some kind of snake, one right after the other. Then they floated over the wires, not under them. At the pit they seemed to be walking on water. The rope swing was just a bunch of whooping and hollering.

"This is the third time they've done it and I still can't figure out how," said Annabelle.

"It's like they have super powers or something. They are going to be Space Girls after all."

Annabelle shook her head and said, "That's what it looks like, but according to Sophia's mom, Space Girls are regular humans. Just the best of the best."

The Cadets had done something to the rope swing and it now looked like a playground swing. "Hey Little Ones," said Space Cadet Purple, "after you finish your naps, if you make it this far, you can swing each other." Then the whole rainbow started singing playground songs.

"They are super humanly annoying though," said Annabelle with a growl.

"Brains, not anger, is what will get you through," said Space Woman Black standing right behind them.

Both of them jumped up and squeaked, which caused even more laughter from the Cadets. The school girls tried to stand up straight and said, "Space Woman Black. Ma'am."

"One of the reasons they make this look so easy is it is just a refresher course for them. They ran this course middle of last year and know all the tricks. But they figured those tricks out as a Rainbow."

"But ma'am, we aren't a Rainbow. There are just two of us."

"I can count, Annabelle," said Black. "But it seems to me there are one of you twice. Go down there and run the course together."

"Yes, ma'am," they said and ran down the steps.

They lined up at the start line and took off each on their own log. Then they got to the Wall and tried jump up and reach the top. Neither of them could quite make it. They stopped struggling and stood there staring at it and listened to the Space Cadets laughing in the distance. The grand stand was empty. Space Woman Black had disappeared.

"No point in us both failing," said Awana. She moved up next to the wall and crouched down interlacing her fingers. "I'll boost you up. Just hold a swing for me when you get to the end."

Annabelle looked at her warily and said, "OK."

With Awana's help she easily got her arms up and was able to pull herself on to her belly at the top. She looked down the other side and it didn't seem that far to drop, which gave her an idea. Spinning around on the top with her feet over one side and her arms down the side she'd come from, she said, "Awana, grab my arm and I'll pull you up."

The other girl got it at once and leaped. She made it to the top and both of them dropped over the wall.

"How do you they just float over these wire walls?" asked Annabelle. "There is nothing solid to step on."

Awana snapped her fingers, "They aren't walls, they're hurdles." Then she took off as if the razor wire were on a track. Annabelle right behind her.

"Good catch, Awana. Any idea how they walk on water?"

"Walk on water?"

"Well about half of them. The other half just disappear and end up on the other side."

"That can't be..." Awana said thinking. "Dark! I have an idea, but you won't like it."

"Not less than failing in front of them," Annabelle said and pointed across the stinking water to where the Cadet Rainbow were silently swinging and watching.

"Don't think it would really work for us. The walking on water part, but we can do the disappear. Follow me," said Awana and walked into the disgusting water pit. She disappeared completely, then her muddy hands came out of the water and moved toward the other side.

"Ahh," said Annabelle realizing some of the Cadet Rainbow had been underwater allowing the others to walk on their hands. She jumped in the water.

When they came out the other side the Space Cadets grabbed their hands and pulled them out. "Welcome to Obstacles, Girls. You've survived the mud pit."