Gone in an instant

Chapter 18; Tuesday 3, 3:00 PM

I felt the helicopter land. I was stuck in a back room that had nothing but a bench. I slept a bit on the way. The ride was a few hours long. I stretched my legs and I heard a some shuffling and the heavy side doors slide open. Then my door opened. I shielded my eyes from the light and a rush of hot air came flooding in. It must have been at least 120 degrees! A guard guided me out and I saw that we were in the middle of the desert of Southern Utah. The red sands everywhere. Red cliffs all around. I saw a large, gray, metal complex about 200 feet away that several groups of men were making their way towards. There were 8 large doors along the wall. The build was very, very tall and I couldn't tell how long. I was led into door number one. The other groups went into doors number 4 and 8.

I was pushed into a 5x5 room that had a small door on the other end. I opened it. There was a Sign, it said “Your Challenge has begun. Reach the end. Good Luck!” I looked around the room. I ran to a hallway on the left that led deeper into the building. I came to a door that had a “#1” on it. I opened it. There was a set of monkey bars that led across a pool of water about 10 feet down. There was no ladder back up. I climbed across the monkey bars with ease. I open a door that had a “#2” on it. There was a trampoline and about 10 feet across another pool that had no ladder there was a platform that had a door marked “#3” at the end. I backed up as far as possible and then I ran. I leaped onto the trampoline and soared through the air. I was going to be short. I fell towards the pool but I reached towards the platform. Snagging it with my arms I grabbed the padded surface. I dangled in the air, barely hanging onto the platform. I slowly pulled myself up, using every muscle in my body. I rolled onto the platform.

I opened the door. This room had two shooting ranges. One had a sign that said “Rifle”, the other said “Handgun”. I picked Handgun first. There was a target at 20 feet, 50 feet, and 100 feet. I grabbed my M9 out of the shoulder holster, cocked it, and aimed. I hit the first target right in the center of the head. The second one I hit in the middle of the chest, and the third I nailed in the neck. I was proud of myself. I put the gun back in the holster and swung the MP5 back over my shoulder, the sling was digging in my neck so I adjusted that too. I cocked the bolt on the gun and aimed. This one had five targets. 50, 100, 150, 200, 300, and 350 feet. I centered the red dot on the head of the first target. I pulled the trigger and felt a slight jolt, though I could control this gun with ease because it wasn't very powerful. I hit the target in the chin. I moved on the next. I hit it in the left shoulder. The next one I hit in the cheek. I missed the 200 foot one once, then I nailed it in the middle of the chest. Then I hit the next one in the face. And finally I hit the last one on the top of it's head, knocking it off.

I let the gun hang on my sling again and opened the next door. This one had a balance beam that had tennis balls shooting very quickly back and forth across the room. I would have to keep my balance without falling. I should be good at this. Again, there was a pit of water 10 feet down with no way to get back up. I prepared myself and then ran across the beam. The balls stung as the hit me but I kept going. Just 15 more feet. Now 5 One hit me in my thigh where I had been shot. Pain shot through my leg and I felt myself falling. I crashed to the ground, the gun jamming into my chest, knocking the wind out of me. My leg dangled over the edge but I was safe on the platform at the other side. I caught my breath and massaged my thigh. Then jumped up and entered door number 5. There was a fake police officer pointing a gun at a man that looked like the ones that were with my grandpa. They were in a standoff. It was fake of course but that was the scenario. A voice played on a speaker, “You must choose who to shoot. Your fellow Knight,” A spotlight shined onto the man, “Or a Police officer.” The voice said with disgust. I would have normally picked the man but I had to win. I shot the 'police officer' and moved on to door number 6.

The room had a narrow hallway that had several branches and took a sharp left at the end. I began walking through it and I realized it was a maze. I followed the hallway to the end and went left. I kept following the same hallway, never turning. After about 5 minutes I rounded a corner and there was door number 7. 'He must've thought everyone would turn off' I thought. I opened the door to see a square room. There was a platform about 50 feet above the ground on the other side of the room and I could see a #8 on the door up there. Along the walls there were several places to climb, though none looked easy. It was designed to look like the sides of buildings.

I went to one that had a small ledge up about two feet. I stepped onto it, gripping an indent with my hands. I mover towards another ledge like the one I was but that one was two feet higher. I stepped up. I continued until I was at the corner of the wall. I was about 20 feet up. I turned around to see what looked like a deck about 8 feet directly behind me. The fence was a small black one. I turned and faced towards it, gripping the wall. I took a deep breath. And jumped.

I flew through the air. Reaching towards the fence. I extended my feet first. They hit the corner and then I grabbed the top of the fence. I had made-I heard a snap and all the sudden I was falling. I stuck my left leg out, trying to land on my back. I hit the ground and I felt my knee twist funny. I felt a pang of pain rush up my body. Then my back smacked against the ground and the back of my head knocked hard into the ground. Then blackness.