Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 24 - Rowan

The next few days were a blur of extensive and exhaustive training. Hamza continued to remind them that the easiest way to test their mental toughness and control was pushing themselves to the brink. The running, climbing, hiking tested Rowan's limits mentally, physically and emotionally until she crashed every night, only to wake up the next day for more.

Early one morning, Rowan stepped outside the cottage for a moment of quiet. The leaves gave the woods a burning glow, lit up by the early brilliance of sunrise. The crisp fall air chilled her. She blew warm air into her hands.

It had been a relief in more ways than one to have the gloves off. Her fingers could breathe, and so could her mind without the constant reminder she was different and dangerous.

The wood of the porch creaked behind her; she turned to final Taniel holding out an extra sweater.

"Thank you," she said, reaching out. Her fingers brushed his, but rather than the pain she expected, a tingling of a spark passed between them. Blood rose to her cheeks. She prayed he didn't realize that she was so nervous around him. She shouldn't be. They had spent the past month together. They had kissed, for Stars-sake. But he had also seen her at her worst.

"Hamza mentioned we are going to do the obstacle course today. Ready?"

She groaned and pulled the sweater over her head. The small act made the aches in her bones more apparent—her whole body was still sore from unending pushups, sprints and lifting. She had never done so much exercise in her life.

"Where does he come up with this stuff?"

Taniel just shrugged.

"Are you not sore at all?"

"I used to do things like this at St. Andra's all the time. Once you get used to it, it's actually enjoyable."

"You used to do pushups for fun?" What kind of alien was he?

"When you can run forever and feel like your body is capable of anything? That is maybe not fun, but a total freedom. To outrun anyone, have the wind at your back and wide open spaces in front of you? The world seems infinite."

"Right," she muttered without conviction.

"Trust me, you'll feel better for it. I'll help you on the course for now, but when you get better, it will be every man for himself." He winked at Rowan and color flooded her cheeks. Again. Stars, she was so embarrassing.

The front door creaked open behind them. Hamza hobbled down the stairs and beyond Taniel, expecting them to follow. Taniel followed the old man easily enough, but Rowan had to sidestep down the stairs to make it. Slowly she followed their fearless leader into the woods, all the while plotting how to get out of the situation.

****

An hour or so later, and all Rowan could say for herself was she didn't turn back. When she reached the end of the path, both Taniel and Hamza were waiting for her. She crested the hill to meet them and saw the massive obstacle course on the other side. Obstacle course didn't even describe it. Death trap was more like it.

She shivered. Across a lake were rolling hills of mud, walls to scale, and rope courses to traverse.

"Is this a joke?" Maybe she would laugh if it was. Maybe.

"A bottle of water for you each. I won't time you today," he said, as if it was a gift.

Hamza plopped down on an old picnic bench near the start of the course. With little else to do, besides for fainting of exhaustion, Rowan walked to the start. Taniel trailed her.