mutated

chapter seventeen: is there a way to elegantly plop into mud?

Our rest week flew by quickly. I spent the week under a no physical activity restriction on my collar, and due to the fact that it required Lily's voice and DNA to unlock, I was stuck reading in the library or typing up books on Wattpad. The mysterious person who had given me a blanket as I slept remained a mystery, but it didn't really matter anymore.

Now, I was standing with the rest of the class, facing an obstacle course on top of a thick pool of mud, with Lily's boyfriend, Chris, directing us. "Hello, Phoenix Squadron. My name is Crow. There will be a change in how your courses work now. In the next four weeks, you will have four different specialists teaching you: me for Parkour, Owl for fighting with melee weapons, Buzzard for physical fitness, and Mercy for first-aid, since Mercy won't always be around to save your sorry asses."

"Oh, wonderful. Parkour." Muttered Meredith, giving me a glance. "Because I love mud."

"I will need a volunteer for our first activity. Hmmm, Jade? Owl has spoken highly of you, and I hope you don't disappoint. Your job will be to get across this simple course. Don't worry, this is only Level 1."

 "So you want me to vault over the block, leap from one ledge to the other, and then flip off onto the ground," I stated, arms crossed. "Yeah, not happening." 

"If you haven't noticed, you may have taught us how to fight, but we cannot parkour. Like, can you not tell the difference? And why do you even need to teach us how to do parkour? It's not like we're going to end up being chased across rooftops or something like that. Honestly, that's so extra." Meredith added, her face bored and annoyed. 

"The way you say it, we might actually be chased across rooftops," Abby whispered. "But this is actually fun."

 "What do you mean fun? This is amazing! Parkour! I love parkour!" Camellia shouted, probably not aware of how loud her voice was. "Oh, sorry. Was that loud?" 

"Yes." Meredith and I droned back, and I cocked my head at her. 

"You don't have a choice." Our trainer for this, Crow, or Christopher, Lily's boyfriend, wasn't much for any beating around the bush, but at least he didn't throw lightning at you the moment you spoke out of line, unlike somebody. However, I did know that he was a metal-manipulator, due to the fact that he often stood behind Lily during the knife fighting sessions we all had. 

I glanced at him, noting his bulging muscles that were clearly visible under his gear. Yeah, I don't think I want to pick a fight with that guy. Chase was younger, and although much taller, was more of a lean, wiry type of fighter. Crow here looked like a body-builder. "That is the course, and you must follow it. There will be more moves you will need to do, that you must improvise, but if you fall-" 

"We drop into the mud like fücking Wipeout?" Meredith asked. 

"Essentially, yes, Ms Lim." He answered. "I hope you like the color brown because I sure don't."  

I sighed and walked up to course. "Do I just go?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"Which is never," I added quietly, before cracking my neck. I started with a slow jog, before picking up my pace as I reached the first obstacle. Jumping over the first block, my left hand pressing and pushing off the surface of the obstacle, I prepared myself for a jump. The first gap I leaped over just fine. The second one as well. But the third one needed me to jump onto a slightly slanted surface with small blocks for it, and as I jumped for it, my fingers scrambled for purchase, hoping to grab on to a hold.

And hold on I did. I grabbed on with one arm, before slowly hauling my legs upwards onto some of the lower footholds. Climbing up the slanted slope, I reached the top, but the slope immediately shifted in the other direction, and I slid down the slippery slope. I flipped off the moving block, and as I landed after my flip, the platform buckled, and I was launched far into the air, splatting onto the mud.