Playing Criminal

15 - Bobo the Bunny

It seemed like that day we ran for twenty minutes on the track was only the beginning of a very long, sweltering hot spell.

After stepping outside for less than a minute, I felt like the sun’s rays were burning my skin away. And given how light I was right now it wouldn’t surprise me if that were the case.

Sweat clustered at my temples, making me almost consider chopping my all my thick hair off for a bit of a relief.

And what were we expected to do in this ungodly heat?

Run around the track and then play a couple games of flag football. Again.

 It was one of those days when you could see the lines of heat rising up from the pavement in the distance. Yet the heat didn’t deter the coach whatsoever. She encouraged us to ‘tough it out’ with a look in her eyes that said if you slacked off she’d make you run a mile…or worse.

As I stepped outside the stuffy gym into the dead heat of the afternoon, sweat clung to my t-shirt instantly.

When the coach got a lawsuit because someone inevitably fainted I would not be the one feeling sorry for her.

“It’s so hot,” I groaned out loud.

“Not really,” I heard Jack comment beside me. “I’d say mid-eighties at most.”

“You’re crazy. It has to be over a hundred. This is ridiculous.” I began fanning myself with my hand as we walked down to the start line though the little breeze I was able to muster up did nothing for me.

The coach started us off on our warm-up 800 and my head throbbed as we took off, my mouth instantly becoming parched. It was as dry as the Sahara. As I sucked in big, gasping breaths I felt like I was being suffocated, the thick steamy air plugging up my airways.

Who needs to freaking warm up when it’s already a bazillion degrees out? It’s not like we were planning on running a world-record 100 yard dash or anything; we were playing flag football – I think our muscles could handle the effort, warm up or no warm up.

“Come on people – Pick up the pace,” I jumped at coach’s yelling then grimaced, guessing her yelling was directed at me. With the heat weighing me down, I was going at a snail’s pace. Literally.

I groaned again as my head continued to throb. Maybe I was dehydrated?

“Those of you slacking off today will be forced to run an extra two laps.”

Ah, shit. I gritted my teeth as I tried to pick up the pace, feeling a faint wave of dizziness come over me as I did so.

“Run faster.”

I tried my best despite the uncomfortable way my heart was pounding in my chest, sweat rolling off my body. I didn’t want to run even more.