Awakening

3: Blaze

"Dalton, those are not push-ups. Cameron, you're next on the rope."

Blake's friend approached the thick twine hanging from the low gym ceiling, and opened his hands to grab it but did not yet begin the climb.

"Been practicing all semester," said Cameron with a grin. "I'll definitely beat my record this time."

"You've been saying that for the last two weeks," grumbled a nearby Amelia, who gasped a little for air. Movement in the corner of his eye caught Blake's attention immediately afterward. A number of students, with June among them, ran around the perimeter of the gym over and over again. Amelia, Cameron, and a few others stood near the rope, breathless. Blake, however, was not.

A couple of seconds later June approached the group at the rope, heaving for air. She still carried a smile on her face. "I'd like to...hear you say...you'll beat Blake's record!"

Cameron simply glared at her, but then put his focus back on the rope. A few feet away, the gym teacher held a stopwatch.

"Go!"

He climbed the rope by pulling up with his arms, and with his feet he grabbed and pushed downward. Blake raised his eyebrows, surprised by the speed at which the teen ascended. His gaze rose above his friend. At the top of the rope, at the low-rise rafters, was a bell.

Cameron smacked it as he reached the top.

"18.34 seconds!" the teacher shouted.

With one hand's hold on the rafters, Cameron pumped his open fist into the air. "Yes! Record beat!"

"By just over 0.4 seconds," said the teacher after a quick look at her clipboard. "Nice job. Come on down."

While Cameron slid down the rope in careful and short bursts, Blake's mind wandered. Over the course of the school day, he'd thought about todays' morning. During his and June's walk to school, he had sensed two more spectres, and a possible third. He even thought he'd caught sight of a shadow creature again, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. The increasing frequency of these occurrences was already an unsettling concern.

"Blake!"

Despite the loud shout, he did not jump. Though, he realized the teacher must have called his name a few times already.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I spaced out."

"Well now your attention needs to come back to class," said the teacher. "You're up on the rope."

Blake inhaled and stepped up onto the mat beneath the rope. He reached out a little for the rope but did not grab it just yet. He waited.

"Go!"

He grabbed the rope with one hand, and began to climb. But unlike Cameron's methods, Blake did not use his legs at all. He used only the sheer strength in his arms to pull himself, with ease, right to the top of the rafters. He smacked the bell once he reached the top.

"11.97 seconds!"

The teacher sounded mildly impressed, but Blake knew he hadn't beaten his record. He barely loosened his grip on the rope, and grabbed it again quickly to prevent an accelerated descent. He repeated the process a few more times; at about a third of the distance to go, Blake released the cord entirely and dropped. He landed on the mat with a loud thud, his knees having braced the impact. But then he brushed off his pants with a short swipe.

Nearby, Cameron snorted. "Showoff."

Blake shrugged, but could not help adding in a little smile as well. He then approached June, Amelia, and another girl beside them.