My Secret, My Bully, My Mates by Miss L

“You ready Sky?” Delta Kyle calls out to me. I nod my head without looking away from my target. “Ready? GO!”

A torrent of sound comes from the kids. Several charge my way as I run towards them. Just before they reach me I break left towards the side walls of the arena and jump to the ledge continuing to run without a missed step. I go as far as I can and make a large broad jump landing on the tips of my toes on the top of the curved climbing bars leading up to the main platform of the obstacle course. I continue running and make the same leap to the ropes that Sam did.

The only thing I did differently is jump from the side collecting 2 of the three ropes in my legs while reaching for the third. I climb up taking the extra ropes with me so they can’t follow. I get to the top and grab the flag, stuffing it carefully in my sports bra.

I look around to assess where the kids are. For the most part they are starting to swarm the ground where the ropes would land if I let them go. I choose to pull them up over the support beam and walk across the support structure like a gymnast. Making it to the cargo net before any of them can make it around, climbing only as low as I need to jump to the arena wall on the other side, almost missing my footing.

sure, I take off as fast as I can. I know I have to be close to time. They made me run more than in the past. They are starting to learn to trust their instincts and learn my habits, weaknesses and strengths. Kyle and I decided to not let them win this without a fight to make them build their long term observation skills, anticipation, tracking and learning from past mistakes. I jump from the wall, the kids hot on my tail and run like my life depends on it over the

just stares at me blank faced. I am ready to cry from anticipation.

smile I have ever seen. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and matched his smile and then it’s like someone turned the volume

my leg. There is just a commotion of words. I catch bits and pieces, but you would have thought the kids had won the challenge the way they were retelling it. “Did you see that jump? It was at least 20 feet.” “No way, it was more like 30, we could totally do that.” “I’m going to remember that rope trick, it was crazy good.”

work today.” A deep booming voice comes up from