The Pickpocket

Chapter 13 - The Stepping Stones Of Doom

“Three…” Carter said, holding up a primitive stopwatch, “two…”

Dad and I were next to one another at the start of the test. We had no training and were roughly the same build, so it was an even match. We had ten minutes to get around the course, any longer and we’d be dismissed. I was planning to go as fast as possible but I’m not sure about Dad. I think he’d like to leave.

“One…” I tensed my muscles, ready to shoot away from the starting line.

“GO!” Owen yelled it a split second before Carter. The Major scowled at him but I was off, Dad close on my heels. My hair was flat against my head but I could see that Dad’s was going everywhere. I grinned to myself and sped up. That’s why I keep my hair neat!

I skidded to a halt as I was faced with the first obstacle. A giant wall of wooden logs, about triple my height and wider than I was tall. Whilst I was wondering how to get over it Dad appeared beside me.

“Kiddo, whilst you’re standing around gawking, the clock is ticking,” Dad said, only slightly out of breath. “And I haven’t finished with that watch yet. Do you wanna get home or not?”

“‘Course I wanna leave,” I scoffed, “so that’s why I’m using you as a leg up.”

“Wha-?!” Dad didn’t get a chance to finish as I was already springing up, using his shoulders to boost me even higher. It was lucky for me that he was bending over slightly, hands on knees. I scrambled for a hold, Dad wobbling beneath me. I hooked an arm over the top of the wall (I can jump quite high) and pushed myself up and over the top. Thinking that the drop was the same on the other side as the side I was on, I let myself fall.

 

*

 

“Effing bloody Hell!” a voice screamed. I climbed up that wall quicker than the scream could die down. I stopped once I got to the top, lowering myself with my ankles hooked over the top of the wall. I only reached about halfway down. Jamie was lying at the bottom, cradling his arm. I could see, limited though my view was, that it was dislocated AND broken.

“Jamie, budge over,” I called down, “I’m right above ya. Droppin’ down in three, two, one…” I let myself drop, kicking away from the wall and landing in a roll. Unfortunately, I hit the next obstacle: a green net, pegged to the ground. I groaned.

“There’s no way I’m gonna be able to get under that,” Jamie whispered. He was sitting with his back against the wall and as crying quietly. I looked at the net, looked back at Jamie and thought of a plan.

“Jamie, can I have your jacket?”

“What?” Jamie looked at me in surprise. “I don’t have my jacket on. Why?”

“I need summat of yours to take to the finishin’ line. So that you still kinda make it.” Jamie thought for a minute before carefully reaching into his pocket and withdrawing his hat. I grinned and took it.

“I’m glad you remembered it. I think I lost mine,” I said. Jamie smiled weakly, resting his head against the wall. I took off my jacket and put it over him before crawling under the net and continuing. My hair was even more of a mess than usual, I had Jamie’s hat shoved down my shirt and I was covered in mud, but I battled on. Until I got stuck, that is.

“Aw crud,” I wailed, attempting to wriggle free. My belt was caught on the very last loop of the net. I was practically free!

“Now then,” I muttered, squirming a little, “what am I to do? I can’t undo my belt or my pants will come down. I can’t cut the net cuz- oh wait, yeah I can.” I pulled my knife out of my pocket with a little bit of difficulty and set about cutting myself free. When I was finished, I was able to stand up and noticed that I now had a little green tail. The thought made me laugh until I remembered that I was being timed. I set off again, running at an even pace. Very soon I reached the next obstacle, and boy! I was overwhelmed by a feeling of vertigo and staggered backwards. The next challenge I had to face was some stepping stones - but not ordinary stepping stones. These were taller than the wall on Jamie’s side and I had to climb them then jump across them. Without a harness. I gulped and began to climb.

 

*

 

“So, once your Dad left you, what happened next?” Mel asks. I pause, trying to remember.

“I think I passed out,” I say at last, “because when I woke up again I was somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“Back at my bed,” I reply, “with Owen and Walky standing over me. I remember that Walky was there because I accidentally spat mud in his face.”

“Very good. Go from there,” Mel says, scribbling something on her pad. I sigh and continue.

“Well…

 

*

I woke up in my bed, wearing my shirt and trousers. Yet again my coat was on the chair and my boots were next to them. My boots were spotless and I realised that someone must have cleaned them whilst I was out. Then I realised that someone had done the same to my shirt and trousers and the thought made me shudder. My arm had been neatly done up in a sling and as my vision cleared I saw Owen, looking concerned, and Walky, looking annoyed. It was then that I coughed and spat mud in Walky’s face. He stormed away, scowling and muttering, wiping his face with a handkerchief. Owen started laughing and only stopped when Major Carter arrived.

“What’s the matter?” Carter asked, frowning. I shrugged using my good shoulder and Owen’s hysterical laughter eventually stopped.

“Jamie spat at Walky and got mud all over his face!” Owen gasped. His eyes were crinkled up with the effort of not laughing and he looked like a pug. I told him so and his laughter soon stopped fully. Carter was grinning as Owen disappeared back to his bed.

“I see you’ve made a speedy recovery,” he said. I pulled a face.

“My arm still hurts and my head is pounding but other than that I’m okay,” I replied. “D’you know where my dad is?”

Carter was quiet for a while. “He hasn’t finished the course yet,” he said eventually, “and the stopwatch has been going for well over four hours.”

*

I managed to get halfway across before falling. Now I lay on the ground, covered in mud and leaves with my spine surely broken. I couldn’t move and every breath was an effort. By watching the sun through a gap between the trees I figured that it was about seven o’clock in the evening. All I wanted to do was sleep but I forced myself awake. I’ve seen enough movies to know that if you give in to sleep, you never wake up again. And I was determined to send Jamie home, even if I didn’t go with him.

“Jamie, you’re injured, you can’t-” A voice cut through the darkening air and it made me wake up a bit more.

“I need to find him!” Jamie’s voice accompanied the first, along with footsteps and muttered curses.

“You’ll hurt your arm, mate,” a new voice said. I recognised the first - Major Carter, I think his name was - so the second must be Jamie’s other friend. Owen, that’s it.

“Jamie, I meant to tell you,” Carter said, “that this course was meant to be closed off. Someone turned the sign around and cut the rope away.”

“Why was it blocked off, sir?” Owen asked. I heard Carter sigh heavily.

“Because of that.” I knew that they’d reached the recently-christened Stepping Stones of Doom. I heard someone take in a sharp intake of breath (Owen) and someone else give a small cry of misery (Jamie).

“Whilst y’all look at the Stepping Stones of Doom, I’m kinda dyin’ over here,” I called out, barely concealing the pain in my voice. Footsteps came rapidly towards me and soon I was surrounded on all sides. Thinking that I’d be safe now, I let myself give in to the sleep.