Elemons Quest - Noble Beginnings

Parkour Abyss

I positioned myself ready for the twenty-storey descent to ground zero. My heart raced faster with every anticipated second. Adrenalin pumping through my veins, I steadied my breathing. Fully focused at what was in store for me, I blocked out everything else.

The Tribe called it the Parkour Abyss. I had mapped it out in my mind over and over again, but this time it was for real. I was up against Barry Durrell, the gang leader who hated me. If I really wanted to be part of the Tracuer Tribe this was it. From here only one way to go and that was down. Parkour style.

Pete and Suze were watching through their phones. Live action glory ready for the taking.

"And go!" On Pete's order, I began to sprint, pounding the concrete corridor to the stairwell. Barry shot off in the opposite direction. From the stairwell I leapt to the window ledge and vaulted out of the building through the broken window. Standing for a moment to feel the chill air strike my face cold, I scoped the grey concrete landscape. My feet found the sloping ledge towards the next level down, and I skipped onto a private balcony railing. I grabbed it with all hands and feet, feeling like a jungle king before sliding down using both hands to grip the cold rusty iron poles to the next floor down. Rolling into another corridor, I propelled my body off the ground to the other side of the building. Suddenly I saw Barry at least five floors below. Impossible. How could he have done that so quickly? He must have cheated! Spurred on by anger, I changed my route dashing towards the stairwell and this time jumping down one staircase at a time trying to make up some ground. I had to win this, if not for me then for the memory of my sister.

The next building stood two storeys below. Without a second thought I flung myself into the air like a trapeze artist dancing to gravity's rhythm. For a matter of a few eternal moments I flew embracing the freedom of my flight. My body unstrung from all solid objects. I knew landing could only be softened one way; I tucked my limbs into a ball and fell forwards into a roll. Immediately I regretted this. I winced with pain as my back and shoulders came into contact with the gravelled roof. I jolted back onto my feet pulling my shirt down to find that I had caught up as Barry joined my path. We were even! I could hear him grunting with anger. I didn't look at him but I could practically feel his hot-headed glare. Good. I could beat him despite his cheating!

But it wasn't over. We were approaching The Wall; a ninety degrees vertical climb.

Many find this impossible to do. I had a technique but the pain surging from my back distracted me for a moment. I forced it out of my head as I psyched myself on to my next move. Running as fast as I could and building up my speed, I knew what to do. But suddenly Barry's big burly body knocked me off my path, giving him an advantage. I increased my speed and overtook him again. This was where I had to build the momentum to climb and make the jump onto the vertical wall. The speed had to be perfect: no room for error. I leapt up first. Two-feet off the ground. Five-feet. Almost there. No stopping. Then suddenly my right foot slipped and I lost my grip. I scrambled precariously using my hands to reach the last few inches but the wall felt slippery. Anti-climbing paint. Freshly painted. I had lost all my speed and collapsed in a heap at the foot of the wall.

"Sebastian!" Suze yelled, obviously concerned. She was still up there watching us from the first building.

Barry leapt up managing to do the leap and laughing. "You'll never be a Tracuer, nerd," he sneered and ran off.

I scrambled up trying to regain composure. Feeling deflated I did a run up and tried again, this time taking Barry's side of the wall. This time I accomplished it without slipping but had to pull myself the last few feet onto the narrow bricked garden wall. The pain and frustration must have got to me because I lost my balance and fell into a private garden. I winced. My left ankle burned really painfully now.