Nephilim: Children of Angels

15: Lost Cause

Janine has set up quite the obstacle course in the field. Her witchy powers probably doing most of the work.

"Good morning. I will be looking at three main components of your performance today. Your physical abilities, mental abilities, and how well you follow orders." Dr. Hemsworth greets us once we have all gathered at the bleachers. "Good luck to you all." She says, making eye contact with me. I look away first, unable to withstand her heavy gaze.

"You're up first, Thomas." Janine announces. All of us except Dr. Hemsworth head over to the first obstacle.

The obstacle course starts with monkey bars. Thomas mounts the structure, halfheartedly. He swings from one bar to the other, as he reaches for the third, the second suddenly gives out and he falls the few feet to the ground. The short fall doesn't hurt much, except his pride. The bar reappears in its place. Thomas returns to the beginning and repeats the process. This time he skips the bar that had given out on him, but when he reaches for the fifth bar, the third breaks free and he falls again. He takes the offending bar and hurls it across the field. He doesn't give up, though. He returns to the beginning. This time, he places both hands on the bar before going for the next and is allowed to go all the way across.

"Alright you're next, Miguel." It doesn't seem fair. Whoever goes first must figure out the obstacle while we all get to watch.

"Great job. I think I would have given up." I say, patting Thomas on the back. he gives me a small smile then turns his attention to Miguel. Miguel attempts to do the same tactic as Thomas. The second bar gives. Miguel is ready for it though, landing lightly on his feet. He restarts but this time he tries going backwards and going two bars at a time. The third bar gives but Miguel is un-phased. The third time he makes it across, going the same way Thomas had tried the first time. Weird. These were some fickle monkey bars.

"Your turn, Sasuke." Janine cheers. Sasuke decides to skip the bars all together, inching his way along the vertical bar of the structure. He makes it across no problem. Janine tries to stifle her smile, but you can tell she is impressed.

"Would you like to go, Ambien?" Janine asks. Ambien easily swings herself atop the vertical bar of the structure, dancing effortlessly across. She is mesmerizingly graceful. I smile at her as she dismounts, and she beams back.

"Sara, you're up." I could just go the way Sasuke did, but it seems like cheating. Plus, I think I have figured it out. If you fall twice using different strategies, on the third attempt it lets you across. I start going bar to bar when I let go of the first and reach for the third I will it not to give, to save me the embarrassment. To my surprise it holds. I make it through without incident. I catch Janine gaping at me when I turn around. I wonder what went wrong with her spell.

The next obstacle is a wall. It appears to be about seven feet tall.

"You're first, Sara." Janine informs. Why me. I approach the wall, unsure of what I am supposed to do. With my strength I could easily jump up and pull myself over. Is that what I am supposed to do. Or I could just teleport or even walk around right.

Miguel groans on the sideline. I shoot him a glare and decide. I leap up, catching the lip of the wall. I attempt to hoist myself up, but it's not as easy as I expected. I keep trying, straining with all my strength, even grunting with my effort, but I can't even bend my arms. It is as if I am completely enveloped in a heavy floating substance. I drop down, giving up on that idea. I attempt to walk around and am thrown back. Fine teleport it is. I am on the other side of the wall in an instant. Janine looks at me with a pleased look. I wouldn't say I did all that well, but okay. Is she pleased at the trouble I had?

"Thomas." Thomas teleports just as I did without all the failure.

"Ambien, would you like to?" Janine looks around for her, but she is back at the first obstacle cartwheeling across the high beam. "Sasuke, you're next." She says, shaking her head.

He approaches the wall; his optimistic attitude ever present. Just as I did, he leaps up grabbing hold of the top of the wall. With incredible effort, he pulls himself up until his chest meets the wall edge. He hoists one leg over at a time until he has finally made it over then drops down to the other side. I knew he was strong, but dang. I couldn't even get my arms to bend. Janine beams at him like a proud mom.

"Wow, I am impressed." I say.

"Thank you." He says with a bow.

"Miguel, shall we try this again." Janine says. He glares at her and approaches the wall. He jumps up just as Sasuke and I did and begins to pull himself up. He gets his arms to a 90-degree angle before they give out. He hangs there for a moment before starting again. He almost gets his chest up but again his strength fails. He goes on like this for a while. He is so close and then the sheer weight of this invisible force pushes him down.

"Alright, that's enough. You truly are a lost cause." Janine says dismissively, a small smile at the corner of her lips.

Miguel does not give up, though. He uses his feet to try and propel himself up and over. He is kicking at the wall trying to gain momentum. The wall starts to give. Janine looks pissed. The top of the wall breaks off, sending Miguel and the wall to the ground. He jumps up and volts over the remainder of the wall.

"Finally." He cries, falling to his knees. Wow, that was quite a sight.

"Next obstacle." Janine instructs, briskly. "This one requires a blind fold. I will instruct you on how to proceed through the course." She hands the blindfold to an exhausted Miguel. He snatches it from her hand with a halfhearted glare.

"Right foot, step forward, left, right." Janine guides Miguel through the tire obstacle. "Down on your belly. Low crawl, straight. Keep your head down." She orders. Miguel complies. "Slight right." Janine instructs as he veers a bit. "Up on your feet, run." Janine instructs. "Step up." Miguel steps onto the platform.

"Jump and grab the rope. Swing across." Miguel jumps but does not find the rope until he is already hit the ground. He struggles to his feet, clearly exhausted. "Walk straight, turn left, turn left, turn left. Run straight. Step up. Jump and grab the rope." Miguel jumps higher this time and manages to get the rope. He swings to the other side landing on the platform unsteadily. He removes the blindfold and tosses it at Janine. I feel bad for him as he plops down on the side lines, hanging his head between his knees.

Thomas goes next, then Sasuke and lastly me. I learn from the other's mistakes and successes, completing the obstacles without incident.

"Everyone, climb to the top of the tower." Janine instructs. I can see Dr. Hemsworth at the top already. The structure is taller than the building and I am not excited to see what task we will be doing once we get to the top. Heights makes me I bit nervous and dizzy. We all manage to make it to the top via the ladder.

"Line up along the edge." Janine orders. I approach the edge cautiously. Miguel comes up beside me, seeming a little unsteady. My vision zooms in and out as I look down to the ground below.

"Stop it. You're making me dizzy." Miguel snaps, pushing my forehead, so I am looking up. I scrunch my face at him. He is so annoying.

"You will all jump on the count of three." Dr. Hemsworth instructs.

Jump? A lump forms in my throat. Will we die? I doubt it. From what everyone has said it practically takes an act of God for one of us to die. I bet it will hurt, though. It will hurt and I won't even get to die to make the pain stop. What kind of gory mess would a person be after falling from this height.

"...three", what I missed one and two. Thomas jumps, Ambien does a swan dive. I see Sasuke step off. Miguel nudges me and I am tumbling down, screaming as I go. 

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Thank you for reading(: 

Do you like obstacle courses?