Learning to Fly (TNT Force Cheer #1)

by Dana Burkey

  I turned and looked as someone to my left began snapping their fingers. It was a girl that I think was named Megan. She was snapping and then pointing to a long stick that was lying in a pile of shorter stick and rocks. At first I didn’t understand why it was so important, but when she picked it up we could all see that the stick had a slightly curved end that would be easy to hook around the rope. Halley, Corral, and Kate started moving people around to hold onto Megan while she stood on the logs and reached out with the stick. Shannon might have been a better person to reach with her long arms, but she was just standing at the back of the group pouting at that point.

  “Drop the stick,” Bailey called out from her perch on the tree. “It touched the mud so it’s out.”

  I tried to stand on my tip toes to see over the girls around me, but once again, being short didn’t have any advantages. Based on the sounds of something falling into the mud before Megan stepped down off of the logs, I could only assume that the stick was now lying in the mud. As the girls around me started to either gesture to one another or, if they were allowed, talk out loud about other options, my eyes wandered to some of the other sticks and logs sitting on the ground near the one Megan had picked up.

  Walking towards the pile I picked up a log that was about two feet wide, and thick enough that it could be easily thrown with force. Clicking my fingers like Megan had done, I tried to wildly gesture to show the girls around me that we needed to throw the log. Taking it out of my hands, someone walked it over to Kate who had picked up what I was saying with my crazy arm movements.

  “Just hit the rope, okay?” Halley said in a mix of both encouragement and also what sounded like doubt. “That should get it swinging.”

  “Okay, got it,” Kate nodded, stepping up to the mud and tossing the stick. The sound of it slamming into the mud without even coming close to the rope was instant.

  Grabbing another stick from the ground next to me I pushed through everyone to the front and stepped up onto the log without a second thought. Kate stepped back just in time for me to swing my arm and throw the stick forward. It struck the rope and after swinging away in a long slow motion, it flipped back towards me and right into my open hands.

  As the girls around me cheered and clapped, I slipped my foot into the loop and pushed off the log. Swinging out, I glanced back and saw the happy faces on the girls behind me. It was a great feeling to know that I was not only helping the team, but that we were also on track to finish the exercise soon. Turning back to catch sight of the platform, I just managed to touch the toes of one foot on the wooden planks when I started to swing back towards the log where I started. Knowing I was about to fall, I picked up my foot from the platform and allowed the rope to move me back and forth, and back and forth until finally I hung in place. Right in the center of the mud pit.

  Hanging there above the mud, I looked first at Bailey who was still sitting in the tree, and then at my team. I felt like I let everyone down-if I tried to get off the rope I was going to have to step in the mud and admit defeat. There was a pause at first, as all of the girls first went from being bummed that I didn't make it, to being confused or even worried on how to get me back.

  “I think you just have to step down,” Halley finally said, after her, Kate and Corral had all talked to one another. “Then we can try throwing again.”

  With a nod I reached one foot down and touched the mud. Clearly someone had spent the morning adding water to it, since it had to have been at least three weeks since we had enough rain to create such a thick layer of mud. My foot sunk in a few inches, some of the mud soaking through my running shoes instantly. Holding up my weight with my arms, I reached my other foot down and then finally stood up. Or rather, I tried to stand up. The mud was thicker than I realized under my left foot and I started to slip and slide as soon as both feet were supporting me. Time went in slow motion then as I flailed, trying to stop my falling, only to land on my hands and knees in the muck. I put on a brave face, though it was mostly for Shannon's sake, and tried to stand up and make my way to the other girls. The sound of the suction of the mud as I moved was like a constant and annoying reminder of my failure.

  “Clearly we need to push you,” Kate said once I was back with the others. “You can throw the stick and get the rope again, and then we’ll push you so you land on the platform and can send the rope back.”

  The girls around me jumped a little, clapped, or just flashed me big grins to know they were behind me. So, with clumps of mud still dripping off my legs, I stood on the log and threw a new stick. Much like the last one it caused the rope to swing back to me so I could grab it easily. But this time, as I put my foot in the loop, the girls around me held onto me so I would stay in place. I didn’t know the names of all of the girls, but in that moment it didn’t matter. We were working together to solve the Peanut Butter Pit, and we could only do that as a team.

  “Okay,” Corral called out. “3….2….1!”

  On one everyone pushed and I flew out and across the mud much faster than the first time. My body spun in a circle, and for a second I was sure I was going to end up back in the mud. But, just in time, I spotted the platform and dropped down onto it. As both feet landed in place, I held tight onto the rope and turned to see all the girls cheering. Even Bailey had a grin on her face.

  “Now send it back over,” Halley called, giving me a massive smile while also holding two thumbs up.

  I sent the rope back to the others behind the log and in no time I was joined by more girls who successfully made the trip. As each new girl arrived, I would help to grab on to them and the rope until they could place their feet on the platform. Even with only 7 of us, the platform was getting smaller and smaller. I wasn’t sure we would ever be able to fit all 30 of us onto it, but as more and more girls arrived it looked like we would be forced to try.

  “Catch her! Quick!”

  I pulled my gaze up in time to see Corral flying my way. I was still near the front of the platform, so I reached out to grab her, along with the help of a few other girls. Corral had been pushed a little harder than was necessary and as her weight and force made impact, I stepped back a little to brace myself and help her. It seemed like everyone had the same idea as me, and before Corral could get both feet on the platform, I heard the telltale squish of someone landing in the mud.

  “Everyone back,” Bailey called out, confirming my horrible suspicion.

  As I climbed off the platform and had to walk back to the log, I looked behind me to see Lexi attempting to wipe some of the mud off of her shorts. I waited for her for a second so we could walk back together, both of us wearing more mud than anyone else except possibly Shannon. Even though I couldn’t talk to her in that moment, it was nice to give her moral support all the same. When we were all behind the log, I climbed up once more with another stick in my hand. But, before I could throw it a thought occurred to me.

  Turning to the other girls, I started to gesture wildly, my arms moving as fast as I could let them fly. I almost hit someone in the head with the stick I was holding until I had the sense to set it down on the log at my feet. Then, I went back to my arm motions. I was making strong arms then pointing to the platform, and then pointing up and to myself and then again to the platform.

  “You’re terrible at charades,” Halley finally laughed, clearly not understanding me at all. Everyone nodded in agreement, so I hopped off the log and walked up to Halley to try it again.

  Pointing at her I once again flexed, and then held my arms up like I was holding someone's foot. Then, I pointed to the platform. Next, I turned to Skyler and did the same three motions. I then spun in place and did the same motions for about five different girls. Finally, I turned back to Halley and pointed at myself and Lexi and a girl that I’m pretty sure was named Jade and made the silly smiling facial expressions that I always saw them do in practice. Next, I lifted my muddy leg up into a heel stretch, then dropped my leg so I could point to the platform. Then, I waite
d.

  “Hold on,” Kate said, as if everything I had just acted out was sinking in. “You’re saying the bases need to go first so then the fliers and smaller girls can go later on.”

  “And then you guys can be above us or on our backs or whatever so there’s room!” Corral added, jumping up and down a little in the excitement of figuring it out.

  I help up one finger then, attempting to tell everyone to wait. It seemed to work, since, once again, all eyes were on me. This time I had a much easier idea to explain, so I just pushed the air, then stepped to the other side of where I pushed and pretended to catch someone. A few girls looked confused but Kate seemed to understand right away.

  “We need people to catch girls on the platform but also people to push the whole time,” she translated out loud. “So we need to make sure we don’t send over all the bases at the beginning and leave girls that might not be able to push as hard. But we also don’t want to send all small girls first and not have people to catch anyone.”

  Once Kate was done, I shrugged. I didn’t know how to fix this one, and even if I did it would likely take forever for me to explain it to everyone with my terrible charades skills. Instead Halley took over leading the plan.

  “Okay, everyone, move back,” she called out. “I’m going to put everyone in order so we can have enough strong people at the end to push smaller people, but still have people to catch everyone. Corral, you go first, and then I’ll come over next.”

  I watched with a grin as Halley went one by one and put us in order. She would tell someone where to stand, making sure that they had enough people to get them across, as well as enough people to catch them. Occasionally, she would call out for someone or trade spots after making someone stand at one place or another. But she was focused. It only took a few minutes to have all of us in a line, with me about five girls from the end. However, Halley quickly called me to the front.

  “Max, get us started,” Halley smiled, handing me the stick I had picked up before my charades. With a grin in reply I climbed up onto the log and tossed the stick towards the rope yet again.

  “Alright Shay, you can do it!” Halley encouraged while holding out her arms to show that she was ready to catch the last girl not on the platform.

  Shay took a massive leap off the log and began swinging over the mud. From my seat on Kami's shoulders, I watched as Shay got closer and closer to us. She wasn’t the biggest or the smallest girl on our team, but after almost falling when the last girl Erin had made it onto the platform, I was certain we were all going to fall. As Shay’s body slammed into Halley and the rest of us we all held tight to one another. With my eyes squeezed shut, I held my breath and waited for the sound of a body or even just feet hitting the mud.

  “Great job ladies,” Bailey called to us. “You did it!”

  Instantly we all began cheering, jumping, screaming, moving, and then falling! We were so excited that we had completed the station we no longer cared about the platform or the mud all around us. I felt Kami stepping off of the platform and just did my best to get my body turned around so I wouldn’t land on her. I managed to succeed, my feet sinking in the mud next to her before I rolled forward, my whole body becoming covered in the thick dark soup all around me. But this time it was different. This time getting muddy was wonderful, since it meant we had done it. We worked together and all made it to the platform. Although, I realized as I was sitting up, in celebrating the accomplishment, all of the girls had mud all over their uniforms and bodies. No wonder we were told to pack all of our practice uniforms when we prepared for the weekend!

  “Awesome job Max,” Halley told me, flinging herself into the mud next to me to give me a hug.

  “Are you kidding me?” I laughed, hugging her back automatically. “You getting everyone in line at the end is totally what saved us!”

  “The important thing is that we did it!” Kate interrupted us. “Although I think the real point was to stay out of the mud.”

  “Oops,” Halley and I said at the same time, then instantly started laughing again.

  Once we all finally pulled ourselves out of the mud, Bailey let us know that we were good to head off to the next team building activity on our list. Knowing we couldn’t do much more while covered in the quickly drying mud, we headed to the bathrooms where there happened to also be a pump spigot outside. We took turns trying to wash all of the mud off of our bodies, and also enjoyed a bit of a water fight. It was clear the excitement of conquering the Peanut Butter Pit was still not quite gone.

  The rest of the afternoon at the teamwork camp was spent on a variety of challenges. First, we had to get our team from one point to another on a low series of ropes set up between a bunch of trees. Next, we had to direct one another through a maze while blindfolded. And then, we had to get our team through a web of ropes, only sending one person at a time through each of the holes made by the twists and tangles. I had a feeling that a lot of these challenges would have been harder to accomplish if we had done them as our first activity. But, after the success on the first stop of the day, we were a well-oiled machine that worked great together.

  “Today was fun,” I told Lexi as we sat in the grass near the bus waiting for the other teams to meet us for our departure.

  “Fun enough to stay?” She asked me, a sudden seriousness to her tone.

  “I think so,” I said honestly.

  “Good enough for me.”

  Lexi started asking me about movies then, trying to figure out if I had seen her favorites or not, and the conversation was quickly overheard by Corral. She joined in and before I knew it, both Brit and Kami were also in on it. Kami seemed to have the same taste in movies that I did, and Corral knew every actor by name even when we could barely remember the name of the movie, so it was fun to hang out without thinking about cheer for at least a while. That was the biggest reason I was thinking about giving the gym a shot still. Sure, the stunts and tumbling were fun, but the people I was getting to know were not as one dimensional as I originally thought. If I could just stay away from people like Leanne, or figure out a way to get on her good side, then the good and bad would more or less even out.

  By the time we were instructed to load into the bus along with another squad, I was so engrossed in my conversation about movies and TV shows I almost didn’t notice how different the gym looked as we pulled up. The second the bus came to a stop to drop us, everyone stared in shock out the bus windows. The parking lot was filled with carnival booths, their brightly painted signs announcing things like ‘Ring Toss,’ ‘Cotton Candy,’ ‘Photo Booth,’ and ‘Popcorn,’ to name a few. There was also a massive group of bounce house style toys set up at one end of the blacktop, as well what looked like a big inflatable jousting station.

  “Does this happen every year?” I asked as we all began to exit the bus as quickly as we could.

  “Not even close,” Lexi said with a dazed expression.

  I spent the next few minutes walking around with Lexi in shock. It was crazy to see all of the booths and games set up. I noticed there was a lot of food, and realized that this was likely both our dinner as well as our evening activity. It was fine by me, since the nachos and pizza and pretzels all sounded perfect. Lexi and I grabbed as much as we could carry as we kept walking to see what else was set up around the parking lot. After walking by a few more games and even an airbrush and face painting booth, I was shocked when I turned the corner and saw my dad standing at a booth! It was the one where people could stand at a line and toss mini basketballs into a hoop that was a few feet away. There was a netting between the hoop and where the balls were stored, allowing them to roll back after each shot. I took all of it in, then quickly handed all of my snacks to Lexi so I could give my dad a hug.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, much more excited to see my dad than I thought I would be.

  “Helping at the carnival,” he grinned. “It was so hard not to tell you about it Thursday when you told me you didn’t wa
nt to come to camp, but I was sworn to secrecy. If you didn’t come this weekend, then the coaches would have had to find someone else to man my booth.”

  “And the truth comes out at last!” I laughed, finally taking my snacks back from Lexi who was struggling to hold on to all of them. “Oh, Dad, this is Lexi. Lexi, this is my dad.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Lexi said taking my dad’s outstretched hand and giving it a very formal shake. “I remember seeing you at the open gym.”

  “Nice to officially meet you.” As he took his hand back, my dad turned back to me with a question. “So how’s camp going?”

  “Really good,” I assured him. “We went to this team building thing today and it was awesome. And we learned the rest of the transitions for our routine so at the showcase tomorrow we get to do everything pretty much full out.”

  “I’m not sure what all that means,” my dad said with a shake of his head. “But I’m glad to see you having a good time. Did you know you have mud on your face though?”

  Lexi and I quickly told my dad about the time we had at the Peanut Butter Pit. It was fun to explain all of it to him and see his reactions to our team figuring everything out. It also gave us a chance to eat the snacks we had picked up. So, Lexi and I took turns snacking between telling my dad about the whole day full of various team building activities. By the time we were finished, he was grinning and couldn’t help but pull me into another hug.

  “What was that for?” I asked, pulling back after returning his long and tight hug.

  “You did something you weren't comfortable or confident about and instead of just making it through, you really pushed yourself and got involved,” he said, his eyes suddenly glassy with emotions. “Your mother would be so proud.”

  I stepped forward again and gave my dad another big hug. For a second I was worried Lexi would feel awkward with the emotional state both myself and my dad were in, but when I glanced her way I saw she was also tearing up. Turning from my dad, I gave her a quick hug as well, blinking quickly to keep my tears in my eyes. I didn’t want anyone else who was wandering past us to see me cry. It was bad enough getting emotional around Lexi yet again.