Sky Jump

by Anastasia Bolinder

  I felt like a fish among a large catch on a dock as the students moved and worked to cram into Mr. Sheplar’s room all at once. The noise was nearly deafening when finally, a shrill whistle sounded.

  “We do not have time to waste, line up!” Mr. Sheplar’s voice had an edge of sweltering iron today.

  Rushing, we all moved until Alissa and I could see into the room and realized that up above and all along the celling were tunnels and ropes and below standing blocks so that as many as eight at a time could go and never once interfere with one another.

  Gaping up, I was about to turn to Alissa when a wave caught my eye, looking over I found Keten trying to get my attention. Smiling, I mouthed, “hi,” with a slight wave as Mr. Sheplar started marching in front of his students.

  “Listen up,” he said.

  Looking at my surroundings, I saw Delphine watching over the group of older students and wondered why she was here.

  Alissa had given me a side glance twice with a cheesy smiley, but I ignored her as Mr. Sheplar turned. For once his voice was not even slightly held back as he eyed us as if we were prison inmates.

  “Today you will have one chance to get your grade. Though the grade in class will decide factors of life, if you fail here and face something like this in the outside world, you are sure to face much harsher consequences then what grade I give you,” he let the words hang in the air as if nooses awaiting each of us who might fail.

  Glancing up at the rope course above I felt my stomach give a slight lurch. Internally I spoke calming words and the fact that I had been sleeping up in a hammock for nearly a week without too much trouble gave me hope. Even if I still felt a lingering worry.

  “In addition to your test, the best girl and boy’s time will get the opportunity to face Delphine after classes this afternoon and if you defeat Delphine you will be given your grade with full marks immediately.” He said and then glanced around as a few of the boys shrugged and whispered that if they got a good grade anyway what would it matter as Mr. Sheplar finished, “For all of your class’s for this semester.” The gasp that passed around the group was as real as my eyes widening.

  Yet as the crowd whispered I looked up and felt very unconfident that I would survive a fast go through.

  With that in mind I was already past the idea, though Alissa looked to me hopefully with awe in her eyes, even making a point of glancing to the SkyJumping wall.

  “Now we are going to go down the line and you all have exactly ten minutes to get through the test or you will have a failing grade.” Mr. Sheplar said making the students hush.

  Glancing to Keten, he smiled cocking his brow at me when a boy next to him nodded to me and seemed to snicker. Keten seemed to say something back to him and the boy looked away from him or me.

  I wished I could know what he said but everything was moving so fast as Mr. Sheplar nodded to his advanced students who we would be fighting again as they went to circles and then turned back to the class.

  “Now we are going to go down the line. First eight from the door go to your places quickly. When they are finished, the next be ready to go.” He said and with a start the students went for the circles quickly and the air seemed as vibrant as when laced with lightning.

  Glancing to the side I saw that only four people were beyond Alissa so we would be in the next group as I glanced back and realized with a smile that I would be fighting Keten again! Which was daunting and soothing and with a yell the participants began fighting their older opponents.

  After last weeks training we were all still rough at our fighting skills but had become smoother then the square wheels we started as.

  Students held their breath and awed when a punch landed on an advanced student. Finally, one of the eight got out of the ring after knocking his opponent down which was what we were taught to move to the next part of the test during our week of training.

  The one student started the ascent on the SkyJump wall, my fingers felt twitchy as if knowing they wanted to race up the wall as fast as they could and for today I considered I might use my speed.

  Coming out of my thinking fuzz I realized the one in the lead was now being followed by one of the burly boys who had raced up the wall when we first started training, they were in the tunnels and now were swaying as I felt my mind prickle and my body shiver.

  “You okay?” Alissa asked from my side and I glanced over as she lightly touched my arm.

  I nodded and took a quite terribly hard gulp.

  “Yeah, just freaking out, but ok.” I said with a shaky breath.

  Alissa nodded with a nervous laugh of her own and smiled,

  “Hey, at least if you lose I would bet Keten will for sure give you a consolation kiss.” She said and my face turned a deep red as I looked to Keten who again was looking over at me and for once I wished he would stop as I felt I could melt to the floor.

  “Finished!” One boy yelled and we all looked to see as the boy triumphantly climbed down the pillar that was set out to jump to.

  My stomach knotted as the rest finally made their way through, while I had been close to combusting, one boy had fallen and was incredibly annoyed about losing his chance to face Delphine as well as his failing grade. While another girl had gotten stuck fighting too long and was about to jump when Mr. Sheplar called time and she had to come down.

  “Next.” He said and everyone started to move and by some miracle my feet moved me.

  I dropped my bag and headed for the circle Keten stood in as I wished Alissa luck and she wished me the same. I realized Alissa was right as I stepped into his circle, Keten was a nice consolation prize, but just the very idea of his kiss made me both blush involuntarily and look away from him as I stepped into the circle.

  “You’ll do great.” Keten said and I looked up as he gave me a thumbs up and nodded with his dimple showing as if to give me luck.

  “Wait.” Mr. Sheplar’s voice called and quickly he came over and nodded to me,

  “Switch with Miss Depsey, Miss Deshion.” He said and motioned to the other circle.

  Alissa and I both looked to one another and Keten seemed stunned as well, we had practiced together all last week and he never had a problem with us being together.

  “Now!” He called and both Alissa and I switched places as if the ground were hot embers.

  Passing Mr. Sheplar, he said something below his breath but it held in my mind,

  “The secret to class,” As if on a record that came to life in my ears I heard the Skyjump’s defense.

  “The height is easy; the climb is hard, the thought is consuming. The jump; is soul.”

  Looking to him, he seemed to nod only slightly to me as if acknowledging the fact. I caught what he said before I turned to my opponent who was a large looking boy who’s hands could easily crush my wrists.

  As everyone got into position I went over the secret and knew I needed it if Mr. Sheplar had hinted at it, though I only knew one of the meanings.

  “The height is easy,” I questioned yet it felt daunting.

  “Begin!” Mr. Sheplar called and as if on cue the boy who was definitely nothing like Keten, charged like a bull out of a gate.

  Eyes wide, I felt my body move but seemed stiff as my legs were caught and I tumbled to the ground with my cheek banging on the hard floor.

  “Aw!” I yelped and intensively kicked at the boy who held my waist.

  “The height is easy.” replayed in my mind and I felt crazy to think it mattered now as I struggled simply to not feel I was going to lose my grade before I even had the chance to claim it.

  Looking to the wall I realized I needed to make it my priority. As long as the opponent is on the ground and I make it out without him touching, I could keep going.

  Suddenly, as if hit by lightning, I remembered the alligator roll Keten had taught me and how his face had made me laugh as he had rolled around on the ground and had me get free from him with it.

  Shoving myself to the side I froze an
d my opponent hesitated for one split second as I realized he was going to be slow and lumbering. I could slip from his grasp! With one slip and then a daring roll I was out from under him without even trying as I hit something and heard the crowd still.

  Opening my eyes, I turned to look around and jumped to my feet when Mr. Sheplar looked at me and the rest of the students when one boy finally motioned in the crowd, “GO!” and for the first time I realized I was the first out of fighting.

  Mr. Sheplar raised his eyebrows and nodded to me with a stern look that told me to get going.

  Jumping to my feet I turned to find the SkyJumping wall before me.

  Looking up, I held nothing back and started up as I wanted to get a good grade and run as a SkyJump before the midterm formal!

  My finger moved up the wall and again the crowd of students hushed as I looked up and thankfully stopped the moment before my head slammed into the ceiling. I turned and reached for the tunnel which was my mistake because I involuntarily looked down and my vision swayed.

  In a rush, I moved for the tunnel, my leg slipped and I dangled in midair, my legs losing their hold on the wall at my foolhardy move.

  The room held their breath and shouted and I felt my arms as stiff as iron bars hold to the rope as I closed my eyes and felt my mind swirling with no thought of time or even the test, just the stiffening fear.

  “The height is easy, the climb is hard.”

  My eyes snapped open, could the climb not only mean the wall but the tunnel?

  Mustering every ounce of courage I possessed, I grimaced and made my arms pull me up and into the tunnel as images of it catching fire held in my mind. I was going to fall.

  Yet words rang in my ears of my father,

  “You will meet hurdles you fear Quil, but you must know they are not road blocks but stepping stones that you can and will be able to jump and overcome.”

  Setting my jaw, I moved into it with deliberate motions and just as I got to the middle my mind caught that it was going up in cinders.

  I moved my hand to the right rope in the tunnel and heard the snapping sing of the rope as smoke caught my nose and I felt the dropping motion jar me into a statue like state as I heard noise but felt frozen.

  I can’t move, I am going to fall and it will all be over. I. Can’t. Do it!

  “The thought is consuming.”

  My lips parted and I felt my hands loosen slightly on the rope and I began to slip, but not before I gripped harder. Looking forward, instead of down, my jaw was so firmly held it ached.

  I had to make it.

  Swaying back and forth I moved slowly, but the rope and my movements became fast enough the trapeze dangled before me enticing me to jump. I suddenly realized I was easily close to finishing the test!

  Swinging forward, I was ready to jump as the trapeze was where it needed to be when the last words of the SkyJump poem entered my mind.

  “The jump; is soul.”

  Swaying awkwardly as I firmed my grip and hesitated, I nearly fell as gasps and moans called out. I scolded myself for coming this far and nearly forgetting something I had learned.

  Quickly getting back into a rhythm I swung out and when I felt with my heart I should jump I flung myself forward. Watching the trapeze hang above me I feared, but with a lunge my fingers grasped the metal and opening my eyes my arms burned in a fantastic way!

  Looking up with a smile I swayed and with a hearty pump of my legs I was moving back.

  Glancing to the podium I needed to reach, I smiled and felt a fire that I had not felt before. With confidence I had not felt, I swung out and let go of the trapeze a bit soon to land dead center but far enough from the edge, I rolled once and came up into a kneeling position.

  Taking a breath as I knelt on the block I shook and smiled knowing I had made it as I started to laugh, with my hair out of the tail I had put it in.

  “Miss Deshion, you may come down.”

  Mr. Sheplar’s voice surprised me when I looked up and found the students cheer at his words and noticing that every other student had just made it to the tunnel made my heart race. With a grin as I stood up and smiled, catching a wide grin from Keten and he mouthed a very pleased,

  “I told you so.”

  In that moment I felt proud again of who I was and knew in my next letter to my father, he could be proud of his little girl, too.

  Chapter 22

  “When given the chance to win, take it.”

  After coming off the block I had watched the other competitors as Alissa finally took the lead and jumped to be the second student to finish out of the eight.

  I had shouted for her as she smiled and raced over to me but I still felt slightly light headed as if it had to be a dream I stood in, not reality.

  “YOU DID IT!” Alissa said as she hugged me and we both slightly hopped around.

  “I did but so did you! That was a great jump!” I said nodding as we stood back and watched the others racing to finish.

  Alissa nodded and motioned to me,

  “It was only because at the last minute I thought about the poem and realized I needed to jump at just the right moment,” she said and I nodded understanding completely.

  For the rest of the class I felt so in a daze that I seemingly just smiled at Keten as he took on more competitors and felt taken back. All I had to do now was get a good grade in English and math and I was home free!

  I could already feel the strings of my guitar under my grasp and the sweet melody of the SkyJumps filling my ears.

  “Class is dismissed.” Mr. Sheplar finally said as the last group finished.

  The students were both in the best and worst moods depending on how well they did. I, for one, was half out of it as Alissa talked about having to make sure we all did something fun tonight, maybe even check and see if the dress shop had opened early.

  I desperately wanted to go play my guitar or run as a SkyJump beast after that thrill, but knowing I would have to wait until tomorrow still felt too long.

  “Equila!” Keten’s voice pulled me so quickly out of thought as we had been gathering our things to move with the mass out the door.

  Smiling, I honestly wanted to run into his arms and have him swing me around like we were in some movie, but scolding myself I realized that might be slightly closer than we had become.

  “You did fantastic!” Keten said as before I could even say a word he grabbed me around the waist and swung me around.

  I was glad to be wrong about things as my laughter filled the air while I held onto Keten’s neck. When I had landed back on the ground my mind was still flying as we held one another almost in a dancing position. I looked up to Keten and though I was sure Alissa watched us in this moment I did not care one bit if she saw the way I smiled at him.

  Tilting his head, Keten considered my lips and I bit mine in hopes I could hide how happy his dimple made me as I smiled waiting for him to lean in just an inch closer.

  “Equila!” The voice took me away from my happy moment so quickly my lips nearly fell in a frown.

  Looking around Keten I found Mr. Sheplar motioning to me,

  “A word,” he said commandingly as he then turned and nodded to Delphine who called after a boy who was leaving.

  Letting out a soft sigh, I felt destroyed that a perfect moment had just seemingly been intruded. Then again Quil, did you really just consider kissing Keten before he even made a move?

  Sighing, I decided now coming back to my normal state of mind I needed to go to Mr. Sheplar before he yelled again.

  “Hey, no looking glum.” Keten said happily and held my arms lightly.

  I looked up to his face as he searched to see mine.

  “Alright, but only for you.” I breathed.

  He smiled and nodded as he started to walk away,

  “Good but keep it for yourself too, you deserve it!” He said entering the horde of people leaving.

  Before I could say more, I was also waving to Alissa who gave a v
ery satisfied smile that I knew would mean her talking all about how I acted with Keten later.

  When I turned to walk over to Mr. Sheplar I found he was already to me and looking at me sternly. I gulped down a sudden fear that he was going to somehow throw me from class or take away my grade.

  “Yes, Mr. Sheplar?” I asked looking to him.

  His expression lightened and he nodded to me and his roster before himself.

  “You passed this class,” he said and looked to me, I let a sigh escape my lips before he was finished, “And you are to face Delphine after your classes today.” He let the words slide so easily as he started to mend the tunnels above with his magic that for a full five seconds my mouth hung open and I was a frozen statue.

  “What?” I asked disbelieving, my mind was working to comprehend and I shuffled my legs to follow after him.

  As if completely passed the subject he stopped and turned to me.

  “Was it chance you made it through the test or did the secret come in handy?” He asked folding his burly arms.

  I was caught off guard by his question, moving my lips and blinking I finally got an answer passed my lips.

  “Yes, the secret did help.” I said and nodded to him.

  Watching me, he tilted his head.

  “So what does it all mean?” He asked.

  Realizing this was again almost a half test even if not on a grade I felt I wanted to prove I could pass it.

  Collecting my thoughts about what had happened, I looked to the ground and then back to him.

  “The height is easy, I still don’t understand but the rest I think I do.” I said and started speaking as he waited, “The climb is hard not only on the wall but in the tunnel and even hanging.” I said and he watched me as I gulped down another lump in my throat.

  “Yes?” He asked waiting for me to continue.

  “The thought is consuming because like on the rope or even before I had my whole-body freeze, just thinking about the poem helped me move past the thoughts and I already told you about the jump.” I said and looked up to him feeling pretty well off missing only one.