Free Sanctuary Falling by Pamela Foland Page B

Slowly she shuffled over to that one.
    Angela nodded in her direction, and then appeared to speak directly to Annette, “Becky managed a bad sprain, but Tina should have her fixed up in no time, so don’t worry.”
    Annette nodded back, as she sat. Rupert glanced at Annette with a strange look on his face. She brushed it off, and focused on Angela.
    “I’d like to dispel some tension and let all of you know that none of you finished the obstacle course. Anthony got the furthest, and dirtiest having reached the halfway point of the tunnel crawl before time ran out. The rest of you were right behind him on the sprint to the tunnel. That said, I must say that all of your performances leave me with a lot to consider before the next test, and that today leaves me greatly encouraged that at least one of you has what it takes to be a factor! Now so you all can relax. The next test is scheduled for exactly ten weeks from today, at nine-fifteen sharp. I would encourage each of you to avail yourself of every opportunity you have at your disposal to improve your performance for the next test. That’s all for now you are dismissed,” Angela smiled at each candidate and disappeared.
    Sinclair and Anthony disappeared shortly after that. Rupert walked up to Annette’s chair and almost said something, before he too left, via the door. Niri sat quietly next to Annette for a long while.
    “So, how do you think you did?” Niri asked eventually.
    “I don’t know, not good. I spent all my time helping Becky. I could have finished the course, but. . .”Annette closed her eyes and tried not to see her hopes darting behind yet another dark cloud. She felt tired.
    “What exactly happened?”
    “First she fell off the balance beam into the pit. So I helped her out. Then she froze on the rope bridge and I helped her across. Then I shoved her off the platform and jumped and we made up a lot of time, but maybe something in the landing strained her ankle cause it wasn’t long after that before she twisted it.”
    “You shoved her off the platform and jumped!” Niri asked, somewhat shocked.
    “I knew there had to be a suspension field, especially after she fell of the balance beam. It was only six feet down, you don’t even bother with a fall that short. I was pretty sure there would be one for the higher fall.”
    “So why did you shove her first?” Niri asked.
    “Because I didn’t think she’d jump after me and I didn’t have time to climb back up and shove her,” Annette answered.
    “Why did it matter?”
    Annette paused, now it didn’t seem to matter as much that Becky make it to the end of the course. At least if Annette had left her at the top of the platform she wouldn’t have been hurt.   Annette shook her head. “It just did, I would have wanted the help if I needed it.”
    “Okay,” Niri said, “How do you feel about lunch?”
    Annette didn’t feel   hungry, but she knew Niri. “Why, what do you have planned for afterwards?”
    Niri laughed, “Nothing much just a short run, and maybe a swim.”
    Annette flinched, Niri didn’t seem to know the meaning of the word “short” at least not when used before run or swim.   “I think I might like something to eat.”
     
    By dinner time, Annette was exhausted, tired beyond her twelve years of experience. Instead of the cafeteria, her feet found her way to her new room. She struggled with knob and opened the door wearily.   Without changing into pj’s, she collapsed into her new bunk. Her legs and arms refused to go on. Her eyelids headed the rebellion.
    “How did it go?” Annette heard Tawny’s voice through the slowly rising fog of sleep.   She tried to force her lids back open and failed.
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Chapter 3
    Wake Up Already!
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    “One-thousand-four-hundred-eighty-six bottles of beer on the wall, one thousand-four- hundred-eighty-six bottles of beer, you take one down and pass it around,