How to Become a Henchman, A Novel: The Henchman's Survival Guide by J Bennett

Author:J Bennett [Bennett, J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Just moisturizer every night and eight hours of sleep. Fighting for justice is the only anti-aging intervention I need.

Beacon, Interview with Reena Masterson

The trail winds gently through the forest. My legs warm with each step, and I fall into a comfortable gait, only hampered by the canteen banging against my leg. The protein bar is safely stored down the front of my sports bra.

The Band on my wrist emits a small holo-screen that switches between the stopwatch and a number: 0.

What does the number mean? Is it a score? Even as I pon this, my ears and eyes strain to catch any signs of danger. The producers could have concocted just about anything out here. Will some robo-demon come bursting out of the woods?

“They don’t have the budget for that,” I mutter to myself.

I hear only the sounds of my shoes thudding on the trail, the steady whoosh of my breath. A glint in the trees makes me tense in anticipation, but it’s only a cam strapped to a limb, partially concealed by the leaves.

You are always being watched, I remind myself, and make sure my game face is still on. Stoic, I chant silently. Show them you are strong, fearless, and smart. You are the everyday girl hero… er, henchman.

The path takes me down a steep embankment. I think of Lysee and her tall boots as I scramble among clods of rock and dirt. Just past the embankment, I encounter the first obstacle. A short wall, around hip height, sits squarely in the middle of the path. Its mottled gray color and flaky exterior clearly show that it was 3D printed from one of those cheapo cartridges of rough, recycled plastic.

I could simply go around the wall, but I know that’s not the point. Without breaking my stride, I plant my hands on top of the wall and swing my legs over.

My Band vibrates. The number 0 changes to 1.

It is a point system. My mind works through the possibilities as I jog forward down the path. Do we get extra points for clearing the obstacle on the first try? What would have happened if I’d tried to go around the wall? Does the point tally change based on how well we get through the obstacles?

I don’t even have time to guess at answers before another wall stands in my path. This one rises noticeably taller than the first, reaching just above my head. I pause this time to study it and then look around, noting the small cam affixed to a nearby tree limb. There’s prob a cam at each obstacle to record our triumphs and our highly amusing flops.

No viral fail here, I think to the cam.

I tilt my chin up, smile a little, and then run at the wall. Planting my steps purposefully, I reach the wall, leap, and grasp the edge. Using my momentum, I swing my leg up and over. I dangle like that for an uncomfortable second before I manage to shimmy my body up and over, sliding down the other side and landing, more or less steadily.

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