Reclaimer: The Crucible (Legacy of a Dying World Book 1) by Waldo Rodriguez

Author:Waldo Rodriguez [Rodriguez, Waldo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Void Works Press
Published: 2021-01-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Over and over again they ran the obstacle course just as Townsend said they would. Each completed run was rewarded with cold water and a few minutes of rest. The faster they cleared the course, the longer their breaks were before the next run. A great incentive as the sun climbed to its apex and descended toward the horizon.

Gabriel dropped to the sand after clearing the last tower. His legs buckled as he collapsed to a knee with ragged breaths. The exhausted recruit forced himself to stand as he ran on wobbling legs to the finish line with others straggling behind.

“I hope this is the last one,” Sarah whined on his back. Her poor arms scraped up and bruised from failed landings and other close calls.

“Come on, Gabriel. Little further,” Reylan said as he caught up to him, short of breath just as Gabriel was.

He nodded in response to both of them with half lidded eyes and mouth hanging open.

With a pat on his back, Reylan pulled ahead only to lose his footing. He slammed face first into the sand. Gabriel tried to reach for him, but in his exhaustion, he joined Reylan in the sand. Sarah rolled off his back with a cry of pain.

He looked up at the recruits who had finished before them, so close yet so far. All of them exhausted from the day’s training but still on their feet.

The timer on his arm flashed online, counting down from one minute.

Gabriel shook Reylan by the shoulder. “Almost there. Just a little more,” he wheezed and dragged his body across the sand toward Sarah.

“Don’t worry about me, Gabriel. I can do this at least.” She smiled and dragged herself across the finish line with no trouble at all. A perk of being carried around all day.

Gabriel and Reylan dragged themselves across the finish line with seconds to spare.

Sergei, the giant, trundled after them crashing to a sliding stop on his knees. His fists flung up in the air with a victorious cry before he dropped onto his back, hands limp on his rising and falling chest.

Nicole rushed over to Gabriel and pulled him to his feet. “Still alive?”

“I think so,” he answered with deep breaths. “But please let that—let that be the last run please.”

“You did great out there,” she beamed. “Really. I’m impressed, slacker.”

Gabriel laughed into a wince, lungs aching from how much they were used and abused throughout the day.

“Listen up, recruits,” Jensen barked over the crowd.

Townsend took to the front. “Outstanding work out there, recruits, especially you, Rivera. I thought you would’ve abandoned Cooper or gotten yourself killed dragging her around all day.”

“Yeah me too,” Reylan laughed as he crawled to his feet beside him.

“As for the rest of you, you’ll be pleased to know we’ve only lost fifteen of you today. Ten disqualifications and five casualties.” She clapped her hands. “That’s good. That’s real good for your first time pushing this hard.”

Townsend gestured for the medic to hand out drinks to the exhausted recruits.

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