Starting Position

Chapter 17

The inside of the bus rattled as it raced towards our away track meet. We were headed over the mountain range today, a rather great feat for the old bus. The roads had started to narrow and curve as we climbed; large chunks were removed from the pavement causing the bus to bounce wildly. I was sitting in the front row, having arrived late with limited seating options. From my vantage point, I had a very clear view of the bus driver. I knew him only as Al; he had been driving for near on twenty years, according to legend. His hands gripped the wheel loosely, a determined look settled onto his worn face, while his eyes roamed around the exterior attentively. It was as though he fathomed himself an outdoor guide in an African Safari, driving his vehicle through uncertain quests in the wilderness.

Julia was not on the bus. Her family decided to drive to the campus instead, wanting to turn the trip into an excuse to stay at a mountain resort and go skiing the following day. Julia did not protest and instead caught me in a campus hallway and eagerly relayed the information. She claimed her parents were only truly bearable when the they were skiing - apart from when they weren't sleeping, that was.

While many others were on the bus, I didn't speak to anyone. The exception to this had always been Julia. Without her, I was alone. Though this wasn't a problem; I had never been lonely with the company of my own mind. I actually preferred it that way. I was comfortable with my thoughts, and, in the instance that they became too much, I was quite skilled at pushing them away.

Right now, being alone was easy. Thick groves of evergreen trees flitted by the windows. They stood tall and mighty, their branches intertwined into a wall of green. The brush was barren beneath them, and the snow in their needles shimmered in the sunlight. As we scaled the winding pass, the giant mountain peaks grew nearer, and with them, the increasing feeling of being tiny and insignificant. The mountains too shown like while, glistening beacons, inviting us to them and casting us in their shadows. It was peaceful. The vast wilderness of a mountain range put me peace.

Though I could have enjoyed the views forever, the bus eventually made its way to the college campus. All of the us climbed out, shivering as we did so, as the climate was much colder nestled this side of the range. We then walked inside the college's athletic complex. We were to be holding the meet indoors considering the freezing temperatures outside and the threat of sleet in the near future. Al - in all his presumed wild endeavors - must have been smart enough to pack chains. 

The athletic complex was huge. While all colleges at the Junior Level had the option of maintaining an indoor track, not all did, such CGC. This college, however, had one of the nicest ones I had seen.

The ceilings of the complex were cast high; bright fluorescent lights clearly illuminated everything below. The track itself was well kept; it looked almost brand new. Six lanes striped in red and black circled the turf in the center. Ample standing room and seating was available, and the far-left side of the wall was open with windows, letting in necessary natural light. The campus had obviously invested a significant amount into the track team, and I was suddenly under the impression that we would be suffering another loss today.

"How're you feeling, Mitchell?" Rodriguez asked me while I was stretching. Julia had found me when we entered and was warming up beside me.

"Like usual," I said truthfully.

Rodriguez eyed me carefully. Something was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it, wishing me good luck instead.

The meet started and I casually watched the races. We weren't doing well; no one yet had received first place in any event, or even second for that matter, but we were doing better than last time. Nelson was still glowering, but less severely than normal. His arms were only crossed three quarters of the time. It was an improvement.