Stargazer - Segregation

Chapter Eight - Fluctuate

"And why do you have this?" Michael crosses his arms.

"Well. Just imagine it like this: you are writing a test. You know you can do it because you studied a lot, right? But what if you get excited or nervous about it and suddenly blackout? Yeah, this system helps you to keep calm, think straight, and act right," explains Mayumi.

"Ah, I see, so it's pretty much like a pulse control system?" asks Galina.

"Pretty much yeah," Logan says. "But let's start now, shall we? The first thing you have to do is run around this room at walking speed. We will be calling you when to stop."

All three take out their notepad. Mayumi takes them for Galina, Logan for Michael, and Darryl for Henry. This way, they can be trained individually, meaning if someone has a specific weakness, they can work on it. The rest doesn't have to take a step back just because someone cannot move forward.

The time is short, but they will do whatever they can. In about three months maximum, they have to be ready.

Riley lurks from behind with one eye to watch the people at work.

"What are you doing here?"

She panics for a small second and looks at him.

"Jesus, Wylie. Look, I am watching the newbies. Henry looks like he needs a rest after two rounds," she laughs with a shabby voice.

"We got more important things to do, Riley. Watching them is not—"He interrupts his sentence to take a small look. Somehow his curiosity got him. He continues, "look at Michael. He blazes through with ease."

"Galina too. She seems very good."

Henry moans from exhaustion. He interrupts his running to calm down and gasps for air.

"Come on, continue running!" Michael talks to him as he passes by.

"No, shut up!" he answers with his last breath.

"Henry!" Darryl raises his voice, then lowers it. "Continue."

With his last portion of energy, he tries one more time. But, after two minutes, he has to sit down in exhaustion. He can't continue like this. Many thoughts run through his head as he lies down on the ground with both arms stretched out. One, if this was the right decision for him and the other when the training would end. For him, the half-hour felt like more than a decade.

"So, this would be the warm-up," Logan says with a slightly higher voice on end. "You're going to do this now every morning and every evening."

Michael kneels and puts his hand on Henry's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "You are so going to be dead tomorrow, mate," he laughs diabolic.

"Let's move on to the next, shall we? Everyone walks to one separate device and start working out for about an hour," reads Mayumi.

Henry decides to go for the bench press today. He seems very confident, lifting the small weights at least. With pure determination all over his face, Henry starts to work out. The forty-four pounds are hefty, so heavy he cannot correctly lift them and falls off to the side. With his right side of his face, he falls on the bar from the weight lifts.

"I am not made for this," he states with a discouraging voice laying in his bed with an ice pack on his head.

Michael tries to cheer him up a bit. "Keep working. You need to stay focused and repeat until you can do it with ease."

"Yeah, but it will take much longer than for you."

"Maybe, but who knows? Maybe you are much better at something else, you know. So don't be upset and keep going. You can't expect any results from just a day."