Fragments

Move

"Even a rock moves on."

"I still don't understand how you can do that," Serena frowns from above me. I'm bent at an awkward angle, fingertips resting on my toes. Straightening up, I arch my back, flexing my arms. The air is frozen, meaning it'll take longer for me to warm up.

"Do what?" I ask. When I speak little puffs of air escape my mouth, leaving cloudy white curves suspended inches from my face. It reminds me of playground games; pretending to be a dragon on cold winter mornings.

"That," Serena shudders as I pick up my leg and twist it into an uncomfortable looking pose, though it may just be from the cold. She's bundled up into Sammy's blue parka, which she no doubt bribed off of him with chocolate. I just shrug, rolling back my shoulders and jogging on the spot.

The park is quiet, which is how I expected it to be on the very definition of a wintry Sunday morning. The normally lush green grass is tinted white with frost, and the trees are shrouded in mist. Music spills out from Serena's earphones, which she grips tightly in her pink knuckles whilst she's talking to me.

"Remind me again," She complains, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears. The many silver piercings lining her ear contrast the red tips, glinting dully in the grey light. "Exactly what I'm doing here? I could be doing any number of more important things,"

"What are we doing?" Sammy chimes in suddenly. He's been fiddling with his phone for the past few minutes.

"You are both being wonderful friends. And that's the important thing," I smile at them, laughing when they give me identical sarcastic smiles in return. "Now which of my glamorous assistants will be timing me?"

"That would be me," Sammy groans, waving his phone in my direction. He tugs his scarf tighter around his neck, casting a baleful look over at his coat wrapped around Serena's shoulders. "Let's get this over with."

I head over to the 'start line' we constructed: a water bottle and a pair of earmuffs set several meters apart.

"Twice round, right?" I double check, taking my place.

"Twice, yeah. Listen Josie, I get that you want to be the best, but isn't this a little extreme?" Serena raises her eyebrows at me so that they disappear under her fringe, and I offer her a reassuring smile.

"Seriously, don't worry. It's no more than what anyone else is doing," I assure her, looking to Sammy for help. He just shakes his shaggy hair and pushes his glasses further up his nose whilst clearing his throat nervously. He hates contradicting Serena. He hates contradicting anybody. I just sigh and roll my eyes, positioning my feet. "Whatever, just be ready with the water," I tell him, adding a smile to hide the frustration I feel. My legs are itching to be moving now, the coldness beginning to seep through my thermals. I need to start moving, soon.

"Okay. On three," Sammy says distractedly, messing about with the timer on his phone. "One...two...three!"

Immediately I break into a run. I'm pacing myself, but I'm going faster than most people sprint. I train every day now, exercising my legs, making them stronger, building up the stamina needed for long distance. But despite all of this, I'm the worst on the track team. I suppose allowances can be made, seeing as I'm the youngest. There are five of us, and I'm the only year eight. The rest are all in years ten or eleven, all much faster and stronger. It's pretty embarrassing.

I pound my feet into the pavement: a steady one-two, one-two beat in time with my heart. All the running analogies I've ever heard liken it to a thud; but for me it is something more. Running is the hum of footsteps - a spring; a contraction; a push and a pull of rippling muscles. When I run I feel effortless, weightless, fearless.

Or maybe I just feel less full stop. Less than the sum of my parts: less than a mismatch of flaws and feelings and thoughts. Doing what my body was made for.

I'd run until I physically couldn't, but I've never reached that boundary before. So instead I run twice round, settling to a stop where Sammy hands me my water, just as promised.

And I make my own promise. One day, I will be the best. No matter how hard I have to push.

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a/n - hey guys long time no see

so this is my grand return to the stage (of fragments?)

anyway hope you enjoyed, and next chapters should be up soon x