I had a period of calm after clearing the smell of animal shit out of my nose, the air now crisp and cleansing. I have just a moment to appreciate the calm until a freeze sweeps through me; starting at the feet and slowing etching up, like being lowered into an icy lake.
This wasn't supposed to happen, my intention was to head back to the Cusp, to my Third Eye, my sanctuary. Something had hijacked my route and my will.
My suspended weight gives and I plummet through the darkness and frosty air. I turn and spin by an unexplained force until this dislodged rollercoaster ride suddenly halts, my magnet body snapping into place.
As color focuses and forms images I make out the faintest flickers wavering in the distance. A ring of stones and logs could be seen encircling the center flame and I am hanging roughly thirty feet above it. I could see long cylindrical wood stakes erected from the dirt surrounding the campsite. Something to make note of when landing out of this compromising position.
If I were behind anyone's memory then it must be Andrews, this has Ron's trial written all over it. A bit more elaborate than usual, but definitely an escape trial, my least favorite.
"Fuck, well this was a bit much..." I could hear Andrew mutter groggily from where my mouth would be.
He was bound at the ankles and wrists, the binds numbing his limbs. As he turns his head I see a network of climbing gear nailed into the tree next to me. A suspension system of ropes connected a harness around his torso was tethered to the surrounding trees to distribute his weight.
"Nice touch, I look forward to eating over that warm fire by the time you make it back Pops." Andrew says with confidence.
Despite how distressing this scenario dealing with these stresses was common for us Stone boys, all thanks to the over the top extensive training and trials our father placed upon us.
Andrew starts focusing on his breathing as he starts to rotate his shoulders and wrists from the tight grip. I have seen him practice this before, he had superior skills at both escape and stealth trials because of his patience.
These tests were just as much a test of one's mind as it was their body. Andrew's ability to control the state of his mind would challenge the resolve of monks. My strengths lay with the environment and combat challenges. I could preserve in extreme circumstances, both from excruciating cold and heat.
Andrew has started making long deep stretches in his arms to reach his hands back towards his curled up feet. A clever move as Andrew always kept a knife hidden inside the heel of his boot, something even Ron didn't know. I remember when he customized it for such an instance as this. Like twicers in a swiss pocket knife, the blade was thin, flat, and a secret that only us brothers knew about.
Getting it out will still require some effort; he has to stretch enough to reach back to his boots, and the binds and boots were restricting movement back that far. As Andrew inches towards freedom I stare at the flickering flames and remember a combat challenge, one of my strengths form a few months ago...
It was roughly three years ago, before the virus did its damage and near the end of our general training. Ron had been pushing us hard through a full week training with minimal rations and few hours of sleep. I was waiting in a thicket of foliage and spotted Ron walking silently in a clearing just a few yards ahead of me. I had been watching his movements in recent competitions and had a theory of how he would use the current landscape
. I was right and finally had my chance to get the drop on him and win the trial. As I moved up getting his bald head in view, I heard a slight snap from behind me but it was too late. An arm had wrapped around my neck and disarmed me, pinning me.
"Not so fast bro, I going for the old man this time. Watch and learn." I heard Gabe whisper in my ear as he held my arm behind me pinned to the ground.
There were rules to this this fun little game of cat and mouse. If you are taken out, either by surprise or through one-on -one combat, then you are out. This was Ron's rule, if you were put in a position that would result in defeat or death then you were out of the game.
We had an unspoken rule between us that we would not fight directly, face to face. Just sneak attacks. Once someone was unable to fight then you would fold, you go back to the camp site, and wait for everyone else to return. Have a beer, laugh over it, learn from it, then move on.
But I had to be difficult. Before Gabe could loosen his grip on my arm I tighten, "He is mine, I had the drop on him asshole, you wouldn't have gotten me otherwise you fucking vulture."
"It's just a game Hunter, yield and see you back at camp. Come on, I can get him for both of us, its worth it."
That is exactly what I should have done, concede and move on. Instead, once Gabe releases, I swing my elbow square into his nose, knocking him back and emitting blood down his face.
"What the fuck Hunter, stand down, I got you this time. Follow the goddamn rules..."
He came at me as if to tackle me but I stepped to the side and delivered a strong jab to the side of his jaw knocking him square to the ground.
"I had in my sights and you sabotaged a victory by taking me out." I feel a sharp edge up against the skin of my neck.
"What did I tell you Hunter?" I hear Ron whispers calmly.
I was angry hot and pushed the blade away and stomped away a few paces, trying to contain my rage and disappointment.
Like some wise martial arts master he continues, "You are too proud to work with your brothers as a team, to sacrifice your own victory for the betterment of everyone's survival. You know you are great at combat but let your ego get in the way. If I had been a real opponent you would have sacrificed Gabe's life and your own need to be first, just to die as well. That's not how I trained you."
His face looked calm but I could hear his patience wavering underneath, crumbling under his ideals of being level headed and calm. At that moment I liked it, wanted to break that resolve that held him so high above us. Knock him off his pedestal, so I didn't back down.
"That's funny Ron, you talking about teamwork while you pit us against each other. It's like you promote us going at each other, of earning your respect by climbing the ranks. Like some sick sadistic fuck. Shame you are the only one with a say in this, I am sure Mom would not approve."
Andrew and Patrick had emerged from the surrounding area and were staring with a look of disbelief. Even Gabe with his bloody nose looked concerned. Ron only stared at me as if expecting this of me which only made me angrier.
He continues, "If you had the drop on Gabe then you would have succeeded, right? And as far as this game is concerned it is about teamwork Hunter, or have you not been paying attention? You all have the power to kill each other, but you also contain the will to suppress it, to have empathy and respect for life. Control is key, something you sorely lack when you broke his nose."
"The control was lost the second you lost Mom, you just want to pretend you have control through putting us through these ridiculous scenarios. If she was still here..."
Ron's hits were the hardest, it was like being smacked with a brick. And they were fast, he went from a zero to ten in a flash and when he does, you remember why you should fear him.
The world goes swirling, then stops but my vision is still spinning; the taste of blood is warm in my mouth. As I feel my body fall down I remember why you never bring up mom, guess I needed the gentle reminder.
I see Andrew looking at me from the woods, his eyes wide with worry like the rest of them. I was just saying what no one else dared.
My vision is filled with Ron's still strangely calm face as he leans over me, "This anger does not define you Hunter. It comes from something deeper and I will do my best to help you harness it. But heed my words, do not bring your mother into this again. It will be worse next time. You do not know what you think you know."
I shake my head from the memory and come back to Andrew's as a blast of pain arcs through his body and the pain of present returns. Shoulder tension makes him cry out in agony as his finger-tips graze the heel of his boot before moving away.
A few deep breaths and practice swings later I can tell what he is tired of the warm and ready to get this over with.
Fuck this is going to hurt.
It was his weight settling back that did it, that deep popping sound. I feel his right shoulder slide out, thick steam pouring into the night air before the sounds of his muffled scream. It didn't stop him though, his hand knew how to find the blade, good old muscle memory.
The dislocated arm shifts the blade to his dominant cutting hand and goes to work. The pain was straining but it was only making him more determined to get free of the ropes keeping us harnessed into the air.
As the last strands of rope were severed, Andrews hands swung down over his head and a sigh of steam of relief burst from his chest into the cold air.
Being unbound he is able to take a better look at the configuration of the multiple ropes keeping us from diving head first into fire and wooden stakes. Following the ropes and leads he analyzes the knots of ropes like a bomb defusing specialist hunting tracking down to the right wire. His eyes fixed, Andrew starts sawing through a rope running between loops formed on his waist and a large oak a few feet away.
A snap of the rope and I feel his weight drop momentarily until a support rope catches him and swings his weight towards the nearby tree. His feet kick out to catch the impact but it was too late, the wood impacted and shattering one of his shins.
After kicking off the world is left spinning as Andrew gives a sharp tug, snapping the rope that was sending us towards the next oak trunk. His weight drops down a few more feet until the next supporting rope takes over, sending us swinging and spinning once again.
Despite the chaos, I trusted Andrew's instincts with the trauma that that was occurring. I could feel his calmness, as if he is amused by the whole challenge, a bit entertained by it.
Just before impact with the next tree he lands both feet firmly on the trunk before kicking back off, this time allowing time to reach up and snap the last rope midway over the flames, the momentum hurling us towards the ground on the other side. A slight roll is interrupted by a wet slicing sound and abrupt stop.
The temporary victory smile washed to agony as the pain flashed his leg. Andrew's gaze moves down to his thigh to see blood spitting up around a sharp edge cutting through his half.
"Fuck" Andrew barks as he pulls up off the spike, hand carved to an uneven point, the wood still dense and moist. A bubbling of blood emits from the wound.
As Andrew pulls off an outer layer t-shirt and starts wrapping around his leg as a tourniquet, I see the entire area around the fire is filled with carved spears carved into jagged points and a wet sharp edge.
Andrew notices them as he carefully raises up and makes his way over to the other side of the fire. Rows of spears formed rows of circles around the bonfire, the pointy stakes glistening in the fire's flicker.
Leaning down Andrew gets a closer look at the jagged points and notices a sweet and herbal aroma hit him, it was a classic Ron hallucinogentic. The high starts to build, swelling as the world around him becomes unhinged.
"Shit...you fucking laced them...you clever asshole."
A feeling of euphoria swept over his thoughts and I could feel his anxiety increase, it was his weakness. For Andrew, his strength came from his clear mindedness. Losing his balance Andrew stumbles as he begins to laugh uncontrollably.
"Good one Ron, string your boy upside down. No problem, simple escape knot, should take a few hours but you know, son comes prepared with hidden blade. So we take insurance. Make sure its a challenge, let's throw in a ladder of trip falls that slam you against a tree or you cut the wrong rope and you burn? Shit. Kind of shitty but, wait...just wait.."
He seems to be slurring his words as he falls forward onto his hands and knees. Then I can see them...
"...then for the grand finale..."
...I can see their faces, the fire is grinning at me, the trees are staring with large bright eyes...
"...you put a row of wooden stakes..."
...The fire seems to be reaching for us as Andrew slowly backs away half laughing as he backs up putting his back to a tree, still thinking to pull his pack close...
"...laced with this psychedelic shit for me to plow into as reward for missing the fire."
...Oh Ron, you tricky devil, you might as well have known about the knife in Andrew's boot.
...Getting out of the hanging snare was just the start of the challenge and phase two had merely started...and the forest is now breathing...