The Time Stopping People

by Kristy Evans Beckwith

  Chapter Two

  Chris kept his promise.

  By the time shadows emerged from the light of dawn, he knocked at my door and escorted me away from this fascinating attic-cocoon. I'd already been dressed and awake most of the night.

  “Follow me,” he said in a low muffled voice.

  Today he wore a gray hoodie over his head. His shoulders were stretching out the material, which looked good on him. Then again, anything would look good on him. If he turned into an animal, he'd be an attractive lion, because 'feral' was his natural essence. The roughness and imperfection of his face made him unique looking. But anyone could see the round shape of his chin and the small scratch below his neck made him irresistible.

  He was much more intense than yesterday, as we walked on our tour together, like something was on his mind other than our arms lightly brushing. I reminded myself it was only six in the morning; much too early for conversation. For the remaining time, I kept quiet and allowed him to lead the way.

  Right away, he showed me around his large estate and pointed out everyone's bedroom, including Missy's cage, which turned out to be some type of large stowaway tank. I was relieved to find the tiger locked inside of it and not trailing after Chris's leg. Her behavior yesterday hadn't necessarily been a bad thing; it only confirmed how much she loved her master. Everyone in the house had a deep care (and awe) for Chris, which could only spring from their genuine respect for him as a person.

  I respected him too for being my hero. I understood him in a different kind of way, like we were the only two people here.

  Eventually he took me to his personal office and pointed out the phone I’d be using to make outside calls. He mentioned I’d also be getting my own 'special' phone soon, like everyone else in the house. Apparently these special phones were restricted in nature. We could only use them to call each other.

  It was very 'high and official.'

  Lastly, we made our way to the basement. This section of the house was a gigantic gym containing benches, stability balls, yoga mats, balance beams, and weight-lifting equipment that made my dad's exercise room look like props on Sesame Street. There were no treadmills, automated bikes, or workout machines that required a plug.

  From the looks of it, we would be doing this the old-fashioned way.

  As I posted against the gym’s wall, tapping my fingers and waiting for Chris to finish his phone call, I noticed Blue and Kevin were near the mirrors, reaching their arms out in front of them and warming up. They didn’t seem to notice I was here. They hadn't spoken a word to me, or to Chris, or to each other. Then again, it was still pretty early.

  Soon Tre sauntered in, pulling a shirt over his head. “What up.”

  After he high-fived Kevin and positioned himself, they started chatting about some video game he’d apparently won this morning. Within minutes, they were wide awake and cheering together. Tre must've been the life of the party, because now, none of them could keep their mouths shut.

  I kept my head down, touching my toes. When I looked over again, Chris was striding through the swinging doors with a silver whistle hanging from around his neck. My heart hiccuped at the sight of him. The crease between his brows was centered. Missy trailed behind him while looking in my direction. When I waved at him, he waved back, calling me over. It wasn't long before I shuffled across the room, joining him and the others.

  “Good morning,” he said, greeting us with a loud clap. “Things are going to be a little different today. As you know, Calise will be here training with us for the next few months. If you can remember your first day here, you can also remember and how easy it was to feel left out.”

  The three musketeers exchanged looks.

  “Play nice,” he added in conclusion.

  It would’ve been nice if there were other rookies around, so I wouldn’t be the only one feeling the pressure of being a newbie.

  “Alright, let’s go!” Chris blew his whistle.

  Everyone dropped to the floor and started doing crunches. I followed behind them, doing a series of push-ups, lunges, lifting, and short sprints. Their movements were in sync, like Bally’s Total Fitness times fifty, and all I could hear was the sound of my lungs gasping for air. Which was fairly noticeable, since no one else was panting. Their shoulders didn’t slouch. Their heads didn’t hang in fatigue. Even their faces looked calm and serene, like they were about to go skinny-dipping at the beach.

  I thought I'd still be in shape with my previous ballet experience, but halfway into practice I crawled into one of the corners and coughed up yesterday’s lunch.

  “Have you eaten anything today?” Chris placed a hand on my shoulder.

  “No.” I bent back over.

  “Listen to me, don't compare yourself,” he said. “It's not a competition. That's not what this is. It's just you and me. Alright. Do the best you can.”

  He sent me upstairs to eat from a fruit bowl he’d made himself earlier. It helped. The spinning in my head stopped and my stomach wasn’t floating anymore. These people really had their game together. I remembered Chris's advice, to not compare myself, and to focus on being good at my own rate. Which made perfect sense.

  When I got back to the session, the gym party was officially over. They were exiting with towels wrapped around their necks. Chris halted at my side.

  “How are you?” he asked.

  “Feeling good.”

  We followed his friends to the indoor swimming pool, which was located on the farthest end of the house next to Missy’s cage. He emphasized the indoor pool was for practicing purposes only, and the outdoor pool was used for our personal leisure.

  The sight of the pool immediately quickened my adrenaline. Swimming was another one of my fortes, next to ballet and tennis. So I was ready to reach in the direction of success, and end this day on a high note.

  Everyone, except for Chris, started removing their first layer of clothing. As they dove straight into the deep-end and splashed water across my shirt, I eagerly tossed my shoes.

  Chris pulled out a chair from the table, and tapped twice on the headrest. “You can relax for now. Have a seat.”

  My shoulders slumped. My whole body turned into a question mark. “What? I can do this.”

  “I know you can,” he replied simply. “Just watch for a little while and take some notes. Alright, let’s go!” He turned back around, facing the group.