Sleepless: Chapter Sixteen

A Long Walk [Off A Short Infinity]

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“Felix? Are you ready?”

Miss Diana’s hand settled lightly on his shoulder as the ship’s deck swayed under them.

He was, in some ways. It was hard not to be –

They’d spent the last few days putting everything into place, making sure all their supplies and tools had been double and triple checked. Anything they might need was in their packs and he had spent the final few days reviewing over each tool, how it was used most effectively, and where he had put it in his bag.

He even got Margo to quiz him on it, giving her the option to randomly call out for an item at any time throughout the day and he would have to retrieve it from the bag immediately. Frankly, it was too much power to have given her and she was quick to abuse it. He could honestly say he’d never been woken up by someone screaming CLIMBING PICK at him before, and would be very happy if he never did again. Still, he’d shaved off valuable seconds day after day until he could confidently say that if disaster struck, he knew where his tools were.

In that way, he was ready.

It had taken several rounds of applicants to even be here, standing on a small boat as it began to set sail for the mainland, where they would be dropped off to start their expedition. It had taken tests of strength and agility, leadership and quick thinking, both in person and in the form of written exams. It had taken an interview in front of a board of ARNEN officials, endurance challenges, and demonstrations of his knowledge of radio systems.

It had been difficult. But not impossible. It was nothing he hadn’t seen at Camp before and trained to be prepared for. In that way, he felt ready.