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“Today’s game,” Mendez explained, “is called ‘Ring the Bell.’ ” He pointed to the tallest pole on theplayground. It stood an additional ten meters above the others and had a steel slide pole next to it. Hungat the very top of that pole was a brass bell.
“There are many ways to get to the bell,” he told them. “I leave it up to each team to find their own way.When every member of your team has rung the bell, you are to get groundside double time and run backhere across this finish line.”
Mendez took his baton and scratched a straight line in the sand.
John raised his hand.
Mendez glared at him for a moment with those black unblinking eyes. “A question, Trainee?”
“What do we win?”
Mendez cocked one eyebrow and appraised John. “You win dinner, Number 117. Tonight, dinner isroast turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, brownies, and ice cream.”
A murmur of approval swept though the children.
“But,” Mendez added, “for there to be winners there must be a loser. The last team to finish goeswithout food.”
They children fell silent—and then looked at each other warily.
“Make ready,” Mendez said.
“I’m Sam,” the boy whispered to John and the girl on their team.
She said, “I’m Kelly.”
John just looked at them and said nothing. The girl would slow him down. Too bad. He was hungry andhe wasn’t about to let them make him lose.
“Go!” Mendez shouted.
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John ran through the pack of children and scrambled up a cargo net onto a platform. He raced across thebridge—jumped onto the next platform, just in time. The bridge flipped and sent five others into thewater below.
He paused at the rope tied to the large basket. It ran up through a pulley and then back down. He didn’tthink he was strong enough to pull himself up in it. Instead, he tackled a knotted climbing rope andscrunched his body up. The rope swung wildly around the center pole. John looked down and almost losthis grip. It looked twice as far down as it had looked from the ground. He saw all the others, someclimbing, others floundering in the water, getting up and starting over. No one was as close to the bell ashe was.
He swallowed his fear and kept climbing up. He thought of the ice cream and chocolate brownies andhow he was going to win.
John got to the top, grabbed the bell, and rang it three times. He then clasped the steel pole and slid allthe way to the ground, falling into a pile of cushions.
He got up and ran smiling all the way to the Chief Petty Officer. John crossed the finish line and gave avictory cry. “I was first,” he said, panting.
Mendez nodded and made a check on his clipboard.
John watched as the others made it and up rang the bell then raced across the finish line. Kelly and Samhad trouble. They got stuck in a line to get to the bell as everyone bunched up at the end.
They finally rang the bell, slid down together . . . but they crossed the finish line last. They glared atJohn.
He shrugged.