Chapter 3: Home Life and Training (Part 3)
We walked quite a ways before we could even see the beginning of the obstacle course. It was hidden behind a small hill near the edge of our property. Although the course wasn't all technically on our property, the large grasslands were not used for anything, and no one would bat an eye if we used it.
It was a sight to behold. While it was nothing extremely fancy, the ingenuity of the different traps, holds, and obstacles was remarkable. From the first look, I could tell that Mary was not going to be as thrilled as she was earlier. Although I must say, it looked way cooler than what I was going to be doing. I think I could visibly see Mary try and stop herself from cursing, and it looked like she was having a hard time.
I was the first one to break the silence, "Well, it certainly is impressive. Looks like you'll be busy doing aaaall the parkour."
The five kilometer beauty was rough around the edges, but it was definitely going to push Mary to her limits.
The starting kilometer looked pretty basic. There were some hurdles, slight zig-zagging patterns, a few stretch jumps with some pitfalls under them. Nothing Mary couldn't already handle I thought.
However, the next four kilometers looked like a mad genius' invention. There were metal poles that would force Mary to decide on how she wanted to proceed. For example, there was a part around 1.5km in where a metal rod forced her to decide whether to duck or jump over. Either could be done, but it was clear that she had to think about her next obstacles and take them into account.
Not only did the obstacle course train your flexibility, dexterity, and agility, but your decision-making and memorization through trial and error. Mary would be able to complete this obstacle course fairly easily in less than three months. However, she would have then have to optimize her movement to try and get under the 20 minute timer. It would be difficult, extremely difficult.
It's definitely a fantastic way to not only improve your body, but also your mind. She will be pushed to use her imagination in a way that she was never able to when we were just running constantly. My father definitely knew what he was doing when setting something so detailed up.
"This will be your playground for a loooong time," said my father, mocking Mary with his sarcastic tone. "Well, let's go back. There won't be any training today, but Mary, you're allowed to look at the obstacle course from the side if you like. Also, Alex, put on the suit starting now."
"But, we left it back near the house," I said, somehow assuming that it would mean that I didn't have to wear it.
"So run and get it"
"Now?"
"Now."
----
The next morning, bright and early, as usual, our whole family was up and about, doing our routine. I'd already gotten my instructions from father at dinner, while Mary looked like she was still pondering how she'd go about the obstacle course. Last night, before going to bed, she had actually told me how she'd start off.
She said that for at least a month, she was not even going to try to run the obstacle course. Instead, she was going to walk it over and over again, until each decision was burned in her memory. While I did think it was a clever idea, I feared that no matter what, her ability to make quick decisions, even if she had them memorized, at high speeds will still be a challenge for her. Instead, I advised her to alternate. And to only go as far walking, as she had done running.
For instance, her first couple of attempts at the obstacle course she had to start off at full speed, just to get the feel for it. Then, as soon as she got stuck in a certain set of obstacles, she should attempt it walking, and analyse her next moves carefully. I think she got inspired by my advice, because, since then, she seemed to have gone off into her own world, not speaking a word since.
I was also looking forward to my own training, in fact, I barely got any sleep. Well, I guess I was just more looking forward to not having to run all day. And I suppose the reason I didn't get to sleep was because of my future career as an actor.
I spent all night dreaming how it would feel like to grab my beautiful, rich co-star by the waist and pose for pictures on the red carpet. Hehehe.
I still remember the first time I watched a movie. I was very young, around when Mary was just born. We watched this movie called Princess Bride. And oh boy, did it inspire me
(A/N: I think for the future of the novel, I will be interweaving movies that exist/ with movies that I will come up with. Same with actors/actresses. Just go with it!)
For days, weeks after that I would grab a tree branch whenever I had a break from my basic training and I would tell my dad with my best attempt at a spanish accent, "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die," and I would lunge at my father who sometimes entertained my little fantasy.
He thought I really liked martial arts and swords, so for my first couple of years of training without Mary, he taught me how to use all kinds of cold weapons.
In reality, my passion for acting had just started. I memorized all the lines of the movie soon after, as I begged my father and mother to put it on for me before I went to sleep each night. I fell in love with the comedy, the puns, the actors and actresses. I fell in love with it all.
Since then, religiously, I sneak in a couple DVDs that I find lying around the estate to my room and play it on my little TV.
Most of the movies lying around the house always seem to have intricate fight scenes and are mostly action. I think my dad has a hobby of analysing fight scenes and yelling, "Preposterous! Inconceivable! Impossible!" whenever he thought something couldn't be done.
Sometimes, though, with a smug look on his face he'd turn to my mother and say, "I could do that, hun."
We'd all laugh, but mother would usaully not give him any reaction, leaving him to wonder whether or not she believed him. He would then proceed to mimic the fight scene and he'd say, "I told you I could do it. Hahahahah!"
Mother would keep her strict face and tell him to sit back down because he was going to break something if he continued with his little theatrics. FAther would sit back down, dejected, leaving us giggling at our father's distress.
---
With my suit on already for the past twelve hours, I still haven't gotten used to the overbearing weight that I feel. I swore to myself that I would never get fat, if this is what it meant. Each step felt like ten, and getting up was the most difficult thing I ever had to do. Actually, I ate standing up, because I didn't want to go through the effort I went through getting out of bed.
My dad asked, "What are you standing up for, son?" clearly knowing why.
"Oh, father. How sweet of you to ask. I am standing up in support of all the people that don't have the ability to eat such nutritious food each morning. So, of course I'm standing," I said, clearly improvising.
"How noble of you."
Finally, after eating breakfast and six years of running miles upon miles every day, we started a new phase of our training.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Jelloeditor2
Jelloeditor2 I'll be taking a short break and I'll continue writing some more chapters, so come and join me at twitch.tv/angelorup2.
Also, a clip of the movie line mentioned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JGp7Meg42U
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