Here to Stay: Day 12

Word Count: 72,008

Summary of Events:

James went to get his hair cut once Nathaniel had gotten his done, as Jake was still getting x-rayed, which revealed that he'd broken his wrist right where he'd fractured it before — and that was a key reason why he'd broken it — but it was still only a minor break. Jake, being hampered by his one-handed state, was standing outside watching the horses graze when Keanu approached him and they got into another roundabout argument that led to Jake challenging Keanu to hoist himself up onto the fence without hardly using his upper body to prove he had leg strength despite the skinniness of his legs . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Keanu reached up with his right leg and they both heard a tear.

Jake smiled and snickered. “Reason number two why skinny pants are impractical.”

“You did that on purpose!” Keanu shouted. “These are some of my best jeans and you wanted me to ruin them! You’re a jerk!”

To Jake’s surprise, however, Keanu hauled himself up to sit on the top rail, pulling himself up with his hands.

“You did it wrong,” Jake said. “You’re not supposed to use your upper body to haul yourself up. You’re supposed to use your legs.”

“I used them,” Keanu snapped.

“Barely,” Jake replied. “Certainly not enough to have proven them stronger than mine.”

“A better test of our leg strength would be a race,” Keanu replied.

Jake slid down from the fence rail easily. “To the far property line and back.”

“You’re on,” Keanu replied, although Jake noted that he got down gingerly, and saw that the tear was right along the inseam of the right leg.

“We’ll start from this post,” Jake said, touching the fencepost that had been behind him for most of their conversation.

Keanu nodded and stood beside Jake.

“On your mark,” Jake said.

“No, I get to say it,” Keanu replied.

“How about we say it together?” Jake suggested.

“No, I’m saying it,” Keanu insisted.

“Fine,” Jake said, lowering into a bit of a squat, ready to take off.

“On your mark get set go!” Keanu cried, saying it all so fast it was practically one mega word.

Jake had suspected Keanu would do something like that, and was ready for it, surging forward and passing Keanu in two strides — which Jake attributed to his takeoff position as he’d been taught in gym class, and his longer legs.

Surging across the grass, Jake focused on a distant tree and ran directly for it, not looking back to see where Keanu might be.

His sides hurt a little bit by the time he reached the tree, but he turned around and surged back, discovering that Keanu was running rather tiredly over 10m behind him.

Nonetheless, Jake didn’t hesitate, but ran at top speed all the way back to the fencepost, where he dropped to his knees, his sides heaving, with a small stitch bothering him.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Keanu was staggering back toward him and looking very tired.

“That doesn’t look like running,” Jake called.

“I’m gonna die,” Keanu replied.

“Well so long as you can die on your own land would be great,” Jake replied, pointing toward the nearer property line as indicated by the trees.

“You’re such a wimp,” Keanu said, panting heavily and looking like it was all he could do to stay on his feet.

Jake, feeling refreshed from having waited, rose to his feet and looked at Keanu.

“You are so dumb,” he said.

Shaking his head, he walked — grateful not to be running, as he had to admit he should’ve chosen the nearer property line and back for the run — away from Keanu and toward the yard. There was no reasoning with Keanu about anything, and he was done trying.