Chapter 2

William

Later that day, in gym, Griffin grinned at the sight of the harnesses and helmets on the floor. He indicated these to me. "We're doing the rock wall today. I love rock climbing!"

"Rock climbing?" I echoed. "What's that?"

A girl in our class, Anna, shot Griffin a sympathetic look that she thought I couldn't see. Griffin shrugged at her and explained quietly to me the concept of climbing up the wall with ropes and harnesses. I was still a bit confused, but it sounded very exciting.

"That sounds interesting!" I said. Griffin pointed to the rock wall, and my eyes widened. "You mean we get to climb that?"

"Sadly, yes," said Anna gloomily. "I hate climbing."

Griffin gave her a look of mock horror and clapped a hand to his heart. "You can't be serious? I am scarred for life by your unbelieving ways!"

Griffin would make a good actor. He seems so dramatic at times, but he previously assured me that it was all for a joke. I don't understand how a joke could go on for so long with so many people knowing about it, but I gathered early on that asking questions would make me look ignorant.

"Do I get to climb?" I asked, hoping it wasn't a bad question.

It didn't seem to be, because Anna answered without a trace of sarcasm. "I guess so, if Ms. Phillips says it's okay. Have you ever climbed before?"

"No," I admitted.

Anna shrugged. "That's okay. No one but Griffin has, as he's always telling us."

Griffin sputtered with outrage. "I'll have you know, Anna, that I hold the record of one minute up the wall! I have the right to brag!"

Anna shoved him, and Griffin staggered, grinning. I laughed.

Ms. Phillips, the gym teacher, introduced herself to me and shook my hand. "Okay William, the kids have already gotten themselves up the wall twice, so you can go first, if you want to climb," she boomed. She has a very loud, annoying voice, but according to Griffin, she's fair.

"Yes, I would," I said, trying to control my excitement.

"Okay then. Griffin, help William get a harness on and check that carabineer and the foreline," she instructed.

Griffin helped me get on my harness. He was obviously a climbing expert, by the way he tightened my harness with professional ease and that Ms. Phillips often asked him to help her with the rock-climbing equipment. When I was ready, I walked over to Ms. Phillips, my gait awkward from the tight harness.

She clipped me to the line with the carabineer that Griffin had previously checked and patted me on the shoulder. "Since this is your first time, tell me if you want to come down," she told me. "It's okay if you have to: all of the class beside Griffin, Sara, Chris, and John Ryan came down halfway on their first climb."

I nodded a bit nervously. This was beginning to sound complicated. Six of my classmates grasped the rope that wound into the pulley at the top of the wall and attached to my waist. The other end was attached to Ms. Phillips' harness, but she was only the anchor: it was the six people holding the rope that would keep my rope taut so I wouldn't fall. I read off the commands that were printed in neat, black capitals on a sheet of paper taped to the wall, and the belay team bellowed back their answers.

"Belay team ready?"

"READY!"

"Ready to climb!"

"CLIMB AWAY!"

I mounted the ladder that led to the beginning of the wall and climbed, one rung after the next. I grabbed the big white beam at the top in a bear hug and carefully stepped out onto the small platform. Above me was the wall, artificial rocks sticking out. I thought out my route quickly. It seemed to me that the easiest way up was to stick to the right until I got about three fourths of the way up. Then, I would need to swing myself out and grab the swinging ring attached to the short chain and pull myself up to the top rock.

Carefully, I mounted the wall, curling my toes in my shoes instinctively to get a better grip. I looked up, saw a large rock to my right, and grabbed it. I stepped up to the next rock and stretched out my left foot to gain purchase.

Griffin was yelling instructions, along with about three other boys in the class. I ignored them. Suddenly, a vision flashed before my eyes: Endless miles of water blended with the blue of the sky. My fingers gripped the tarred rope, and I pushed myself up easily. Like a monkey, I climbed higher and higher, reaching the mizzen topgallant arm-

and suddenly, I was back on the wall, blinking. The calls of the boys echoed through the gym, bouncing towards me.

"What just happened?" I whispered, trembling with what I knew was not the "climber's fatigue" Griffin had told me about. Why was I seeing visions of a place I had never been to?

You don't know if you've never been there, a small voice inside my head nagged. You don't remember anything.

But I had remembered something-the mizzen topgallant arm. A name. A few minutes ago, that name would have meant nothing to me, but I now remembered it clearly.

Rough wood under my fingers, swaying as I reached up to grasp the yardarm-

"Stop it," I told myself firmly. "Stop it right now. You don't have time to work it out right now. You have to concentrate."

"William? William!" Ms. Phillips' voice cut through my thoughts. "Are you okay? Do you need to come down?"

"N-no, I was just thinking," I called back. "Sorry."

Remembering my easy climb to the topgallant arm, I filled myself with that feeling of casual confidence. I began climbing as if I had been born to it, climbing like I had been only a few moments ago in the rigging.

Rigging! Another name I had remembered. I knew the name, but I didn't know what it meant. Growling with frustration and effort, I leapt up the wall, grabbed the hanging ring, and grasped the top rock! I reached up and squeaked the plastic lion's head several times. Cheers from below filled the room.

"Forty-five seconds on the dot!" called Ben. "That's a new record!"

I whipped my head around to look at him, amazed. I had broken Griffin's record! I strained my neck to see how he was taking it, but his face was hidden. He was the only person in the gym not looking up.

Once I had been lowered to the ground, I walked over to Griffin. "Did you see me?" I asked excitedly. "I guess rock climbing is my thing too!"

"Yeah," he said flatly, and began loosening my harness. "Great job."

I fell silent. I had been going to tell him about the vision I had had up on the wall, and ask if he knew what a mizzen topgallant arm and rigging was, but he didn't seem in the mood for conversation.

Once I was free of the harness, Anna walked over to me and slung an arm about my shoulders. "Ignore Griffin," she said lowly. "He's just jealous that you're a better climber than he is. He's a nice guy, but he's really competitive. I guess it comes of having an older brother and sister who're both track stars. Nice job, by the way."

"Thank you," I replied, distracted. So that's why Griffin was acting that way.

"We have time for one more climber!" Ms. Phillips announced. "Who wants to go?"

Griffin's hand shot up so fast that it looked like it had been rocket-propelled. Ms. Phillips called on him, and he was soon clipped to the carabineer, a fanatic light in his eyes.

At the signal, he was off like a shot up the ladder. He leapt onto the wall at top speed, snarling audibly with effort. His feet searched for footholds, and his questing fingers found handholds in cracks in the wall itself, not on the rocks. Soon, he was up on the wall and squeaking the lion's head.

"Thirty seconds!" called Ben over the roars of approval. "Griffin keeps his record!"

Griffin was lowered to the ground. His face was sweaty, but his eyes gleamed with triumph. As he was taking off his harness, he even gave me a friendly clap on the shoulder and a sincere "Good job, Will!"

I knew that I had a friend back for good, but something in the back of my mind told me that I could have beaten him. I had a good many things to think about, so I kept silent as the bell rang and I followed Griffin to the next class.


A/N-Okay, basic summary-Will remembers SOME stuff-yes, sadly enough, he has no idea what a topgallant arm is. If he remembers, all the things he knows will blow his mind...

So, thanks for the reviews. I'm glad I got some positive feedback! ((hugs reviewers)) I'd like some more, if you're feeling nice. This is kinda an interesting chapter, if you like random flashbacks and rockclimbing. Tell me if I'm doing a good job, this is difficult for me to write. I have a few ideas and a new chapter, so stay patient and give me some words of wisdom! Have a nice vacation!

et-spiritus-sancti-((blinks in surprise)) You think so? I really wasn't expecting such a great compliment! Thank you! I feel extremely special indeed. I thought that the "boy on the Surprise" twist was new, and I'm very glad you liked it. I wonder what the male equivilent of a Mary-Sue is, a Billy Bob? Prolly. Hopefully this isn't one, as Griffin is a bit...interesting. Okay, this is going to sound a bit dumb, but what is the actual definition of a Mary Sue? I get the basic meaning, but...Cheers anyway, thanks a lot for my favorite review yet! You get a prize!

Araniel-Sam is an actual person, so that's probably why he really relates to someone. In this case, you. And the real Sam usually does add the punch in the arm too, I just decided to make him a little more…nice for the story. He's getting a bit dull, now. Maybe I will add the punch in the arm-ish stuff! Sorry about the tense confusion. I wrote the whole chapter after going skiing, so my brain was most likely frozen at the time! Then again, it always is…heheh. Glad you like the idea, hope you liked this chapter!

Lamb Chop-If I don't run out of ideas, I'm sure it will come together pretty well. Thanks for the review! (Er, if you have any ideas, I'll hear 'em)

I really NEED reviews right about now as my other stories are being sadly neglected! Please, don't allow me to shrivel up and die...((looks hopefully at stoic faces and wails)) Or I'll start threatening my characters, and that's pushing it!