The seat springs of Ryan's battered lime-green Ford Fiesta groaned in protest as Charlie settled into the back. Surveying the car's colourful tapestry of dents and scuffs, Carter couldn't resist a jibe. "How in God's name did you manage a dent on the roof?"
With a smirk and a roll of his eyes, Ryan retorted, "That, my friend, was the result of a particularly wild freshers' week party. Don't ask."
Their first stop was to pick up Ellie. As they pulled up outside her house, the neat garden gleamed in the sunlight, the typical three-bedroom detached home standing proud in the heart of a classic UK housing estate. Charlie's eyes widened as Ellie emerged, looking every bit like an athlete in her form-fitting black gym trousers and light grey vest top. Climbing into the car next to Charlie, she winked playfully. "Took you long enough. Did you get lost in Ryan's mobile dent museum?"
Ryan glanced at Charlie through the rearview mirror as he pulled away, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ellie, if we're late, it's only because Mr Universe here needed to check his gains in the mirror. Had to flex those newly acquired muscles, didn't ya?" Carter joined in, snorting in laughter. "Oh yeah, full-on mirror posing session. Was waiting for him to break into a rendition of 'I'm Too Sexy' or something."
Ellie joined in the laughter, her eyes twinkling. "Boys and their muscles. It's like a never-ending love story."
Before another witty retort could be thrown, Carter's phone buzzed. Answering eagerly, his cheerful, "Tyler! Ready for some Ninja Warrior action?" was met with a subdued response. Charlie could see Carter's smile fading, his brow furrowing as Tyler's distant voice crackled through the speaker. The conversation was one-sided and brief, ending with Tyler hanging up without even a goodbye.
"That was... odd," Carter remarked, his excitement now replaced with palpable concern. "He agreed to meet us, but he sounded... off. Like, really distant." This revelation jolted Charlie. For him to sound disinterested was alarmingly out of character. An unwelcome pang of guilt stabbed Charlie's conscience; they had planned to spend practically every day of the holidays together. Had Tyler felt left out or neglected this past week? The weight of their unspoken promises and his own secrets made Charlie's stomach churn.
Carter's face brightened up again as if shaking off the worry of Tyler's call. "You know what? Since we're making bets, why doesn't Ellie hold onto your money? Makes it fair, and adds a bit of spice, eh?, I'll have to give mine over later though as I haven't got it with me"
Charlie chuckled, a bit of his own worry about Tyler momentarily easing. "Sure, why not? You'll just have to pay her when you lose." Ellie, clearly enjoying her new role as the bet-keeper, grinned slyly. "Don't get too cocky, you two. The last thing you want is to owe me money. I can be a very ruthless debt collector." Charlie's smile didn't quite reach his eyes as Carter defended his prowess. Amidst the laughter and playful banter, the dark cloud of Tyler's uncharacteristic behaviour loomed in the backdrop of his thoughts. Charlie felt more certain than ever that they had to bring Tyler into the loop and reveal everything. The bonds of their friendship demanded it.
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As Charlie stepped out of Ryan's battered lime green Ford Fiesta, he found himself at the entrance of the Ninja Warrior building, a place he'd never visited before. All he knew about it came from the TV show, but this was different. Instead of a stadium atmosphere, he was surprised to find it sandwiched in a bustling retail park. It was absolutely packed, the air charged with the sounds of laughter, grunts of exertion, and the unmistakable squeak of rubber shoes on mats.
Inside, the ambience was electric. A maze of complex obstacle courses stretched out before him, dominated by a daunting warped wall at the far end. Swarms of people were tackling monkey bars, leaping between platforms, and swinging like Tarzan on ropes. Off to the side, a cafe served up smoothies and healthy snacks, buzzing with the chatter of people recounting their recent athletic exploits.
But as Charlie stood in the queue with Ryan, Ellie, and Carter, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. He was used to navigating the world as someone smaller, less imposing. People usually tread lightly around him. But now? He got jostled in line more than once, each bump making him wince inwardly. Was it possible that someone he knew would see him, and realize he'd changed?
Finally, they reached the front of the line, where a pretty redhead manned the cash register. As they paid their entry fees, Charlie felt her eyes openly survey him from head to toe. Were those approving glances? He wasn't quite sure how to react. Carter, eager to enforce the terms of their friendly wager, clarified the rules. "Listen, since it's so rammed in here, we can't exactly race side-by-side. So, here's how we'll do it: whenever there's an opening, one of us goes. We'll record the time on our phones. By the time we leave, whoever's got the fastest time wins eternal bragging rights, deal?"
"Eternal bragging rights? What happened to the loser forking over a crisp twenty?" Ryan interjected, a sly grin curving his lips. Carter rolled his eyes and reached into his wallet, pulling out a twenty-pound note he'd just withdrawn from a cashpoint minutes before. "Fine, here, happy now?"
Ellie's hand darted forward, playfully snatching the bill from Carter. "I'll hold onto this. But just for the record, my money's on Charlie." "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Carter retorted, a look of determination and competitiveness washing over his face. In Charlie's eyes, it seemed as if Carter felt the weight of the challenge now more than ever, especially with Ellie placing her bet on Charlie.
Before long, a window of opportunity opened up on the obstacle course. Carter, being the veteran among them, volunteered to set the benchmark. Charlie watched intently as Carter launched himself into action. The agility and fluidity with which he navigated the course were remarkable. He climbed a cargo net with the ease of a spider ascending its web, his hands and feet finding purchase effortlessly.
Next, he tackled the monkey bars, his arms swinging in a steady rhythm that belied the challenge of the obstacle. The rolling log came next, a notorious balance-breaker, but Carter took it in stride, his core tight and his focus unbreakable as he made it to the other side without a misstep. The swings were a mere formality for him; he glided through the air with a practised grace that left no room for error. Finally, he conquered the warped wall, scaling it as though gravity had relaxed its grip on him for just a moment.
Though it was clear he was running well within his limits, Carter breezed through the course without a single hiccup, completing it with almost an air of casual nonchalance. Charlie couldn't help but marvel at his friend's skill and ease on the course. Jogging back to the group, Carter was barely out of breath. "Thought I'd take it easy for my warm-up run, just to get a time on the board," he announced with a grin that hinted at a challenge. Ryan glanced at his phone and heaved a resigned sigh. "One minute, forty-three seconds."
A flutter of excitement tinged with a trace of apprehension surged through Charlie. Carter had set a solid time, and he'd made it look so easy. Could he, even with his newfound abilities, compete with that? His mind churned with a cocktail of anticipation and self-doubt, but one thing was certain: he was raring to find out.
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Nervous but determined, Charlie stepped up to the starting line of the obstacle course. The plan had been to take it easy, to learn the ropes of each obstacle so he'd have a better shot later on. But as soon as his feet hit the angled steps that opened the course, forcing him to bound from side to side, something incredible happened: he felt euphoric. This feeling, this boundless freedom of movement, was something he hadn't known just a few weeks prior. A rush of exhilaration flushed out any nervousness he had.
Instead of cautiously getting to know the obstacles, Charlie let himself go full throttle. He was consumed by a wonder of his newfound capabilities—what could he do in another few weeks, another few months? This thought spurred him on as he raced up and over the cargo net, his muscles harmoniously cooperating in a dance of power and grace.
Swinging across the monkey bars, he felt each motion fluid and agile, and before he knew it, he was bounding across the rolling log as though it were second nature. The zip swing loomed ahead. He took a leap of faith, propelling himself towards the parallel walls. His hands and feet found their spots almost instinctively as he navigated through, finally tackling the warped wall that had seemed so intimidating just moments before. But now? He flew up it on his first try, barely registering the challenge.
Emerging on the other side, a grin stretched across his face from ear to ear. Sure, he knew he could've done better, and had made mistakes, but for a first run? He was beyond pleased. He couldn't wait to get back on the course and sharpen his time, maybe even give Carter a run for his money. But as he approached his friends at the café and looked at Carter he found not the triumphant expression he expected but rather looks of utter disbelief. Even more unsettling, he noticed other people in the café stealing glances at him, whispering among themselves. A wave of self-conscious anxiety flooded him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. Instead of a verbal response, Carter just slid the twenty-pound note across the table towards him, his face clouded by what looked like a mix of awe and disappointment. "Charlie," Ryan finally spoke, showing him the stopwatch on his phone. "Fifty-seven seconds." Carter looked up, his eyes meeting Charlie's. "I've never even come close to that," he said, his voice tinged with a sense of defeat but also a hint of pride. "Not only did you smash it on your first go, but with a little more practice, you could easily knock another ten seconds off that time."
Charlie was stunned. In the pursuit of his own enjoyment and testing his limits, he hadn't realized just how fast he had been. Now, looking at Carter's conflicted face and the surprised murmurs around him, he grasped the weight of what he had just accomplished. It was an odd mix of triumph and a sudden, disconcerting spotlight—but mostly, it was a newfound understanding of the incredible changes he had undergone, changes that were still unfolding within him and that he had yet to get used to.
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After more than 90 minutes and several exhilarating runs on the obstacle course, Charlie found himself back in the café, his gaze locked on his phone's screen. He'd sent Tyler multiple messages, and the glaring absence of any response gnawed at him. Was Tyler seriously pissed off over his recent absence? Sure, Charlie hadn't been entirely open about the whirlwind changes in his life, but for Tyler to ghost him so abruptly was disconcerting. This wasn't like him at all; something else must be at play.
The mood around the table shifted. Despite Ryan's efforts to dispel the growing tension with assurances that it was likely just a misunderstanding, both Carter and Ellie seemed to share Charlie's concern. There was an unspoken agreement: the joy of the afternoon was eclipsed by this unsettling silence from Tyler.
They decided to head back, and after leaving the Ninja Warrior gym, a sense of nagging unease settled over Charlie. He had texted Tyler multiple times, and the radio silence from his end was jarring. Tyler wasn't the type to ghost anyone, least of all him. In the car, Carter had command over the playlist, queuing up an eclectic mix of tunes. But even the thumping bass couldn't drown out Charlie's growing concern.
As they drove back towards their home, Ryan attempted to lighten the mood. Selecting Justin Bieber's "Sorry" from Carter's playlist, he began crooning along—in an exaggerated, deliberately off-key voice. Normally, this would invite a chorus of good-natured jeers or at least a couple of eye-rolls from his passengers. But this time, it landed like a lead balloon. Ellie glanced away, her face a shield of worry, while Carter simply shook his head. Charlie felt his own lips press together in a grim line, his fingers drumming nervously against his phone. Ryan seemed to sense the group's unspoken tension, trailing off mid-verse and returning his focus to the road.
"Ryan, can we take a detour?" Charlie finally blurted, breaking the uneasy silence that had enveloped him. His eyes met Carter's, then shifted to Ellie. Both looked uneasy, mirroring his own growing apprehension. "What's going on?" Ryan glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
"I'm really worried about Tyler. He's not answering, and that's just not like him. He wouldn't just blow us off," Charlie said. The worry in his voice was palpable now, any pretence of casualness long gone. Carter immediately nodded, his usually composed face betraying his concern. "Charlie's right. Tyler's a no-show, and that's a red flag. Something's off." Ellie chimed in, her face taut with worry. "We should check on him. He's our friend; it's what we do."
Ryan's expression turned serious, the earlier confusion giving way to realization. "Alright, no objections here. Where does he live?"
The car rolled into Tyler's neighbourhood, a stretch on the outskirts of a council estate that had clearly seen better days. The terraced houses looked as if they'd been crammed into too small a space—practically elbowing each other for room. Front lawns were largely neglected, with overgrown grass and weeds that had long declared their victory over any form of lawn care. There was a tightness to the area, an air of quiet desperation that permeated the very bricks and mortar.
"Pull over here, Ryan, we'll walk from here. It's not far."" Charlie directed as they approached Tyler's street. Each house seemed to tell its own tale of economic struggle and missed opportunities, reinforcing Charlie's sense of urgency. "Are you sure?" Ryan asked, still not quite grasping the depth of their concern. "Yeah," Carter confirmed, "we're sure."
As Charlie, Ellie, and Carter closed the distance to Tyler's house, one detail stood out like a beacon: the front garden. It was immaculate—a shock of vibrant colours amidst a sea of neglect. A clear testament to Tyler's Nan, who took pride in her small patch of land despite the circumstances around her. For Charlie, that garden was always an emblem of resistance, a middle finger to the world that had dealt this family such a rough hand.
Tyler had a complicated history. His mother was perpetually lost in the haze of drug addiction, and his father was a ghost, a figment of imagination, a name without a face. Tyler was brought up by his Nan Mary after being rescued from his mother's toxic environment by social services. His older brother, Sean, was a different story, though—following a bit too closely in their mother's footsteps. Petty theft had snowballed into violent crimes, culminating in an armed robbery that landed him in prison years ago.
Nan had done her best, and Tyler turned out strong, compassionate, and fiercely loyal—especially to his friends. However, Charlie knew that Tyler's life was a constant battle against the odds. The well-kept garden, and the fact Tyler managed to get decent grades, were all small victories in a war that many people in his neighborhood had conceded long ago.
As Charlie knocked on the door, the hollow sound seemed to echo his own anxiety. He caught sidelong glances from Ellie and Carter. They were all thinking the same thing: something was really off, and they were about to find out what. The door cracked open just a few inches, barely enough to see Tyler's face. But that sliver of space revealed everything they needed to know. Tyler looked beaten down in more ways than one—his eye swollen and blackened, his expression a mixture of sadness, anxiety, and a quiet kind of desperation.
It was a look that sent a cold chill down Charlie's spine. Tyler, standing at 6'3" and built like a brick wall, always carried himself with easy confidence. But now, he looked diminished, almost shrunken. His eyes met Charlie's, and in them, Charlie saw something he hadn't seen in a long time: fear.
The worst part was that Charlie knew immediately who could make Tyler revert back to feeling like a vulnerable kid again. There was only one person with the power to tear down the walls Tyler had spent years building up, and that was his older brother, Sean.
The reality hit Charlie like a wrecking ball. Sean must be out of prison. And if Tyler was in this state, it meant that his older brother had already marked his return with violence and intimidation. Charlie felt a swell of anger, but he tamped it down. This was not the time for rash actions. His gaze still locked onto Tyler's, he felt an understanding pass between them. Words weren't necessary; they both knew that they would face this—whatever "this" was—together.