Dying Light - Tennessee Gays Edition 1

A few days later, Charlie’s knee is fully healed. In Belmont’s maintenance courtyard, parked cars, stacked pallets, scaffold sections, railings, and marked landing zones form a demanding training course.

Daniel waits at the starting line in improvised padding, whistle ready. Thomas stays behind at the refuge, while Charlie checks loose boards, unstable rails, and every safe landing zone.

Charlie demonstrates the hand signals for stop, follow, danger, and retreat, then shows controlled vaults over a car hood and safe falls onto padded mats.

The first circuit begins slowly. Daniel vaults, rolls, and regains his balance while Charlie tracks his footwork, correcting weak points in the course between repetitions.

They add narrow railings, scaffold crossings, and momentum changes around painted infected silhouettes. A hidden noise trigger rattles a metal can, forcing Daniel to keep moving without losing awareness.

Charlie and Daniel take their positions side by side. At the whistle, they clear the car hood in matching rhythm, land on the mats, and keep moving through the marked route.

The metal can rattles from its hidden trigger. Daniel shifts cleanly, Charlie mirrors him, and both cross the narrow scaffold without breaking stride or losing sight of the next landing zone.

At the final vault, Daniel’s foot slips on the mat’s edge. Charlie catches his arm, and Daniel steadies Charlie through the recovery, sending them forward together to the finish.

Daniel checks the stopwatch and laughs in disbelief. Their paired run sets a new course record, with both trainees upright, accounted for, and ready to log what worked.

Daniel resets the stopwatch while Charlie checks the mats, railings, and noise trigger. The course remains clear, and both take their places at the starting line.

The whistle sounds. They sprint over the car hood, land cleanly, and split around the scaffold. Daniel calls the rattling cue as they reach the narrow railings.

Charlie and Daniel turn together, cross the scaffold, and clear the final vault without losing speed. They hit the finish side by side, upright and laughing.

Charlie moves back to the starting line, checking the course as he goes. The mats remain aligned, the scaffold stable, and the noise trigger ready for another run.

Daniel resets the stopwatch and studies the marked route. His breathing has steadied, and his footwork is more deliberate after the successful paired run.

He points toward the pallets and railings, then takes his place beside Charlie. The courtyard remains clear, with padded landing zones covering every planned fall.

Charlie checks the expanded route once more, noting where future platforms and alternate paths could fit without compromising the padded landing zones. Daniel raises the stopwatch.

The whistle cuts across the courtyard. Charlie and Daniel launch together, clearing the car hood, landing cleanly, and splitting around the scaffold in practiced rhythm.

The hidden can rattles. They pivot without breaking stride, cross the narrow railing, and race through the final vault. Both hit the finish side by side, upright and laughing.

Charlie meets Daniel’s raised hand with a crisp high-five. Daniel grins, energized by the clean run and the promise of a harder course later.

Charlie heads back to the starting line, checking the mats and railing as he goes. Daniel follows, resetting the stopwatch beside the course markers.

A few survivors near the maintenance area look up from their work. The course draws curious attention now that its safety checks and signals have been demonstrated.

Charlie gestures across the marked route, explaining the signals, safe landings, and decision points. His proposal carries over the courtyard, drawing several more residents from their work.

The residents agree to a rotating schedule before meals and after watch changes. By the end of the first demonstration, the course’s landing mats have shifted and one seam tears loose.

Charlie’s program is adopted, but the damaged mat costs a roll of repair tape and removes one landing zone until it is fixed. Luis and Daniel begin the first scheduled practice.

Charlie checks Luis and Matteo’s improvised safety pads, tightening straps at their knees, elbows, and wrists before testing each buckle and confirming both helmets sit securely.

He moves the torn mat aside, marks its landing zone unavailable, and positions the remaining pads beneath the safest sections of the course.

Charlie raises the whistle and blows once. Luis and Matteo start together, stepping over the car hood, rolling onto the mats, and recovering without rushing.

Charlie follows along the course, pointing out Luis’s stable foot placement and Matteo’s tendency to glance down before the scaffold crossing. Both correct their posture on the next attempt.

Charlie nods and helps Luis and Matteo reset their pads and positions, moving the repaired landing mats into a clear sequence beneath the safest route.

He waves Thomas over from the maintenance area. Thomas sets down his tools, checks the marked course, and joins them at the starting line.

Daniel steps beside Matteo, while Luis waits near the car hood. Charlie raises the whistle, keeping the torn landing zone visibly blocked from the route.

The whistle sounds. Luis leads over the hood, Matteo rolls onto the first mat, and Thomas follows with measured footwork, watching the signals instead of rushing.

Charlie smiles and follows the trainees through the course, matching their careful pace. Luis clears the hood, Matteo completes the turn, and Thomas crosses the railing with steady focus.

At the final scaffold, Charlie’s shoe catches the edge of a mat. He regains his balance, but the mat’s taped seam tears loose and that landing zone must be blocked again.

Daniel helps guide Luis and Matteo beyond the finish while Charlie marks the torn mat with a bright strip of caution tape. The remaining route stays clear.

Daniel steps to the starting line, alert and eager. Charlie raises the whistle, with the damaged landing zone excluded and the safe route marked for their next test.

Charlie surprises Daniel with a loaded backpack and a weapon, then secures his own pack and carries the reinforced hammer. The marked route remains clear except for the taped-off landing zone.

At the whistle, they move together over the car hood. The added weight changes their balance, but Charlie and Daniel slow at each transition and keep their eyes on the signals.

They cross the railing, pivot around the noise cue, and clear the final scaffold with their gear secured. Both finish upright, weapons controlled, and the course record intact.

Daniel lowers his weapon and studies the three marked destinations on the courtyard map. Sweat darkens his collar, and the training has drained one full water bottle from their supplies.

He refills his canteen from the maintenance station, then checks the pack straps and weapon control points exactly as trained. His confidence is steadier, not reckless.

The supply run is set: Daniel will accompany Charlie on foot at dawn, with the three buildings and their return route added to tomorrow’s mission board.

Charlie nods and brings Daniel to the equipment table. He selects a balanced machete-length practice blade with a guarded grip, then checks its edge, sheath, and wrist retention.

Charlie reshapes the grip with wrapped cord and rubber, adds the raised stop, and adjusts the wrist lanyard to fit Daniel’s reach without restricting movement.

Charlie replaces both canteens from the maintenance station, confirming the caps seal and the water level is enough for tomorrow’s route. He then radios Thomas.