The cool breeze pleasantly cooled the Nine, and, as in the old days, she tried to concentrate as much as possible on the correct running technique. Here, none of the coaches, naturally, attached importance to this important moment of training, but as a former athlete, she understood that a considerable part of success in upcoming competitions depended on it.

After breakfast, several women were chosen from the stables for transportation, but the rest were not disturbed before lunch. And closer to three o'clock in the afternoon, Irina and another ten and a half athletes were taken to a sports hangar. “All the same, in sledding,” thought Irina, from a distance when she saw a bunch of motley double strollers prepared for the trip. Several guards slowly began to harness their athletes. Finally, everyone was lined up in a column and began to be connected into a chain by leashes, one after the other, with a leash attached to the collar of the rear crew, and the front one to the front wheelchair. In addition, all the strollers were connected to each other using electric wires for synchronous control of the horses.

Irina was closing in the column. Two riders jumped into the first and last crew, and soon, in unison screaming a friendly shriek, a line of athletes slowly but amicably moved along the road ... The one who sat in the first two-wheeled cart controlled the column. He led the procession out of the camp and, slightly increasing speed, headed for a prolonged ascent to the forest on a hill. As soon as the sun disappeared under the canopy of trees, it increased its speed a bit and the sportswomen jogged toward the hotel.

After an hour and a half, they cautiously descended the winding and dangerous stretch of road to a luxurious and inviting bright colors of green palm trees, golden sand of a beach and turquoise water of pools. Some sportswomen looked at the picture of heaven and beauty that suddenly appeared before them. They could not even imagine that such a grand hotel could be located not far from them.

Twenty minutes later, and now they are entering the beautiful gates of the territory. Surprised by a strange cavalcade from a strange cavalcade, it was not clear where noisy vacationers and tourists began to pin down to the athletes, jabbing fingers at them and defiantly shouting all sorts of flat jokes. Several guards, noticing an increased interest in the newly-minted guests, approached the athletes and began to accompany the strings on both sides.

They stopped at the pier, to which a small, battered longboat had already moored. Nearby was a small handful of mischievous people with travel bags and suitcases. They perked up when they saw a convoy of crews approaching them and quickly moved towards them. Among them, Irina recognized Lyubov Vasilyevna. In a dazzling white pantsuit, she dragged behind her a huge suitcase on wheels and loudly told something to her companion, a man with a displeased face. He half-heartedly listened to the incessant monologue of a strange couturier, with a distant spinning of his head.

Giggles quickly disengaged between themselves and the noisy crowd of riders began to sit on wheelchairs.

- Do you know how to manage all this, Dmitry Alekseevich? I am absolutely not in this boom boom, can you imagine? - Lyubov Vasilyevna laughed when they were next to the athletes.

- I, unfortunately, too, Lyubov Vasilyevna. - the man growled, - I am afraid, we will have to sit apart separately, so that one of the riders could transfer us across the island.

- Yes, yes ... I think so too ...Well, nothing, when we arrive at the place, I will tell you more about how it all ended ... You just laugh, but when I opened the door ... Can you imagine?

- Let's not lose the intrigue, dear Lyubov Vasilyevna! - hastily interrupted her Dmitry Alekseevich. Tell me, on arrival, okay?

- Agreed, Dmitry! - the lady, smiling broadly, gave the man a gentle look, full of regret for the forced short-term separation.

She saw the empty carriage and quickly sat down inside, with difficulty dragging a huge suitcase behind her. The carriage was to be dragged by a low “horse” at number 32. She sighed slightly and stamped her foot, chasing away the big horsefly around her legs.

- Excuse me, but you will not mind if your luggage is sent on a cargo trolley? - there was a polite female voice.

Lyubov Vasilyevna abruptly turned around and saw an angelic-looking girl.

“But this is a very valuable suitcase,” replied the lady in white, there are very valuable things there.

- Do not worry, it will take safe and sound. But the stroller has no luggage compartment, and I have nowhere to sit.

- Oh, you - rider? - Luba was surprised, knowingly nodding her head.

- Yes. I'm one of the jockeys.

One of the guards approached them and deftly grabbing the suitcase, dragged it to the side, where several large-size cargoes were already lying on the ground.

“Just please, carefully, I beg you very much!” - shouted after Lyubov Vasilyevna, when they were already driving off from the pier.

Irina immediately felt the increased load as soon as the road went downhill to the hill. Two riders settled in her carriage, one of which was Andrew, who was driving her back in the first month to the island.

- Well, how are you? - he emotionally asked his fellow traveler, a melancholic young man a little older than himself. “I told you, remember?” Fire is easy! See how rushing! Like an empty wheelchair ... eh? And this is a hill, Senj, with two of us on board.

“Well, yes,” stretched Senya, “strength is felt.

“I immediately felt it,” continued Andrei. Still, as soon as they brought us to the laboratory then. I told Semen the same thing then !. She's just super! And it will be mine.

- I was not there then, I arrived later ..

- I remember. You came with a second stream.

Irina, clearly remembered how, on a cold rainy day, Andrei drove her around the stadium, but, unlike other jockeys, he never tried to squeeze everything out of her, trying to feel her condition and strength. She was glad that in the end, Andrew went to, and not to someone else.

“Now the climb is over and you will see how easy it is to drag it,” said Andrei to his friend when they were almost close to the forest.

Irina, getting ready to get a portion of electricity in the chest, but at the same time, gathered to properly ride the youngsters on a little or even forest path. And in fact, it was enough for Andrei to slightly move the speed lever forward, as the Nine pulled out, that there were forces, instantly dispersed the wheelchair to the desired speed and quickly overtaking the carriage ahead. Andrew, having realized it, dropped the tempo and, smiling broadly, looked proudly at his comrade. He pointedly raised his thumb up:

- Them. I myself! As they say, it pressed into the seat, ”he exclaimed. - Yeah, Andryukh, well done! Frisky filly! Good copy, very good ... I wonder how mine is? ..

- Well, we'll see soon and yours ... Well, I'm not really happy! Hurry to start training ...

There was a scream in front and someone, just like Irina, having received a command into the electrodes, rushed forward, So all the way, one or the other wheelchair was accelerated, then it was sharply slowed down so as not to collide. Young riders eagerly tried to test their "horses" in action, but to everyone's disappointment, the forest trail did not allow this. It remained to wait for the next day.

Soon the convoy of crews passed the shady forest and the road went down a gentle slope. The riders added speed and the athletes, risking being crushed by their own wheelchairs, ran cautiously, slightly leaning back, trying to hold back the heavy gigs that were gathering speed.The camp guard, who was traveling ahead, led, finally, a string to the area near the hangar with sports equipment and gave the command to unharness the female athletes. The only gig with Lyubov Vasilyevna separated from the column at the first intersection and rolled toward the residential area.

At the site, the remaining riders were already waiting ... Read more →