as he reached into his jacket for a key Mr Pike had given him and slotted it into a grey box on the post above Kevin’s head. ‘Now let’s see how you get along with this baby.’
As James turned the key, banks of floodlights came on, illuminating the wooden framework of CHERUB’s sprawling height obstacle. The mixture of towers, planks, poles and rope swings built amidst tall trees was a tough challenge for anyone. If you were scared of heights, it was your worst nightmare.
‘Looking a bit pale there, Kev,’ James grinned.
He felt bad as Kevin fought back a sob. James’ instinct was to give him a hug and tell him that he’d be OK, but they’d already made one breakthrough by being ruthless. They couldn’t drop the fa?ade now.
‘Cry baby,’ Bruce sneered, pinching Kevin’s cheek. ‘How are you ever gonna make it as a cherub if you start bawling before you even try?’
James was pleased to see Kevin choke back his tears, grit his teeth and show the same defiant expression as he’d done after jumping off the roof the night before.
The obstacle started with a line of rope ladders, each of which led up to a wooden platform suspended between two huge trees more than twenty metres off the ground.
‘Don’t look down,’ James said, as Kevin nervously planted his boot on the bottom rung.
James remembered how frightened he’d been the first time he’d gone over the obstacle. As Bruce raced ahead on another ladder, James followed a few rungs behind Kevin. He was a little slow and he stopped moving when the wind made the ropes sway, but James thought he was doing OK for a first timer.
In some ways, it was easier going over the obstacle in darkness because you were much less aware of your surroundings.
‘Where’s the railing?’ Kevin asked, when he reached the platform.
‘There ain’t one,’ Bruce said, with a flourish in his voice that made James wonder if Bruce actually enjoyed making Kevin suffer.
James could remember his own first time on the platform, twenty metres up and less than two boot lengths wide. ‘If that plank was on the ground, you’d walk up and down it all day long and not fall over,’ he explained, as he rested a reassuring hand on Kevin’s shoulder.
Bruce took the lead on to the next section of the course, which comprised two long scaffold poles stretching across the ten-metre gap to the next platform.
‘Rest a hand on each pole and hook your boots around at the back. Then crawl,’ Bruce explained.
‘Are there nets under here?’ Kevin asked.
‘You’ll find out if you fall off,’ James barked. ‘Move your skinny butt.’
Again, Bruce led the way across and on to the next platform, which was square and had a wooden fence built around two sides. The metal poles were freezing cold on James’ fingers. Kevin moved quickly, until he was about two-thirds of the way across and his right boot slipped. He managed to tighten his grip and hook his ankle back around the pole, but it had spooked him and he froze up and started sniffling again.
‘Jesus Christ,’ Bruce screamed. ‘We know who we’ll have playing the fairy in this year’s nativity play.’
James was concerned because Kevin had stopped moving. If he fell, he would hit a net before the ground, but it would wreck his confidence and the branches would cut him to pieces on the way down. And it wasn’t just that James felt sorry for Kevin and wanted him to succeed: his History coursework was at stake as well.
‘Shift it,’ James said, as he took his hand off the rail and gently tapped Kevin on the bum.
Kevin shuffled forward again, but he was crying his eyes out. Bruce grabbed hold of him as soon as he was within reach and slammed him against the wooden fence.
‘If I hear one more sob,’ Bruce said, as he pinched Kevin’s nose and twisted it out of shape, ‘I’ll give you something that’s worth sobbing for.’
‘I can’t do this any more,’ Kevin squealed. ‘Please let me down.’
Bruce grabbed the collar of Kevin’s jacket and dangled him over the open side of the platform. ‘You wanna get down?’
‘Don’t let me go,’ Kevin screamed. ‘Please don’t let me go.’
‘Baby,’ Bruce said, ‘I can’t put up with your racket any more.’ And he let go of Kevin’s jacket and shoved him off the platform.
James gasped as he heard the small body screaming through the branches. ‘What are you doing?’
Bruce shrugged. ‘He’ll hit the nets.’
‘But