Torin (Hope City #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,54
beginning of the race was two hours away, there were already people beginning to move about. The race was going to start and end in the Hope City War Memorial Park. There would be security checkpoints just to get into the area where the runners would be admitted based on their time of start.
As they walked along the city streets lit by streetlamps, more and more people gathered along with them, heading in the same direction. The atmosphere was jubilant, with runners smiling and greeting each other.
“It's crazy, isn't it? We don't know any of these people that we're seeing and yet we're all bound together by this common goal of running in the marathon today.”
By the time they got close to the entrance to the park, the crowd of runners had swelled and they slowed their steps. There were volunteers with megaphones, shouting directions.
“Gate one is for the runners in wave number one. Gate two is for those who will run in the second wave. Make your way to the gate number that corresponds to your starting wave number.”
“I guess that's gate three for us.” Torin wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and they kept walking down the sidewalk with hundreds of others, finally coming to the gate labeled number three. Once they made their way to the beginning of the line, they stood with their arms out as security passed the metal detector wand over them. Trucks that contained lockers would be available so that they could secure their extra belongings, and the trucks would move to the end of the race so the belongings could be collected.
“Are you sure you don’t have anything to go in a locker?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, everything fits into my running belt.”
Now, finally through the runners’ admission process, they walked into the massive common area of the park. Cones and temporary fences separated the runners in the various waves.
All around the park, runners were standing in groups and chatting, or jogging in place, or beginning their stretches. They passed by tents selling T-shirts, marathon jackets, ball caps, and other memorabilia.
“I want to buy something when the race is over. I hope they’ll still be here.”
“I’m sure they will. I can’t imagine runners wanting to get anything right now unless they locked them inside the trucks.”
They continued walking and spied the medical tents in front of them, offering items the runners might have forgotten. They entered, and Erin waved at a few of the volunteers she recognized. “If I wasn’t running, I would’ve loved to work the race in the medical tent.”
“Erin!”
Turning at the sound of her name, she watched as Ryker approached. He offered a hug before shaking hands with Torin.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get the same starting wave as Brianna.”
He grinned, offering a shrug. “That’ll be my motivation to keep my time up. We both have our smartwatches, so I’ll know where she is. I should be able to catch up to her and then we can finish the race together.”
Waving goodbye, they walked past several kiosks with energy packets donated by various sponsors. Music was playing in another tent, and the fair-like atmosphere continued as the dawn slowly began to break over the sky.
Erin grabbed Torin’s arm and gave a little shake as she hopped up and down. “This is crazy. I'm so excited, and I can't remember being this excited about anything in such a long time.”
He pulled her close and tucked her cheek next to his heart. “You've needed this, babe. You've needed something to focus on. A goal to work toward. Something outside yourself.”
She leaned back, smiled, and nodded. “You understand me so well. But don't discount that I also need you in my life.”
Bending, he kissed her lightly. They heard the announcements that pre-wave groups were about to start. That included the wheelchair men and women and the handcycles.
Torin glanced at his cell phone. “Wave one will start in about ten minutes.”
She stood on her toes and looked down the sidewalk beyond the tent and kiosks. “I’m sure the lines at the porta-potties are long, so I better go ahead and get over there.”
“We’ll go together. It’d be foolish for me to pass up the opportunity considering that once we get started, the next four to five hours will be running.”
“Oh, God, when you say it that way, I’m already tired!”
They found one of the sections of the park devoted to porta-potties and got in line, snaking forward. By the time they finished,