Michael gazed at her before answering. She wasn’t sure if it was her pleading eyes or if he really thought it was okay to continue, but he nodded. “It’s fine. If she’s up to it, then we can keep going. As hot as it is, it shouldn’t take long to regulate her body temperature.”

They started out again, though she moved much slower than before. Adam must’ve still been wary about them carrying on before she had thawed out because he stayed close, watching her as if she would face plant at any moment.

But Michael had been correct. Her body warmed fairly quickly under the hot sun, and she was able to move her limbs enough to power walk and then finally jog. Although there was now a new level of weariness that had settled into her bones that hadn’t been there before.

Since they were moving at a snail’s pace compared to before, it took a while before they reached the next obstacle. It was a huge wall with a curve at the bottom. Participants had to run up the wall as far as they could and then jump up while others at the top grasped their hands and pulled them up and over onto the other side.

Michael went first and scaled the wall with ease as a stranger grasped his hand at the top and pulled him over the ledge. Adam went next and ran up the wall, latching on to Michael’s outstretched hand, and climbed onto the wall as well. When it came to her turn, she hesitated. But after a few shouted encouragements, she got into position and darted for the wall, running up the curved part as fast as she could, and jumped for all she was worth.

She missed Michael’s hand but managed to grasp on to Adam’s, who dangled her in mid-air until he pulled her deadweight over the ledge and onto a platform. Unlike either of them, she hadn’t bothered to even try climbing up. She was too tired for that and knew she would only hinder Adam.

Earlier that morning, she’d been riding high on a buzz that had now completely faded. But her shoulders went back and her chin lifted as she put on her game face and summoned the energy to keep going. The platform dropped off into muddy brown water, which they waded through to get to the other side. Then they continued on the dirt path toward the following obstacle.