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The Reeley Web
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Beyond the precipitous edge was a slope, around sixty degrees or steeper and around seventy yards long, grassed but full of hummocks, ridges and divots to catch the unwary or careless. Rolling down it, bouncing from the occasional strike on a lump, was the large pink cheese. Several yards behind that were ten men determined to catch the rolling cheese and carry it down triumphantly to the waiting women below. Edward passed Henry whose sensibility was beginning to reign in his recklessness and who had therefore slowed a little, and now only The Colonel was before him and the prize. Steve was only a half step behind Henry and was also concentrating on the racing Colonel. Henry’s toe caught a ridge and dragged his leg slightly causing him to slow further. Unfortunately Steve was not able to react quickly enough and clattered into the back of Henry causing them both to fall and start rolling. Steve felt a pain in his side as a following racer failed to clear him as he fell and caught him in the ribs with his foot. Four men were now down and their demise had resulted in the final four having to slow and run around the pile of slowly rolling men. This left a clear gap to Edward and The Colonel who were still running after the cheese, oblivious to the carnage behind them. They were now neck and neck, shoulder to shoulder and only a few yards from the finish, the cheese right before them. Both men, spurred on by the need to win raised their game and pushed beyond the barrier of sensibility and dived for the cheese. Just as fingers reached for it, the cheese hit another bump and climbed into the air, heading for the waiting catchers. Debbie, captain of the school hockey team last year, was quickest to react and found her hands full of pink wax and smelly yellow cheese. At her feet were two red faced laughing men. |