Chapter 4: The Fastest Boy in School
The afternoon sun was strong as students gathered at the school field for P.E. class.
Some students were excited.
Others looked like they were about to faint.
Timo stretched his arms dramatically.
"I hate sports," he said.
Sam looked at him.
"You carried sacks this morning."
"That's survival," Timo replied. "This is suffering."
Students laughed nearby.
Coach Kamau blew his whistle loudly.
"Alright everyone! Line up!"
The students quickly formed a line.
Coach Kamau looked at them like a soldier inspecting recruits.
"Today we're testing speed."
Groans filled the field.
"Each of you will run 100 meters," the coach continued.
Timo whispered to Sam.
"Bro… if I collapse, tell my family I tried."
"You don't even run," Sam said.
"Exactly."
Then Sam noticed something.
Brian and his friends were standing on the other side of the field.
Brian smirked when he saw him.
Timo followed Sam's eyes.
"Oh no," he said quietly.
"What?"
"That guy is the school's fastest runner."
Sam stayed calm.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Timo repeated. "Bro, are you allergic to fear?"
Coach Kamau pointed toward the starting line.
"First group! Get ready!"
Several students stepped forward.
Brian was one of them.
The whistle blew.
They ran.
Brian finished first easily.
Students clapped.
Timo shook his head.
"See? That's the problem."
Then Coach Kamau pointed again.
"Next group!"
Sam stepped forward.
Brian noticed immediately.
His smile returned.
"Oh," Brian said loudly, "the trench boy thinks he can run."
Some students laughed.
Timo looked nervous.
"Sam… maybe we pretend you twisted your ankle?"
Sam ignored him and walked to the starting line.
Coach Kamau looked at him.
"You're new."
"Yes, coach."
"Let's see what you've got."
Students gathered around the track.
Aisha was standing with her friends nearby.
She quietly watched Sam.
Something about him made her curious.
Coach Kamau raised the whistle.
"Ready!"
The runners bent down.
"Set!"
The field became silent.
WHISTLE!
Everyone exploded forward.
At first, two runners took the lead.
Then something unexpected happened.
Sam accelerated.
Fast.
Very fast.
Within seconds he passed everyone.
Even Brian's previous time suddenly looked slow.
Students started shouting.
"Who is that?!"
"Yo!"
"Look at him go!"
Sam crossed the finish line far ahead of everyone.
Coach Kamau looked shocked.
Even Brian stopped smiling.
The coach checked his stopwatch.
Then he looked up again.
"Impossible…"
Students gathered around.
"What time did he get?"
Coach Kamau spoke slowly.
"That's the fastest time this school has seen in years."
The field exploded with noise.
Timo ran toward Sam.
"BRO!"
He grabbed his shoulders.
"Since when are you a sports machine?!"
Sam shrugged.
"I used to run a lot."
Timo stared at him.
"From what? Lions?"
Nearby, Aisha smiled slightly.
Brian, however, was not smiling at all.
His eyes were locked on Sam.
Cold.
Competitive.
He walked toward him slowly.
"Not bad," Brian said.
Sam looked at him.
"Thanks."
Brian leaned closer.
"But don't get comfortable."
Sam raised an eyebrow.
Brian smirked.
"The school sports tournament is next month."
Students nearby suddenly became excited.
Brian continued.
"That's where the real runners compete."
He pointed at Sam.
"And I don't lose."
Sam stayed calm.
Then he gave a small smile.
"Good."
Brian frowned slightly.
Sam continued.
"Neither do I."
The tension between them grew.
Behind them, Timo whispered dramatically.
"Oh no…"
"What?" Sam asked.
Timo sighed.
"This story is becoming dangerous."
Across the field…
Aisha was still watching.
Now she wasn't just curious.
She was impressed.
And somewhere deep inside her mind, a thought appeared:
Who exactly is this boy from the trenches?