Post by valeriyalebedev on May 10, 2011 15:53:08 GMT -4
[/blockquote][/blockquote]Fingers around toes, pull back until it hurts. Pull into the pain, and just close your eyes. When it's to much to bare switch feet. Arms up in the air, palms away, fingers locked together push until it hurts. Push until you hear your spine crack, little pops as air leaves each and every vertebrae. Forget that your body is tired, forget that your body needs to rest, forget that most of your body is covered in purple and blue bruises. Push it all away and just keep breathing. One elbow up, pull it away from its shoulder, pull it until you feel the muscles over your rib cage scream. Let go and switch elbows.
Valeriya slowly stood up after she finished her floor stretches. Her palms rubbed into her eyes as she tried to force them to want to stay open. She walked to the center of the ring, limping as she pulled her slightly swollen ankle behind her. Her thumb and forefinger slowly reached out in the air. It plucked at the almost invisible silver rope that was suspended at her eye level.
"Chert kanatu"
-- "Damn tightrope"
She had never trained in tightrope nor did she exactly want to recreate her Barre act over a target that she almost couldn't see. Valeriya pulled the safety gloves out of her bag. They were similar to the trapeze gloves, but a bit slimmer made with a softer leather. She pulled the buckles tight, then twisted the wrist straps around her boney wrists to make sure they were tight. With her fingers still free she reached into her bad again. Out came an elastic which she twisted into her thin brown hair. She shrugged her shoulders happy to be free of the obnoxious loose ends. Her hands, finally free of the elastic and hair, patted her head making sure that her hair was neatly piled on to of it.
She sat down again, pulled her bag into her lap as she rooted around for her ankle brace and her rope shoes. After retrieving them Valeriya threw her bag to the edge of the practice ring. With a slow sigh the woman stood up to face her enemy, the tightrope.
As she sauntered towards the rope. Her brown eyes darting around the ring. It was smaller when people didn't line the seats of the stage. But unlike the ring she knew and loved this alien place was quiet. Silent except for her foot steps against the packed dirt and her light breathing. Again she plucked at the rope, then with cat like quickness she pulled her spandex clad body up the rope. It strained under weight as she locked her elbow and hung for a moment with her midsection pressing into the rope.
Slowly Valeriya forced her legs into a split that brought her legs even with the rope. And again she moved slowly, though her mind spun in quick circles, her knees bent with her feet dragging against the rope. With her legs finally under her Valeriya stood. Her feet turned out in opposite positions she shakily stood there for a moment before she took her first steps. One foot slid in front of the other, and inched across the rope. Arms out stretched she forced her body, against her better judgement, to stay completely upright. Finally she made it to the platform at the end, but before she could set foot on the stable metal Valeriya knew she would have to go back.
Spinning on the platform Valeriya forced herself to step down onto the rope. This time she took her steps with confidence, lifting her foot instead of sliding it across the rope. Before she reached the second platform she stopped then started to move backwards. It was something simple that she had begun working on a few weeks again. Of course the sudden burst of confidence that she had felt made her clumsy. She felt the trick slip and then she felt herself misstep. Distinctively she twisted, her hands fumbling for the rope as she fell through the air. She grabbed it and slowed her fall. Even with motion slowed she still hit the dirt to hard. As she hit she jumped up, the leg with her hurt ankle curled up into her stomach as she forced herself to take the pain.
"Chert yego vse k chertu"
-- "Damn it all to hell"
Once the pain subsided Valeriya stood here glaring at the rope, hands rubbing together as she started prepare herself for another go.
