"Look. It really isn't that hard." Karin said. Maris looked behind her at Karin, glaring for a second before shifting her attention back to the wall. "What? You literally put your hand in the crack and yank yourself up." Maris didn't even have to turn around this, she knew Karin was just shrugging it off, probably picking at her nails or something as if it were nothing.

Maris gazed upwards, taking in the full scale of the wall and shuddered. She couldn't believe she was about to climb the wall. She was about to go into another Hour. She had quite honestly expected some cool portal or extensive field she would run across, but it was a wall. A wall of rock. Had this really separated her from countless other civilizations this whole time?

So maybe her father did make it to the other Hour...he could get across a wall. If a teenager, Hour One or not, could make it across, then a grown man could, yes? "So this is the only wall right? After this we are in Four?"

"Ha. I wish. There are three more walls just like this."

Maris had to turn around for that and she gaped at Karin, "So you climbed..."

"Eight."

"Eight walls - I was getting there, but that's crazy! Wow. How even? By the way, how are you not dead."

"Oh my gosh. Threes. So naïve." Karin chuckled and threw her head back as if she were explaining something to someone sheltered away for years. Well, Maris was sheltered compared to Karin. "We do rock climbing as training in One. Plus, I mean, I took breaks in there. The walls aren't that tall and after every two, I stopped for a snack and rest." Maris blinked and leaned against the solid rock, little specks poking out and scraping her back through her thin shirt.

"You mean to say I am going to climb two of these and then get rest? A-and I am not naïve." Maris got defensive but she hated being called naïve or sheltered, even if she was. It wasn't her fault.

"Tell you what - I will rope you up like we do the five year olds in One-"

"That comment wasn't necessary."

"Whatever - it is true," Karin shrugged and carried on as if her offensive comments weren't said to begin with. Maris sighed and knew she should honestly just be used to it by now. "Anyways, you can get roped up and I'll help pull you up there. The wall is maybe...ten feet? I can't pull your weight the whole time so you'll have to put forth some effort." Maris nodded and turned back around to wall.

"You know. Just some time ago we were eating ice cream and laughing in a convenient store...now we are going to climb a wall...walls...into another Hour." Maris shook her head at the rough rock and laughed a little. "This is crazy!" Her voice got high and she looked back at Karin who hadn't even paid attention to a word she said - she was rummaging through her bag. "Karin."

"What?"

"How do babies get up and around this wall? Even if they were to be strapped onto someone else, wouldn't that be a lot of weight?"

"No. There are doors." Maris wanted to drop everything, but she held nothing.

"Doors! Doors? There are doors and you are making me climb this wall? I am only saying this because you have before - but us Threes are not athletic and this Three," Maris paused to point at herself despite the distracted Karin, "is definitely leaning towards the option of a door over a wall!" Maris was hysteric - she was about to climb this crazy wall when there was a door somewhere. She walked back to Karin and their bags, grabbing hers off the ground, waiting for Karin to stand up, shrug it off, and walk to this door. She probably wanted to climb the wall to show off or something.

"Shut up smartie pants. The door only has special access that is beyond any kind of technology your bland Hour could comprehend. It doesn't open for anyone - babies are put in this room one night, and the next day, they are gone."

"That sounds kind of stupid." Karin looked up and Maris quickly apologized, "Sorry. Not stupid. Just crazy. Why didn't you go to the room so you could be shipped?"

"No authorization. Everyone disappeared, remember? And in Two, everyone was in those piles and I was definitely not digging through those nasty piles of dead bodies just to find an easy way out. Climbing seriously isn't that bad."

"Would they have the rooms in Three?"

"Don't know, don't care. We are climbing the wall. You need the exercise anyways - you won't make it far with your current physical state." Maris looked down and observed her body. She was on the pudgy side but it was better than before, surviving for days on stale bread and mochas is a recipe for weight loss. Karin looked about the same as she did when Maris first saw her. She fit her hand around her arm and quickly removed them as all she felt was mush. She eyed Karin's skinny arms that was nothing more than muscle and scowled. "What's up your butt? You've been eyeing yourself and touching yourself for like five minutes."

"Nothing. Let's just climb this stupid wall." Maris didn't even apologize this time for her language. She had a lot of patience when she first met Karin, but tough times called for tough measures and if Karin could be snarky, Maris could be snarky. Or at least attempt to.

"Finally!" Karin jumped up holding a bundle of jump ropes and gave Maris a devilish look. Maris naturally backed up a little and quizzically eyed Karin. She popped an eyebrow up and stared, clueless. "Come. I'm gonna wrap you up like the five year olds."

"You don't honestly think a jump rope could hold me, right?" Maris instantly felt uncomfortable and crossed her arms. The jump ropes would break just from being tied around her thighs.

"I said you would have to put forth some effort. The jumpies are for support. Now let's go, it is getting dark and we need to climb at least two of these." Karin walked closer to Maris and pulled the jump ropes taught. Maris backed up again and let out a nervous laugh.

"Maybe I can climb it without the rope, you know. Did Jake climb it?"

"He sure did. But even he is more fit than you." Karin shrugged and tossed Maris the ropes. "If you aren't going to let me help then put these around your thighs and then around your waist. Make it tight but don't cut off your circulation. Just give me the tip of the rope when you're done."

Maris bent down and picked up the ropes. It was about five of them and she let out a sigh. She would have to tie all of these together, tie them around her, climb this wall and get around three more. The ropes would break. "Wait. Why don't we go around the wall?"

"Not possible. Both ends lead to black borders that go sky high. If you want to go to Hour Four, you need to climb the wall. Well - it actually doesn't matter want or not, you are going." Karin pointed to her ropes and clapped her hands, "Chop chop."

Maris started at the ropes in her hand and shook her head. She separated her legs and threaded the ropes around her legs, failing ultimately and letting out a huff before throwing the ropes back on the ground. "I can't get the ropes to work. I'll just climb the wall without them."

"No. Are you an idiot?"

"N-"

"Don't answer that. It was rhetorical first off, and true second off. You could fall." Karin cut her off before she could finish the two letter word, but Maris hadn't even thought about falling. "Just let me do it."

"No." Maris didn't want this fit, perfect specimen touching her body.

"Fine. Fall. See what I care." Karin threw her hands up before crouching down to get her bag and began to walk past Maris, towards the wall. Maris was getting fidgety because she wanted the rope security but she felt so insecure.

Karin touched the wall and Maris grew more anxious. She threw her hand behind her head and made noises but kept pacing back on the dead grass, not wanting to give in. "Gah. Mom - this is for you. These Time Keepers better have the answer." Maris spoke back towards Three and stomped on the ground a little before shouting back to Karin.

"Wait. Wait. I'm sorry. Please put the ropes on for me." Maris pleaded at Karin, she really didn't want to die by falling off a wall. If she survived disease she most surely shouldn't die because of a wall. She picked the ropes up and Karin didn't think twice before turning around to secure Maris' body in the jump ropes.

She skillfully wrapped them around her legs and began working on her waist. "Suck your stomach in." Maris paled and pulled her stomach in, embarrassed that it kept her from being properly secured. Her head dropped and her slightly knotty brown hair falling upon her shoulders. She should use one of those elastics Karin had. Karin looked up and rolled her eyes, "You aren't fat. I have to push in my stomach when I get secured at the rock parks. It just helps to get the tightest grip possible."

Maris looked to the side and wasn't fully convinced by Karin's words. Karin had practically read Maris' mind and she cursed herself for being so obvious, but she wouldn't say anything in response. Karin finished within a minute and Maris felt rather lame. They walked to the wall with their bags on, Karin looked athletic with her unique clothing and Maris looked weird with jump ropes dragging behind her and her pale Three clothes on instead of something like Karin.

Karin hopped up and easily hooked onto the cracks that had earlier given Maris trouble. She looked down and began talking, "The trick is to not think about it. If you think about the fact you are climbing a ninety degree wall, you'll probably fall. Then make sure you use your feet to get a grip, too. Look at my feet." Maris looked at Karin's feet that she kicked back and forth into the crack to show how she got a grip. She made it look so easy. "Then, kind of let yourself fall slightly, without actually letting a grip go or falling - just release the pressure then use your legs to spring yourself up. When you push up release one hand and grab another crack. Make sure you know where a crack is before you let go." Karin showed Maris that maneuver and stopped after moving up a body's length.

"You're a professional at this...I can't possibly copy your moves."

"You'll have to. Oh, and don't look down. Keep your head up and focused on basically the sky and wall ahead of you."

"But you're looking down."

"I'm basically a professional. You just said that. Climbing is what I do for fun." Karin had a straight line for lips and rolled her eyes yet again.

"Of course..." Maris looked away for a second and was looking for someone to tell her she could go home now and this was a funny prank, but it was just as empty as before and she groaned as she turned back to the wall. She looked at the wall and didn't see Karin. "Karin? Karin where did you go?" Maris grew worried quickly and it wasn't just the beating sun that making her sweat buckets now.

"Look up." Maris looked up and shielded her eyes, Karin sat on the top of the wall, swinging her legs. She was still sweating buckets but the prickling feeling that crept on her had subsided.

"You-you...you were just here."

"Well when I'm not slowed by talking to you I can climb this easily. It's only like ten feet. That's why I did two walls at once." Karin kept talking about her climbing ability as if the more she spoke the more her speed would make sense. Maris blankly stared at her and gulped. Ten feet was a lot of feet.

"Wait, what about my rope?" Maris bundled up the leftover rope and looked up at Karin, hands hung low in defeat.

"Yeah. Throw it." Maris arched her eyebrow and tried to throw the rope. It hardly passed her head.

"That isn't going to work."

"Well not with that wimpy throw. Stand back some and let some of the rope loose, swing it around your head and arch it kinda high and walk kinda close to me and I will grab it. And like, keep swinging it." Maris stepped back and swung the loose rope at the confusing directions. Same result as before. "Ugh." Karin looked up to the sky and muttered something Maris couldn't hear, then dragged her hands across her face. "Uhm have you ever thrown a football?"

"A what?"

"Nevermind. Just let a body length of the rope loose behind you, with your arm behind you too, over your shoulder, and whip your arm back up. Fast. Watch." Karin mimicked the motion and Maris nodded before dragging the rope behind her. She did the same motion and whipped her arm up. "Yes! Just like that! Just open your eyes this time and throw it to me." Maris didn't even notice she had her eyes closed.

"Oh, sorry." Maris blinked a couple times and looked around her. She smiled sheepishly and put the rope back in its place. Maris took a deep breath and threw the rope again, eyes wide open and focused on Karin. Karin caught it and pumped her fist in the air.

"Finally! Now, mimic me and climb that wall."