Issue 1 Downtime

One morning, a package would be awaiting Haley.

"Getting 'Swole', step one. Weight training. Carry these around for a bit, and we'll go from there --R"

Inside the package was a backpack, as well as some wristbands, ankle bracelets, a chest protector, and things like that.

They were all filled to the brim with sand.

Haley opened the door, bleary eyed and ready to wander down to the cafeteria in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a hoodie when she nearly tripped over the package at her door. Grumbling under her breath, she opened the card, blinked a few times, and smirked as she read.

"Eh, fuck it, why not just do it now," she said to herself, pulling out her phone and checking to make sure it was still early enough to go get breakfast, come back and shower, and still get to class. She pulled the box back into her room and started strapping everything on.

"Oh Jesus..." she panted by the time she hefted the backpack over her shoulders.

"...What the hell are you doing?" Barbara asked as she saw Haley slowly walking through the hall.

"Working. Out." she panted.

"You have to be kidding me. You're going to strain something."

"Maybe..." she said, clearly sweating profusely now that Barbara was close enough to notice.

"Like, seriously. You're going to pass out--what the hell are you carrying around, bricks?"

"I don't know...just heavy," she said leaning against the wall now. "Gotta get in shape."

"Oh, what, you must weight, what, 90 pounds? You're fine, don't kill yourself."

"Nah...don't think I'm fat...just want muscles as strong as this," she tapped her temple. "...what time is it? I can't reach my phone with this damned backpack on."

"Oh. Well, it looks like you've really thought that through, then," she scoffed, looking at her phone.

"It's 7:10."

"Fffffffuck," she swore. "This is taking forever. I'm gonna be late for breakfast AND class." Haley shoved herself up off the wall and started trying to move down the hall again, but gravity won pretty quickly, and Haley topped backwards, landing on top of the backpack, and looking somewhat like a turtle flipped on its shell.

"God fucking damnit."

"Don't worry, I'm sure nobody saw that," Barbara said, hitting some buttons on her phone.

"Thanks. Want to stop taking pictures of me and help me get this damn thing off?"

"Not really, but that probably would be the more productive thing to do," she grinned, bending down to give Haley a hand.

With assistance, Haley slipped the backpack straps from her shoulder, rolled around a bit like that kid stuck on the ground in a huge snow suit from that scene in A Christmas Story, before finally giving up and basically pulling herself upright with her TK and a hand from Barbara.

"Well. That didn't work," she sighed.

"I'll say. I think someone's out to get you."