In the quaint town of Pewee Valley, nestled between shadowy hills and sprawling woods, five friends (aka “The Five”) gathered at their favorite spot—the parking lot at St. Aloysious Catholic Church, a church that stood defiantly to the Darkness that was desperately attempting to encroach upon The County. The air was thick with anticipation, electric in a way that made their skin crawl. A thunderstorm was brewing, and with it came a sense of something darker lurking just out of sight.
As the first drops fell, “The Five” huddled closer. What had started as a light drizzle quickly escalated into a torrential downpour. The wind howled through the trees, bending them like bowing giants. Just then, a blinding flash in the distance illuminated the underside of the clouds that hovered above them, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that rattled their bones.
Suddenly, the ground trembled, and from the darkened woods emerged a figure—tall, gaunt, with eyes like hollow pits. The Brenton Sandwich showed himself. The Brenton was an entity that moved with the storm, slipping between raindrops and thunderclaps, its presence suffocating the very air they breathed.
As the storm intensified, the parking lot lights flickered. With each blink, the figure outside grew more defined, closer, the storm wrapping around it like a cloak. Fear gripped The Five, and with it came a chilling realization: the Brenton Sandwich was feeding off their anxiety, an unholy communion that bound them to it.
“We must face it,” bellowed One Star with determination. “We can’t let it win.”
With shaking hands, they stepped up, the storm swirling around them like a vortex of despair. As they confronted the Brenton Sandwich, its hollow eyes locked onto theirs, a surge of defiance coursed through them. United, they stood tall, their collective fear morphing into courage.
Bear Crawls (30 yards) and Broad Jump Burpees (30 yards) were completed thrice to “Buy In.” Then 21-15-9 reps over 3 sets of Burpee Block Jump Overs, Thrusters, Bonnie Blair’s, hand-release merkins, and Big Boys followed by a 400m run. Bear Crawls (30 yards) and Broad Jump Burpees (30 yards) were completed thrice to “Cash Out.”
For a heartbeat, the storm paused, as if the world itself held its breath. Then, in a flash of blinding light, the Brenton Sandwich seemed to recoil, dissolving into the very shadows from which it had come. The storm began to wane, the wind calming, and for the first time, the skies lightened.
Exhausted but victorious, the friends collapsed on the pavement, rain still falling but no longer oppressive. They’d faced the Brenton Sandwich and emerged stronger. Pewee Valley would remember that storm, not just for its fury, but for the courage that flickered within the hearts of The Five brave souls who dared to stand against the tempest.
The Five left their flag planted in the yard of St. Aloysius Church for all in The County to see as a monument to conquering the Darkness of the Brenton Sandwich, and to serve as an inspiration for future generations. Unfortunately, a very large bird scooped up the flag in its talons and retreated to the comfort of The Nest. The Five vowed to return the following week and rescue to flag from the Big Bird and complete their final mission of the IronPAX Challenge.
Credit to The Five: DeVitto, Little Jerry, Dauber, Sportsdrome, and One Star.
F3 Louisville 