No one was going to give me a boost.
I eyed the fighting men in front of me.
No, they definitely wouldn’t help.
My eyes narrowed on the two men at the end.
Perhaps they could help.
They just didn’t know they were going to…yet.
I backed up on quick feet and shook out my arms.
I had to do this super-fast or I was screwed.
Then I moved.
I raced as hard as I could with my arms pumping and my bare feet digging down into the ground. The two men had hold of each other’s heads, bent over each other as they pounded one another in the stomachs. They didn’t even notice me coming. I jumped into the air and scrambled up on top of them. They both jerked up in surprise, and I leapt with my arms extended upward and snagged a hold.
My body smacked against the wall.
I groaned from the pain but quickly heaved my right leg up to a hold on the right. One of the men grabbed at my dangling left leg, cursing at me, but I kicked him straight in his throat. He fell back on his ass unable to breathe.
The other guy took advantage of his rival falling and jumped to grab a hold next to me.
I eyed the recruit as I heaved and flew up to the next hold, my fingers digging into it. I asked in a breathless pant, “Are you going to fuck with me?”
His muscles bulged as he used just his arms to toss himself up next to me again. “I’ve seen you fight. I’ll leave you alone.”
I still watched him.
Near the top of our severe climb, I muttered, “You’ve got incoming below you.”
He glanced down. “Thanks.”
Then he kicked his foot hard into a man’s face.
The poor bastard fell backward through the air.
I looked away, not wanting to see the landing.
We were up high at this point.
The wind whipped my ponytail as I stopped to catch my breath for a second. My muscles quivered, and my fingers were shaking. I grunted and dug my toes better into the hold below me, pressing my body flat against the wall. I twisted my wrists to stretch my fingers.
I heaved myself one more time and slapped a hand down on top of the wall, a husky bellow passed my lips as I pulled my aching and exhausted body up with the last of my strength. I sucked oxygen for a second, lying on my back, and staring up at the blue sky, the sun beginning its descent.
“Get up,” I hissed to myself.
I rolled and stood to my feet, preparing myself for more hell. But I stared at the finish line down below. It was right there. And there was only one more step I needed to take.
I sat down at the back edge of the wall and pushed.
I tucked my arms in as my body flew down the slide.
Then I was clawing at the ground and thrusting myself up to my feet. The man I had helped slid down next to me, still lying on his back. I stared down at him for a second, his gaze freezing on mine in his prone position. I could kick him and debilitate him.
I chose not to.
