The oxygen evacuated her lungs.
Falling.
She clutched at the vines.
The sudden jerk told her she’d managed to grab on.
Don’t move.
Be calm.
Think.
The vine was holding.
Her heart bumped hard against her sternum.
She wasn’t falling anymore. She had a death grip on a couple of vines, and she wasn’t letting go for anything.
You’re okay.
Take a breath. Stay calm. The bag she always carried pulled at her neck like a millstone.
Stay still? Or climb up?
It was dark as pitch below her, but she was pretty sure there were trees and rocks. Nothing she wanted to land on.
Up was her best bet.
Reach up, she ordered her right hand.
Her body refused to obey.
Do it!
Her right hand released the vine. Adrenaline shot through her veins.
Her hand shook as she reached up. A foot or so higher, she latched on to the vine once more. Then the other hand. Reach up. Higher! Grab on. Pull!
One methodical, achingly slow foot at a time, she pulled herself upward. Until she was within reach of the stone ledge.
Then the memory of the impact that had sent her over the edge paralyzed her.
What if someone was up there ... waiting to push her again?
Her body trembled violently. Her fingers started to burn.
She had to do something.
Couldn’t keep hanging there.
She tried to look down ... couldn’t see shit.
Up was her only option.
She reached up, hoped like hell no one stepped on her fingers. She clutched the ledge. Pulled. Her arms trembled. All she had to do now was turn loose of the vine and reach up with the other hand. No hesitation. Do it fast.
Using her right hand since it was strongest, she released the vine, grabbed the ledge. After a moment to steady herself, she reached and clawed and pulled with both hands until she hauled herself up, her arms quivering violently.
