FOURTEEN
MYLO
Haley’soff the hook for shooting today, but she still comes to find me and ask if it’s alright if she watches. I’m happy to have her company as wardrobe, hair, and makeup work their magic again, transforming me into Melinoë.
It’s better than thinking about Christine.
I had another weird dream. This time, the ocean was grey and black, frothing with a storm. I woke up in the same… state as before. Solved the problem. Took another icy shower.
As I was toweling off, it occurred to me that I might have overreacted yesterday. I think the nausea took more out of me than I realized. It was back with a vengeance this morning until my Dramamine kicked in.
Somehow Haley and I ended up talking about embarrassing high school stories with Sharon, our makeup artist. It’s a great way to pass the time until we’re called onset.
We pile into a van for the short ride over to the rig, which now sits ten feet above the ground to accommodate the safety net.
Christine hasn’t been called yet, so I work with the stunt team to go through the initial safety testing.
“Let me get a feel for this net.”
There’s a ladder set up so I can get into the fuselage, and once I give the okay, the rig rises and lifts the net with it, up to about thirty feet.
The dark, fine net almost disappears, like the screen on a window.
My heart’s been running fast all morning, and it kicks higher. I take the kind of deep, intentional breaths that tell my nervous system we’re on the same side here.
The best way to get over a fear of heights?
To fall.
Once the crew at the base gives me the thumbs-up, I step out of the door of the plane, then land on my back. The fine net is both softer and springier than I expect. It’s a different experience than landing on an airbag, but the principles are all the same. Try to land on your back, spread out the force. Protect your head; never land on rigid legs.
I push easily upright, taking a few steps along the net to get used to the feel. Seeing the drop clearly between my feet sends a pang of adrenaline through my chest, and I smile at the thrill.
Yeah. Today’s gonna be fun.
I grab a luggage strap left intentionally dangling from the doorway and climb up it to get back into the plane.
I take a few more falls, including a header (flipping over my head and landing on my back) and a suicide (falling face-first, then flipping over at the last second) to get a sense for how the net responds and work the excess adrenaline out of my muscles.Spotting the net is a little harder than I’m used to. Given a day of practice, it’d be second nature, but I don’t have a day.
I grab the walkie-talkie I was given and page the ground crew. “Can we get some more of that orange safety ribbon? I want to tie a few lengths into the net to have some brighter points to spot from.”
The response crackles in from Pauli, “No worries, cuz. We’ll ‘ave her done.”
I stay in the net as the rig slowly lowers. It stops a few feet off the ground, and I bounce across and vault over the edge of the frame as Christine, Lana, and Bella arrive.
Lana and Bella find Andy and talk through the plan.
Christine lingers near me, but doesn’t say anything.
When you’re lower on the pecking order on a movie set, you learn to apologize first, whether it’s really your fault or not.
“Sorry about yesterday,” I offer. “I… overreacted. What you do in your free time is none of my business.”
That icy blue gaze meets mine, steady as ever. “I do take this seriously.”
“I know.”
Christine eyes the rig, already a good bit higher than when we were in it yesterday, but at less than half its full height. She certainly looks serious.
