Page 61 of Chasing Sunsets

Zack hopped to the ground again.

“We’ll be diving from around thirteen-thousand feet and our freefall time will be forty to fifty seconds,” Lewis explained. “I’ve been jumping since I was fifteen. My dad was an avid skydiver and couldn’t wait for me to try it. I’d never before, or since, felt the total freedom and adrenaline rush as when I’m in the air. I served on an aerobatic skydiving team for six years. We put on areal expeditions all over the world.”

“Were you one of the people on the video?” Zack asked. There had been a clip during the instructions where a group of divers, with cameras on their heads, jumped out of a plane, then hoovered together and linked hands before they started doing somersaults away from each other. Another shot showed someone going straight down, head first.

Lewis nodded. “When I first started diving, I couldn’t believe how positive everyone was. The community around the sport is amazing. And formation skydiving is tremendous. I’ll be friends with those guys I worked with until the day I die.”

Zack thought about his best friends and how they’d bonded while playing football during their first year of high school. Maybe all sports made teammates brothers.

“Different paths lead individuals to skydiving, but we’re all looking for the same thing. The thrill. The rush. The tandem skydiving we’ll be doing will allow you to enjoy the experience. This lesson won’t cover everything you need to master the skies. It will ensure you’re comfortable and confident. This is why tandem is a great first experience. If you do forget a step, I’m here to remind you. So make the most of this. We’ve also got the added bonus thatChasing Sunsetswill have a camera person filming our descent. I made sure you could get a copy of the footage. Do you ever plan to dive after today?”

“I guess it depends on how today goes.”

“Indeed,” Lewis agreed.

“I have a buddy who skydives often and is always asking me to go.”

“At least this will give you an introduction. If you decide to go with your friend, I invite you to watch the video from today and see what steps you remember. If you go only once again or if you become an avid skydiver, it will be helpful to see where you can improve. Plus, if you become an expert, you’ll love watching that virgin descent.”

After Zack’s tenth jump off the table, Lewis led him to another smaller building and began explaining about parachutes. “Safety comes first. There are on average only ten deaths a year out of more than three and a half million jumps. It’s one of the safest extreme sports out there. Of course, if you don’t like heights, that’s another matter. My girlfriend won’t even consider it. She keeps telling me, ‘I’m grounded for life.’”

Zack grinned. “My wife would say the same thing.”

“Yeah, but neither of them would be the best partner for the owner of a skydiving facility.”

“You’re the owner?”

“I am. I’m just not sure for how long.” Lewis frowned. “The rising price of fuel and constant maintenance on the planes, not to mention the insurance premiums, is a bit more than I anticipated. I moved to Big Bend and opened this business to live my dream. I think sometimes dreams aren’t enough though.”

When was the last time Zack dreamed of the future? He couldn’t imagine one that didn’t include Sadie. Yes, he’d continued with life after she left, going through the motions on autopilot. He wasn’t steering though. He didn’t have control. He wasn’t directing his life. He simply wanted his wife back.

Sometimes dreams aren’t enough.Lewis’s words echoed and reverberated in his mind like the constant irritating hiss of a snake.

~

Confident and sure-footed, Sadie hurried along the dirt and rock trail set between areas of brown, dead grass with a few healthy green patches mixed in. The occasional shrub and tree were backdrops to the abundance of cacti. The hot sun in the clear blue sky had begun its descent, taking with it a bit of the heat. On her way up the winding footpath, she passed Jude and Lowell, who still had a slight limp from the day in the caves. Her chest felt a bit tight as she steadily inhaled and exhaled. Convinced there’d be a route downward somewhere, she forged ahead. Truman and an official documented her progress.

The terrain changed to large stones in a pattern that reminded her of an amphitheater. Step after steep step, her shins began to burn. How high were they expected to go?

Finally, she ascended to an expanse of flat land. A scenic view of the other hills and mountains surrounded her. Workers waited at different spots, each next to a tree bridge suspended with ropes and cables that crossed a canyon to another mountain.

She spun toward her official. “Is there another way?”

He shook his head. “You must cross here to complete the hiking task.”

Without giving herself time to think, she marched to the first empty spot. A woman helped her into a body harness while a young guy rigged up her safety equipment while giving instructions. She listened carefully and kept her attention on him instead of on how far the bridge extended.

“You’re ready.” The guy backed away.

I’ll be fine. Don’t look down.

Sadie boldly put one foot in front of the other and started across. The suspended bridge swayed underneath her. She kept a white-knuckled hold on to the rope rails, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

A loud screech startled her.

She bobbled and crouched low, still on her feet.

Everything in her wanted to turn around and run back the way she’d come.

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