Page 61 of Those Who Are Bound

“Let me,” Jonah said. He came up to her and looked at her face, asking again, “Are you okay?”

“I’m shaking.”

He looked momentarily pained, unclasping the helmet. He pulled it off, and she shook out her hair, not even paying attention to the piece of jute as it tumbled to the ground. Elliott held up her gloved hands to show him how much they were shaking. They both looked at them, and then she laughed. “It’s just adrenaline. Oh my god, I was terrified!”

“Elliott,” he started, clearly appalled that she’d been so scared.

Stepping closer and placing a hand on his chest, she shook her head, saying sincerely, “No, it’s okay. I’m okay. I’m fine, and I’ll be more fine next time, and the next.”

Jonah looked visibly relieved. “My god, you’re amazing.”

She laughed. “This, I know.”

He laughed, too. He snatched up the jute before turning to lean over and slide her helmet onto the other handlebar. Holding his hand out to her, he said, “Let’s go climb a rock.”

Elliott looked at the helmets. “You’re leaving those there?”

Jonah nodded. “No one will bother them.”

Taking his hand, she looked at the blinged-out sign on the building. “Climb a rock? Don’t you mean a wall?”

“And then some.” As they headed in, he informed her, “It’s veteran-owned.”

Elliott smiled. He remembered her military connection.

“More than just the vertical walls, which, of course, they have, there are other challenges. Rocks aren’t straight, so they’ve simulated boulders. It’s pretty cool.”

Inside, it was an industrial-looking space, open, as it needed to be. As Jonah had mentioned, there were massively oversized pretend boulders in various shapes and angled walls, with colorful protrusions that were meant to be hand holds or foot holds. Beneath were gym mats to cushion any falls. A few people were dangling from the underbellies of various boulders.

“Nothing to hold them?” Elliott asked, marveling at the freestyling of the people.

Jonah glanced over at them and watched for a moment as he approached the counter. “No. That’s bouldering. Top-roping involves harnesses. Harnesses and ropes.”

Elliott’s breath caught, but the reaction seemed lost on Jonah as an employee stepped up to the counter and greeted him enthusiastically. While the two were shaking hands and exclaiming over their adventures since they’d last seen each other, Elliott looked around as though expecting ropes to come snaking down from the ceiling. She shivered, not certain she was prepared to be in the same room with both Jonah and a length of rope at the same time; the Jeep had been hard enough, and the ropes had been out of sight.

Jonah turned back toward her. “What size do you wear?”

She frowned, startled. “What?”

“Shoes, what size? You need to borrow climbing shoes.”

Elliott looked at the brown-haired goateed man watching her expectantly. “You mean like bowling shoes?”

They both laughed.

“Only not as ugly,” the guy behind the counter said.

“Oh, um, I wear a nine.”

“Dainty feet. Nice,” the guy commented, and walked away.

Elliott watched him go. “I didn’t realize they were that dainty, but I’ll take that as a win.” She looked back at Jonah. “What are we doing today?”

“Top-roping would be the best place to start.”

“The harness and all,” she clarified.

“Yes.”

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