Page 37 of Something Borrowed

“There are no orcs down here. So, you have it easier. Get going. Little kids do this, Brigid,” he called out.

She shot him a glare, but he only smiled and pointed. She focused on the wall in front of her.

Okay, you can do this. No sweat, really. Just don’t look down. Look straight at the wall.

She found a foothold and placed a foot there, bouncing a little to test the strength.

“I’m growing old over here.” Grady said in a sing-song voice.

Meanwhile, next to her, a young girl scrambled up the left side of her, the more difficult path. Damn if she wasn’t embarrassed by that.

She pushed up on her foot and grabbed a handhold, then another foothold, and a hand. Then she had to switch, pushing one foot to stand on another plastic rock, move her hand, move a foot. One inch at a time. After several grips and movements, she paused, her legs shaking a bit from the unaccustomed activity, hands feeling sweaty.

“Grady, I don’t think I can do this.”

His voice, when he replied, sounded suspiciously far away. “You’re doing great. You’re almost there!”

She glanced down and plastered herself to the wall, as if the wall had its own gravity and could pull her in to safety. “Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit,” she chanted, eyes screwed tightly shut.

“Damn. She looked down.” Even from this height, she could hear Grady’s words to the attendant. He raised his voice and called up to her. “Sit back in the harness.”

“Hell no. I’m perfectly comfortable right here.”

“Brigid, dammit. Just sit back. Trust me.”

There he went, demanding her trust again. As if she hadn’t already trusted him, which got her into this mess. And he wanted her to move away from her new best friend. The nice, pretty, plastic wall? Bullshit.

“Brigid, just do it, okay? I’ve got you.”

She sighed, her leg shaking so much it might give out on her, and her fingers were cramping. “Fine, but if I fall, I’m landing on you. And I’m not light.”

He laughed. “I can handle you. Go for it, babe.”

Babe. Geez. Cautiously, she sat in the harness, feeling the canvas straps tighten around her legs and waist. Waiting for gravity to take over, she held her breath. When it didn’t happen, and instead she swayed a little but no death-defying plunge, her eyes flew open and she looked around. Grady waved at her from the base.

“See? Now, can you get your ass back on that wall and climb it?” He was patient, but a note of exasperation crept into his voice.

“Fine,” she muttered, but her attention was caught by the lights of the carnival spread out before her, and the moon glinting off the ocean in the distance.

It was so beautiful up there, the carnival looking so bright and clear from up here. She almost forgot she was suspended by ropes above the ground.

“Uh, Brigid? The kids are getting restless down here. Climb now or come down. Our time is up.”

With a sigh of regret, she grabbed the wall and started climbing again. It was easier this time, knowing she was secure, but her muscles were almost jelly and she just about got to the top. She slammed her hand on the bell and flipped a bird at the camera, yelling, “Take that, bitches.”

Then she glanced around, making sure no little kids were up there. Grady’s laughter drifted up from the ground.

“Now comes the fun part. Kick off from the wall and we’ll lower you.”

She liked the sound of that, pushing off the wall a couple of times until she was planted on the ground. Grady and the attendant were there to greet her, Grady slipping an arm around her when her jelly-legs threatened to quit on her.

He hugged her, then released her from the harness. “I knew you could do it!”

“Glad one of us did. At least it’s over.”

She clung to him and stepped out of the harness. He escorted her to the bench, where they waited for their pictures. She laughed when she saw hers, the finger flashing front and center.

“I can’t wait to show this to Caroline.” She stood, then fell back on the bench, legs still wobbly like jello. “Maybe we’ll rest here for a while.”

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