Page 50 of Too Late

She nodded.

“I’ll help you down with the rope as far as I can, but you’ll have to take the last bit free-climbing.”

“Josh—”

He put his finger on her lips.

Her shoulders dropped.

“Chloe.” He searched her eyes. He was struck with the intense urgency to tell her how he felt. That he’d die for her, he loved her that much. But could he say it?

“What is it?”

“I love you. Be careful down there. I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

Her eyes welled up. “I love you too.”

He kissed her forehead. “Now climb.”

He scanned outside again, and as soon as he was sure it was clear and her rope was snug, he got out of her way.

“I can’t—”

“Yes, you can.”

She shook. And not just a little bit. Her whole body was consumed with the fear of going down that rock face.

He absolutely hated making her do it. He wanted to tell her to stay put and he’d go find help and come back for her. But he wasn’t convinced he could do that. What if he couldn’t remember the way back to her with help, and that was assuming he could even find a way out. No, they had to stick together.

He continued to encourage Chloe as she lowered herself out of the cave and over the ledge. It wasn’t very far. But with her fear, the challenge pushed her limits.

She was more than halfway down, and the rope was getting short in his grasp, when something red caught the corner of his eye. Flannel.

“Chloe.” He kept his voice at barely above a whisper, but she didn’t hear. Louder. “Chloe.”

She looked up.

“Run.”

“What?”

He shook his head. “Go. Run!” He pointed the opposite direction of the hunter and dropped the rest of the rope.

She glanced one way and then the other. Her speed picked up. And five feet from the bottom, she jumped. She dropped the rope and ran.

Pkow.Buckshot splintered the rock by his head. He ducked back into the cave.

Josh’s ears rang, but he tried to listen.

Nothing.

Cautiously, he leaned out. Flannel dude was running after Chloe.

“No you don’t.” Josh chucked the backpack out the opening and skittered down the side of the rock face as fast as he could.

The soles of Chloe’s feet screamed at her from jumping that last bit of the climb, but she hadn’t had a choice. She ran.

But Josh.

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