Page 32 of Vengeful

"No one believes I can climb," I teased.

"I'm sure you can, but I can see the blood from here," Slade told me. "Not to mention climbing up the side of that could bring it down on you. Lifting you out would be safer, as long as you can hang on tight."

"I can hold on," I insisted. I had to, otherwise he wouldn't hesitate to jump down to me. I appreciated the thought, but not the risk.

I grabbed the rope above my head with two hands and stepped onto the thick knot at the bottom. I had to press my boots in hard against each other to hold me in place. Hopefully it would be enough.

"Okay, I'm ready." I scrunched my eyes closed tight and clung to the rope as Slade reached down and grabbed up a handful.

"Got it?" Slade called back behind him.

"Yep," Kent replied. "Let's do this."

"On three." Slade started to count. "One. Two. Three." He grunted and started to tug on the rope.

I swallowed hard as my feet were pulled off the ground. Half a metre in the air, I bumped into the side of the pit, bringing still more dirt down around me. I managed to contain a yelp of pain, but my eyes stung.

"Fuck," Slade said softly. "Sorry."

"I'm fine," I said quickly. "Don't stop now."

He exhaled hard and resumed pulling, tugging the rope hand over hand.

Twice more, I bumped into the side. Both times painful, but always telling him to keep going. A few bumps and bruises were worth it, if that was the worst I got for this.

"Almost there." His voice strained, but he didn't pause.

I glanced up.

Only about a metre was left between me and the mouth of the hole. My heart raced harder than ever. I didn't want to come this far and have something go wrong. What if my curves were too much for the strength of the rope? What if the tree wasn't strong enough? One snap and I'd be sent back down into the darkness.

In the back of my mind, I heard a shitty voice telling me if I didn't get out now, I never would.

It wasn't rational, I knew that, but that was what went through my head. That and another rising wave of panic.

Without knowing I was going to speak, the words slipped out from between my lips. "Please, get me out of here."

"Open your eyes, Fox," Slade said gently.

I wasn't even aware of closing them.

I opened them and looked up into his face. He was crouched beside the pit, rope wound around his hand. Close enough to touch.

He reached out his other hand. "Grab on to me. I'll pull you the rest of the way. I've got you. I promise." The expression on his face was almost enough to make me sob.

Fingers shaking, I took one hand off the rope and reached for him.

Instead of taking my hand, he gripped my wrist and tugged me toward him.

For a couple of heart stopping moments, I was sure I was going to lose my hold on the rope, or him. I pictured myself falling harder than the first time. The impact might crumble the hole, taking Slade and Kent down with it.

And then he was hauling me over onto solid earth beside him.

I lay there for a long while, catching my breath and trying to get my head around the fact I was actually safe. I was out of that long, dark, fucking piece of literal hell.

"Are you all right?" he said in my ear. "You can let go of the rope now if you like."

I realised I held it in a death grip, which I slowly, gradually released.

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