Probably just longer than a stride gap between two platforms, but to Henry it felt like a huge abyss. His mouth went dry, sweat coating his upper lip, as he tried and failed not to look down.
“Fuck,” he muttered, clinging to the metal handholds on the tree. “I can’t.”
Dom shuffled up behind him, not quite touching, but Henry felt him everywhere, nonetheless. “You can, Henry.” He leant in close to place a quick, chaste kiss on the back of Henry’s neck. “You’ve done so fucking well so far. You can do this too.”
Henry shook his head. “I can’t. I know it’s ridiculous, but my legs won’t fucking move.”
Dom tsked gently. “It’s not ridiculous. And I know you’re scared, but I also know that youcando it.” He took Henry’s hand in his, obviously not caring if anyone saw them, and held tight. “It’s one step, just a little wider than if you were walking. Breathe, Henry.”
Henry did as he was told.
He took several long deep breaths in and out, Dom’s body a comforting presence that did enough to calm his racing heart so Henry could think.
Taking a good long look at the gap, Henry bit his lip, steeling himself.
I can fucking do this.
Before he could psych himself out of it, he let go of Dom’s hand and leapt across to the other platform. His heart hammered against his chest, and he clung like a limpet to the handholds on the tree, but he was across.
Fuck me.
He grinned so wide his cheeks hurt, and Dom’s cheer made him laugh way too loudly. Adrenaline coursed through him, and in that one moment, Henry felt like he could do anything.
Of course, that didn’t last, and it was rinse and repeat as they worked their way through the rest of the course. By the time they climbed the netting up to the zipwire platform, Henry was knackered.
He felt like he’d run a marathon rather than spent forty minutes in the trees.
That wasn’t the only thing.
While he’d been aware subconsciously that they’d been steadily getting higher and higher, stepping out onto the zipwire platform took his breath away.
It. Was. So. Fucking. High.
Rationally he’d known it would be if they were going to get the sort of traction they needed, butChrist.
“All right?” Dom asked, climbing up behind him.
Henry didn’t know whether to lie or be brutally honest.
“No.” Honesty it was. He darted an anxious look at Dom. “It’s a tad higher than I was expecting.”
Dom huffed out a laugh at his understatement. “It is.” He tugged on the safety rope and then his harness. “But you’re perfectly safe. Watch.” He gently turned Henry around to watch the two kids in front of them waiting at the edge of the platform.
Two of the instructors, also harnessed and attached by safety ropes, were talking to them, telling them what to do when they reached the bottom. Henry only half-listened, heart beating a heavy drum inside his head.
On a count of three, both kids sat back into their harnesses, then stepped off the platform, squealing with delight as they careered down the zipwire. Henry watched them the whole way until they came to a swinging halt at the other end.
He swallowed down the huge lump in his throat.
Right. There is no way I’ve gone through the last forty minutes just to fail at the last hurdle. Come on, Henry.
As the guy ushered them both forward, Dom whispered. “This is the best bit, trust me.” He smiled encouragingly, and Henry felt a little of his panic chip away.
He did trust Dom.
Not that he wasn’t still petrified, because he was, but having Dom there beside him, full of belief in him, gave Henry that little extra courage he needed.
Enough to step off that fucking platform into mid-air.
