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Chapter Twenty-One
Sadie’s bodyjerked to a stop as the Autoblock knot engaged, swinging her into the cliff with a painful slam. Her protein bar pushed up her throat, but she swallowed it down and gripped the cold rock wall. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head against the surface.
She couldn’t do this.
What made her think she could save others when she panicked before she even got to the tight gap?
“You okay?” Bjørn hollered down.
There wasn’t worry in his voice like she expected. More … confidence. A sense that she could do this.
She wanted him to be right.
Wanted to push fear aside once and for all.
“Yeah.” She looked up. “Just startled me.”
He nodded. “The gear is wet from the rain. Just go slow.”
Right. The rain. She nodded, though both of them knew the weather had nothing to do with her slip.
She adjusted her grip on the rope and pushed off of the wall, allowing her body to swing out and right itself. When her feet bounced off the rock, she loosened her hold and continued her descent. The gap drew closer and closer with each bounce, building the fear in her chest until it took up all the space and made it difficult to breathe.
“Doing good.” Bjørn’s encouragement slid along the rope and warmed her freezing fingers.
She wasn’t doing good.
Not even close.
But maybe if she pretended, she could get through without needing rescued herself. She reached the gap and found a handhold. She’d just climb through lickety-split and be on the other side in no time.
Filling her lungs with a shaky breath, she climbed down. The walls pressed in around her, threatening to pin her in. She didn’t think about them crushing her. Didn’t think about being stuck forever. Just moved one foot lower. Found another hold. Repeat.
Almost there.
The walls tightened their grip, wedging her in. Stopped. Couldn’t go down. She reached for a higher hold, but her pack snagged on something. She couldn’t move. The fear she’d somehow kept at bay spread through her with a maniacal scream only she could hear, racing her heart to near exploding.
“Sadie, you’ve got this. Just move up and to your left and your pack will come free.” Bjørn was wrong.
She’d never break free.
“Babe, open your eyes and assess the situation.” The calm in his voice gave her the courage to listen.
The rough, light brown walls filled her vision, but she forced herself to pivot her head and look.
“There you go.” Pride tumbled down on her, bolstering her. “See the space to your left. If you move that direction, the pack will come free.”
He couldn’t know that for sure, but she trusted him. Her hand trembled violently as she reached left, her knuckles turning white when her grip took purchase. She pulled herself in that direction.
Nothing.
Numbing terror clawed at her toes, digging its talons into her ankles.
She tried again, pushing with her legs. The sound of ripping fabric filled the air, and she lurched up with the momentum. Shaking out her feet to kick fear off, she scanned the hole for a better angle. One last breath and she twisted her body, squeezing the rest of the way through.
She rappelled fast to the ledge Gunnar waited on. Her knees almost buckled with relief when she landed. Gunnar’s face held admiration as he stepped to her, gave her a brotherly side hug, and a knock on the helmet.
“Good job.” He took her pack and bent over Dexter. “He’s broken his leg and has a blunt trauma to the head. Biggest concern is hypothermia.”
