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"Remember," Cooper says, "you can always brake by using your hands. Just make sure you're wearing gloves. If you chose no gloves, then don't attempt active braking."
His stern tone convinced me. Whether the younger folks here listen, only time will tell. I'm sure Zach and Aspen will heed the warnings. They're not stupid or reckless.
"We're running four lines for you lot," Mila reminds us. "But Cooper and I will be watching out for you in case anyone gets in trouble. Now, who wants to go first?"
Zach and Aspen thrust their hands up and wave frenetically.
Then Vanessa raises her hand.
I see another guy vacillating, seeming like he's about to take the last spot on the first run. Oh, hell no. If my wife is out there, I'm going with her. I thrust my hand up and shout, "Me too!"
Yeah, I've gone completely insane.
Chapter Seventeen
Vanessa
Craig followed me on this crazy tour, but I assumed he would back out once it came time to actually climb onto a zip line. He doesn't like heights any more than I do. When we visited the Empire State Building, he couldn't even go out on the observation deck. Yet here he is, volunteering to fly through the trees with a single cable to hold him up. Granted, Mila and Cooper told us our lines are made with galvanized aircraft cable. That sounds very tough.
I keep glancing at Craig while Mila and Cooper get the four of us fitted with swing seats and demonstrate the active braking method again. I still keep expecting my ex-husband to chicken out. But instead, he grins at me and gives me the thumbs-up sign. Did an alien take possession of his body? I can't believe anything else would make him participate in zip lining.
Zach takes off first, followed swiftly by Aspen.
During the safety speech, Cooper had mentioned that the resort planted wireless cameras throughout the zip-lining path, so they can rescue anyone who panics. The cameras will also take photos of us. That information was included in the waiver. The resort crew seems to have taken every precaution while still ensuring we have a good time.
Now it's time for me and Craig to take off. My tummy flutters. Every hair on my body stiffens. I'm excited and terrified at the same time, but I won't back out. I need to push my limits and find out what I'm made of.
"Ready to go, Nessa? Or are you too scared?"
I glance at Craig again, and his grin gets even bigger. "If you can handle it, I can for sure."
"Let's find out, huh?"
Mila gives him a gentle push, and he starts rolling down the zip line.
Cooper gives me a push, and suddenly, I'm soaring over the landscape with blue sky above me and nothing but air beneath me. A tingle of excitement sweeps over me. The freedom and thrill of it all robs me of breath for a moment, then I suck in a big lungful and whoop.
Craig has slowed down, apparently to wait for me to catch up.
As I glide past him, he pulls his hands away from the cable and rushes after me. I whoop again, and he joins me this time, our cries of joy echoing through the forest canopy. A brightly colored parrot flies out of the treetops and soars past us close enough that I can hear its wings flapping. Our guides had told us the zip line goes down at a six-percent grade, but it feels like more than that. Adrenaline sings in my veins, heightening my excitement until I feel like I could fly away with that parrot.
I throw my arms out and shriek with joy. I'm too old to behave this way, aren't I? Oh, who gives a damn. I've never experienced anything like this before, and I plan to soak up every last drop of adrenaline and then some.
Craig's laughter echoes off the trees along with mine.
When we reach the first trolley, a bungee brake stops us, but only long enough for us to catch our breath. I see Cooper on the next line over, and he instructs us in how to switch to the next section of the line. Beyond his shoulder, I glimpse Mila doing the same for Zach and Aspen.
"The first waterfall is coming up," Cooper hollers to us. "We might see some wildlife there. The island has flying foxes, which are fruit bats, as well as mongooses. Of course, we also have lots of birds and sea life."
"But we can't see the marine life on this tour."
He grins. "Wait until the last leg of your zip line adventure."
"Are mongooses native to this island?"
"No. They were brought here by the Europeans who settled on the island for a while. But those blokes gave up and went to South America instead. That's the story I heard, at any rate."
We continue down the mountain, moving slower in areas where we want to get a better view of the terrain and search for wildlife, then going faster in spots that seem perfect for a quick zip. I love it when we race across a gully with the blue sky above us. When I whoop, Craig does too. We glance at each other and grin. But when we reach the waterfall, we use our gloved hands to stop and study the area below us.
