me for an answer, I realized. The stab of that ran deep, and I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling my muscles harden.
Joel nodded, giving his consent.
“No,” I whispered harshly. “What if she breaks her leg or something? We can’t risk jumping. Cody was lucky, he…”
Phoebe let her go, and Robin disappeared over the side.
CHAPTER FIVE
I held my breath, feeling the air form a bowling ball in the center of my chest, and waited for the worst.
Like the little gymnastics instructor/ex-cheerleader that she was, Robin landed on her feet. She somersaulted off the couch and popped up on her feet in a fluid, single motion. Adjusting her tight summer dress, she wrapped Cody in a triumphant hug.
“Show off.” A half-smirk tugged at Phoebe’s mouth.
I felt ashamed; I was scared to do this, and Robin of all people volunteered. Throw Robin in a social situation and she could dazzle a room, unafraid. Throw her in the Demon’s Grave and she was a blubbering catastrophe.
It’s the height, I reminded myself. One December, an airplane trip to my uncle’s ended with me hyperventilating, so we had to road-trip it. The thought of the plane crashing and the thousands of feet between me and the ground put my seven-year-old self on the verge of panic.
Joel grumbled and lifted a leg over the edge. I watched in horrified fascination as he jumped without a moment’s hesitation. He landed on his feet on the couch, like Robin. Though unlike her, he landed in a roll with his arm tight to his chest. Looking up, he grinned up at us and gave Phoebe the thumbs up.
Phoebe snickered. “Cocky jerk.” When she realized I wasn’t laughing, she glanced at me, swinging her favored long leg over the side. “Should I catch you if you miss, Fuller?”
Feeling the lump in my throat, I croaked, “Not if you don’t want to.”
This wasn’t the answer she expected. Phoebe dropped her eyes and licked her lips before letting go of the rail. I watched her honey blond hair fluttering before she bounced on the couch below. Like Robin, she rolled off of it. Instead of a somersault, she performed an immaculate handspring.
Joel looked impressed and said something I couldn’t hear that made her smile.
I was surrounded by athletes. What the heck?! Neither Read nor Aidan could have done this.
All four watched me as I gripped the railing, feeling my head drain of blood.
I hate heights, hate them , I thought angrily. Stupid Damien and his games .
Lifting one leg, I crawled over the hurdle on my stomach, gripping the rail as if it were a lifeboat. The lip of the balcony balanced my toes on the side, leaving a precarious drop before me. I faced the ballroom, my clawed fingers gripping the rail behind me. I stood directly over the couch. Every muscle in my body tensed up all at once as I calculated the drop.
My first internal count down to three failed, and I gripped the railing harder.
If I gauged it wrong, I’d be broken. If I broke, I doubted I’d have a chance. Damien had helped, to a point, but a broken leg would forfeit the entire Challenge for me.
“Don’t leap. You’ll clear it. Just fall,” Phoebe called up and glanced to the ghosts. Thankfully, they were undisturbed.
I nodded to her in understanding and took a deep breath. Alright, Nora, you can do this. Just do it. Don’t even count or think about it, otherwise we’ll be standing here forever.
My hands locked up around the railing, preventing my second attempt. I felt my insides curl at the thought of the landing.
“Just do it already,” I heard Joel say.
My feet teetered on the narrow edge, urging my body to get it done before it buckled my knees on me and did it for me. Gathering internal snippets of courage, I closed my eyes. Don’t let Joel see you weak , I thought and stepped off the ledge.
My eyes flew open mid-fall, and I felt my stomach bumper-car my heart before I hit a soft surface, feet first.
Cody and Robin were there before I could calculate my reaction.
Joel nodded, giving his consent.
“No,” I whispered harshly. “What if she breaks her leg or something? We can’t risk jumping. Cody was lucky, he…”
Phoebe let her go, and Robin disappeared over the side.
CHAPTER FIVE
I held my breath, feeling the air form a bowling ball in the center of my chest, and waited for the worst.
Like the little gymnastics instructor/ex-cheerleader that she was, Robin landed on her feet. She somersaulted off the couch and popped up on her feet in a fluid, single motion. Adjusting her tight summer dress, she wrapped Cody in a triumphant hug.
“Show off.” A half-smirk tugged at Phoebe’s mouth.
I felt ashamed; I was scared to do this, and Robin of all people volunteered. Throw Robin in a social situation and she could dazzle a room, unafraid. Throw her in the Demon’s Grave and she was a blubbering catastrophe.
It’s the height, I reminded myself. One December, an airplane trip to my uncle’s ended with me hyperventilating, so we had to road-trip it. The thought of the plane crashing and the thousands of feet between me and the ground put my seven-year-old self on the verge of panic.
Joel grumbled and lifted a leg over the edge. I watched in horrified fascination as he jumped without a moment’s hesitation. He landed on his feet on the couch, like Robin. Though unlike her, he landed in a roll with his arm tight to his chest. Looking up, he grinned up at us and gave Phoebe the thumbs up.
Phoebe snickered. “Cocky jerk.” When she realized I wasn’t laughing, she glanced at me, swinging her favored long leg over the side. “Should I catch you if you miss, Fuller?”
Feeling the lump in my throat, I croaked, “Not if you don’t want to.”
This wasn’t the answer she expected. Phoebe dropped her eyes and licked her lips before letting go of the rail. I watched her honey blond hair fluttering before she bounced on the couch below. Like Robin, she rolled off of it. Instead of a somersault, she performed an immaculate handspring.
Joel looked impressed and said something I couldn’t hear that made her smile.
I was surrounded by athletes. What the heck?! Neither Read nor Aidan could have done this.
All four watched me as I gripped the railing, feeling my head drain of blood.
I hate heights, hate them , I thought angrily. Stupid Damien and his games .
Lifting one leg, I crawled over the hurdle on my stomach, gripping the rail as if it were a lifeboat. The lip of the balcony balanced my toes on the side, leaving a precarious drop before me. I faced the ballroom, my clawed fingers gripping the rail behind me. I stood directly over the couch. Every muscle in my body tensed up all at once as I calculated the drop.
My first internal count down to three failed, and I gripped the railing harder.
If I gauged it wrong, I’d be broken. If I broke, I doubted I’d have a chance. Damien had helped, to a point, but a broken leg would forfeit the entire Challenge for me.
“Don’t leap. You’ll clear it. Just fall,” Phoebe called up and glanced to the ghosts. Thankfully, they were undisturbed.
I nodded to her in understanding and took a deep breath. Alright, Nora, you can do this. Just do it. Don’t even count or think about it, otherwise we’ll be standing here forever.
My hands locked up around the railing, preventing my second attempt. I felt my insides curl at the thought of the landing.
“Just do it already,” I heard Joel say.
My feet teetered on the narrow edge, urging my body to get it done before it buckled my knees on me and did it for me. Gathering internal snippets of courage, I closed my eyes. Don’t let Joel see you weak , I thought and stepped off the ledge.
My eyes flew open mid-fall, and I felt my stomach bumper-car my heart before I hit a soft surface, feet first.
Cody and Robin were there before I could calculate my reaction.
Similar Books
Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight
L.J. Smith
Public Enemy Zero
Andrew Mayne
Antiques Flee Market
Barbara Allan
Bronx Masquerade
Nikki Grimes
No Man's Nightingale
Ruth Rendell
Revenge of Cornelius
Tanya R. Taylor
Leslie LaFoy
Come What May
The Devil's Acolyte (2002)
Michael Jecks
Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror
Jennifer Finney Boylan
Pharmageddon
David Healy