Page 51 of Closer than Ever

“I’m loving this!” Hayley said when she finished her stretch and joined Anna on the platform. “You okay to continue?”

“Yep.”

Slowly, they made their way through the course and upwards towards the highest level. It was like a workout. Anna fought through her nerves and fear of heights until they got to the highest point with the longest zip line. It was the last obstacle to finish the course. All the children had already finished. There was a group of them at the last checkpoint talking with the instructor. It was just her and Hayley left on the course.

Anna looked down. The line extended across a small river. It was dangerously high. Her pulse shot up. Another flood of adrenaline swept through her body. She sat down on the base of the platform, and gripped onto the wooden slats, not wanting to let go. How was she going to get down from here? There was no way other than across that river. A tsunami of stress hormones hit all at once, paralysing her with fear.

“Hey. What’s wrong.” Hayley joined her on the platform, her face falling in concern.

Anna shook her head.

It was all she could muster.

“You were doing so well. What’s this?”

“I don’t know. I looked down.”

Hayley peered out towards the end of the course. “It just looks higher because the river is downhill. There’s no difference in height to what you were just doing. Technically.”

“It’s like the Grand bloody Canyon.”

Hayley grimaced.

“I can’t move.”

“Here.” Hayley knelt behind her, knees either side of Anna’s hips.

“What are you doing?” Was that safe? For the highest platform there was even less space. Design flaw if she ever saw one.

“I’m gonna squeeze you.”

Anna didn’t know if she could deal with the double whammy of a Hayley hug and this nightmare. She might never get off this platform. “No. I don’t need that. Thanks.”

“Anna.” Hayley inched forward towards her back, her breath close to Anna’s ear. “Let me help you.”

The proximity did things to Anna. Hayley was right behind her. Her breathing was steady. Wisps of her hair came flying onto Anna in the breeze. It took her mind off the ghastly assault course, at least. She hadn’t expected that. Maybe it would help? She didn’t have many options here. “Okay.”

Hayley leant towards her, her harness meeting the back of Anna’s, and wrapped her arms around her. She squeezed right in the middle of Anna’s chest, exerting more force than Anna thought necessary, but it helped calm her breathing after a while. Her heart rate calmed down. It was working. Hayley rested her head on Anna’s shoulder and let up on the squeeze slightly, still holding her. Anna let herself sink back into the embrace, wishing there was no safety equipment between them. Nothing at all, really.

“How do you feel now?”

“Calmer.”

“You’ve got this, Anna,” Hayley spoke softly. “You can do it. You’ve been flying through these trees this whole time. There’s nothing different about this last one. And then it’ll be over, and you’ll have conquered it, and we’ll go have a beer to celebrate.”

Anna turned her head towards Hayley over her shoulder. They held each other’s eyes for a few seconds. Anna glanced down at Hayley’s mouth. Hayley’s lips were right there. It would be so easy to lean forward. Hayley’s eyes dropped to Anna’s lips. Anna lost all sense of where she was. She turned her head away. She had to get off this platform.

Hayley backed away from her and stood up.

Anna found her legs and joined her. She did not meet her eyes and she did not look down.

“Are you ready?”

“I think so.”

Anna clipped in and checked the lock and her harness half a dozen times.

With her usual steadiness, Hayley also checked Anna was in securely. “All good.”

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