Heights

My heart pounded and my legs threatened to give way beneath me. I forced my feet to step closer to the edge. Maybe if I looked a second time, it wouldn't seem so bad.

Nope...I was wrong.

The great skyscraper stood two-hundred stories in the air. Up this high, the noise of the city below was muted by the wind howling in my ears.

Attached to the building I stood upon was a thick, rope cable, stretching across a thirty feet of thin air to the neighboring building - the next step to reaching the final destination.

I've done this all my life, I told myself. Why. Am. I. So. Scared!

My body felt as if it were tipping forward and I could feel myself falling.

Casper grabbed my shoulder from behind and pulled me away from the height. I stumbled backward, bumping into his chest.

"I can't do it," I whispered.

"It's okay," Casper said gently. I met his eyes with my wide ones and he nodded. I knew he meant it, but I couldn't bring myself to believe him. Of course it wasn't okay. How could it be?

I shook my head. "No. It's not. If we don't do this, all of....everything will have been for nothing."

Casper shrugged as if it were a minor issue. "We'll go back into hiding."

My friend never ceased to surprise me with his unworried nature and the way he was calm in every situation - even when his life was being threatened!

"I'm such a failure. A wimp," I said, raising my voice. "I've ruined it all. Joden was right."

"Don't do that to yourself, Rae," Casper said firmly. "You are not a failure. You are perfect for this mission. I couldn't have found a more smart, fitting partner."

I stared at him, holding his honest gaze for longer than I had ever before. Casper never lied. Sure, he liked to tease and joke, but when he was serious, he never played around. With those few words, I felt the dying embers in my heart give burst to a new flame.

You can do this, Rae.

Did Casper say that? I wasn't sure. Sometimes, my thoughts were so loud, I believed I had spoken them.

Strength exploded within me. I turned back to the cable and did not sway. Keeping my eyes looking straight ahead, I placed my right magnetic boot onto the metal rope. My knees trembled as I stepped up with my left foot. The magnetic boot tread stuck faithfully. Arms spread out like wings, I imagined I was flying.

Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, I repeated over and over in my mind. Birds aren't afraid of heights.

I could feel Casper's presence on the rope behind me, but the cable was taut and did not bend beneath our weight.

In the short amount of time I was able to hold my breath, the other building's roof met my feet. I fell to my knees and collapsed on my back.

Casper was laughing, but I didn't care. I smiled and giggled in hysteric relief. Reaching out, Casper took my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Think you can do that about five more times?" he asked, still smiling.

"Ha, funny!" I said, giving him a shove. But his smile dropped.

"You're kidding, right?" I tried again, waiting for his burst of laughter after which he'd assure me it was just a joke.

Instead, he winced.