Unscripted - Nicole Kronzer Page 0,39

fast to keep it out . . . or maybe he was crying.

“Jake?”

He turned to me.

“Just follow my voice. Jesse’s got you. The bridge is going to rock a little, but you’re perfectly safe. Just slide one foot. Then the other. Can you do that?”

Jake nodded. He slid a foot forward.

Everyone cheered. The only nonsarcastic cheering was coming from the Boy Scouts, but there was cheering nonetheless.

“Ellie?” Ben’s voice called. I kept my eye contact with Jake. “It’s raining pretty hard. You and Jake need to come down.”

Jake took another step.

“Just a minute,” I called. I had to get him across. For both our sakes. “One minute more.” Then I dropped my voice so only Jake could hear it. “Do it, Jake,” I whispered. With the increase in rain came wind. I shivered and gripped the rope attached to my harness. “Show them you can do this.” That we can do this.

He nodded. He took another step.

“Guys,” Ben called, “it’s time for you to come down. Right now.”

“It’s okay,” Jesse assured him. “It’s not lightning.”

“You’re doing it!” I whispered, trying to ignore Ben. “Almost there, Jake!” I reached out for his hand.

“I don’t care that it’s not lightning—I said COME DOWN!” Ben bellowed.

Jake grabbed my hand, and I hauled him onto the platform with me, but the victorious moment was drowned out by Ben’s roar, “BRING. THEM. DOWN.”

“Good job, Jake,” I whispered, pride filling my chest.

He nodded. “Thanks.” He only met my eyes for a fraction of a second, but in that moment, I felt like we were on the same team.

“Ricky? Ready to lower,” I called as Jesse called up to Jake.

Soon, we were both drifting down to the earth. Ben’s imposing figure grew larger the closer I got to the ground. My bravery and pride and connection with Jake were gone—replaced by dread of the tongue-lashing Ben was barely keeping restrained.

When I landed, Ben was there with a finger in my face. “When I say to do something, you do that thing. Understand? You don’t always know my reasons, and I don’t always owe you an explanation. Never. Second. Guess. Me. Again. Got it?”

I nodded, furious, eyes on my shoes. He practically stomped away.

Ricky fumbled with the figure-eight knot attached to my harness.

“He’s mean,” he said in a low voice.

I took off my helmet but didn’t respond, afraid if Ben saw my lips move, I’d draw his wrath again.

We were quiet as Ricky rubbed his hands together to warm them up and get circulation in his fingertips. He tried the knot again. Nothing.

I poked at it myself, but I was even colder and wetter than Ricky from being three stories up in the air.

“What’s the holdup, Ellie?” Ben stormed back over.

Murph and Jesse were on his heels.

“I’ve got fresh hands,” Murph offered. He took Ricky’s place and tried to make sense of loosening the tight, wet knot.

Then there was a flash of lightning.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Ben barked. “You want to get us killed?”

The other guys were already scampering off back to our camp, their retreating forms following the road.

“Our lodge is closer,” Jesse offered.

My heart leapt a little.

“No. Just cut her out,” Ben said, fists on his hips.

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it.” Murph slipped the rope out of its confines.

“Run back, Ellie,” Ben commanded. “We’ll return the harness later. I need to have a few words with their Scout Master.”

I tried to flash thank you and apologies to the scouts with my eyes, but Ben snapped his fingers at me. “Now!”

I turned and ran, hoping against hope Ben wouldn’t catch up with me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dripping wet all over the cabin floor, I slipped out of my tennis shoes and stripped off my socks, the harness, my yoga pants, hat, and long-sleeve shirt, leaving them in a pile. Shivering in my bra and underwear and trying to shake off the dread snaking around in my chest, I skittered across the floor and threw my towel over my shoulders, undressing the rest of the way. After struggling into flannel pants and a thermal long-underwear top, I climbed into my sleeping bag and wrapped the towel around my hair. Ben’s voice was shouting in my head.

IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO COME DOWN. RIGHT NOW.

Despite my warm pajamas, my fingers, toes, and nose were ice cubes. I shivered and rubbed my feet together to create warmth.

Turning on my side and drawing my knees into my chest, I looked out at the rain through my window. It was coming down in sheets.