Chapter 25 #2
Relief fills me, and I relax when I spot Mel’s and Lola’s team heading my way. Most of the group sits on the ground as Mel and Lola make their way over to me.
“Where’s the rest of your team?” Mel asks, and I pause wondering why she’s asking.
There aren’t many rules in the competition. But one of the main ones is that we’re not allowed to trade flags. Apparently, there’s some high tech on the material of the red cloth that ensures no swapping or trading is allowed.
So, I guess there’s nothing I really need to worry about.
“We’re checking out the cliffs in this area, so we split up to reach more ground. Did you already check out this area?” I ask, wondering why both teams are here.
“There’s a flag just over the cliff, but it’s a fair bit down and you’ll have to climb to reach it,” she reveals, making me frown.
“None of you tried to get it?” I ask.
Mel chuckles but there’s no humor in it. “There’s no way in hell any of us are risking our lives for it, especially when we’ve most likely already lost.”
“How many have you got?” Lola asks, and I pause wondering if I should tell her.
Lola rolls her eyes. “Me, Mel and Jeremy’s team each got five, Reed is way ahead with seven. But I’ve seen tracks all over the bottom of this mountain and know for a fact Reed’s and Jeremy’s team went in a different direction. So, that only leaves your team to have hit them.”
A bubble of excitement ripples through me. If there are thirty flags, that means this is the last flag, and if I get it, our team will win.
Lola sighs. “I just need to know if I can tap out already.”
“We’ve got seven so far,” I finally reveal, and Lola shares a look with Mel.
“Even if we were to get this one, we’d lose,” she says to Mel.
“Thank god,” Mel replies. “My back is killing me. I want food and my bed. In that order.” She turns and tells the others they’ve been knocked out and they start making their way back down the mountain.
Glancing around, I make sure no one else is slipping up any little paths on this cliff before heading back down the path I came up.
I need to quickly find Ember and the girls to tell them about the flag so we can figure out how to get it.
I’m about to head into the dense trees when Lola calls out.
“Reed’s team wasn’t far behind us. If you’re going for that last flag, I’d suggest you hurry.” She waves me off, and I freeze wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do now.
Both teams quickly disappear down their path on the opposite side, leaving me to my worries and doubts.
Shit. I turn back and quickly make my way over to the cliff to see how bad it is.
My stomach immediately churns when I spot the position of the flag a good bit down on a small ledge that juts out from the mountain.
I shouldn’t be afraid. Technically I have wings. But… it’s not like I can actually fly. At least not longer than a couple of minutes, and technically it’s more like floating.
But this is important to Ember and the girls. They’ve worked their asses off for this. I can’t risk leaving the flag here when I know I could get it and help them win.
I shove my fears and worries aside for now and reach out to my mates. I’m about to tell them why I need to do this when I hit against a wall.
I rear back in shock when I realize they have blocked me out. But… that can’t be right.
Maybe it’s something to do with this place?
A seed of doubt forms in my mind with the block now in place between us, but I push it away, along with every thought, fear and worry and try to steel myself for what I’m about to do.
Taking my bag and a jacket off, I place them to the side before taking a deep breath and slowly make my way over the cliff.
I try not think about anything other than my next footing and hand placement before moving to the next one.
Gods, if my mates were to see me right now… I push the thought to the back of my mind and find the next foot hold, making sure it’s stable before moving my hand and other foot. I test it before putting my whole weight on it and moving down.
I keep moving, only thinking about my next move until finally I’m just above the ledge where the flag is.
Before I get the chance to overthink it, I push off and jump down onto the ledge and breathe a sigh of relief when it doesn’t collapse.
Grabbing the flag, I shove it down my chest and take a moment to steady my racing heart before examining what I have to climb back up.
I groan when I see how far I’ve climbed down and how much I’ll have to now climb back up.
The girls so owe me for this.
Bracing myself for a final climb, I take my time and make sure my holds are firm and steady before climbing up the rocky cliff.
The sun beats at my back and sweat beads down my face but I keep moving, focusing on my next hold and making it up and over this damn cliff.
After what feels like ages—but is most likely only a few minutes—my right hand finally reaches top edge of the cliff.
Relief fills me when I realize I’m there. Digging my foot into a strong hold, I move my left hand up to the edge of the cliff, when something hard—almost like a damn foot—presses down on it, making me hiss in pain.
I remind myself not to let go or to flex my hand, or I’ll fall.
Trying to ignore the pain, I quickly get another footing and try to get a better grip on the edge with my right hand.
Wincing through the pain, I brace myself for whoever is waiting above and try to quickly pull myself up and over the cliff before they decide to do something worse.
I drag myself up as fast as I can but as soon as I’m up to my waist, I freeze when I come face-to-face with the reason behind my sore hand.
Sasha.
She gives me a cruel smirk while the other two Alitas from her little group move up beside her.
“I did warn you not to mess with us,” she says as she bends down and her hand snaps out and grabs my throat, squeezing hard.
I try to will one of my abilities to help but I must be too panicked for them to work.
“Let… me… go,” I gasp out as her grip tightens, making dark spots form around my vision. I can’t even reach out to pull her hands away or I’ll fall, and the bitch knows it.
My fingers claw at the cliff trying to get a better hold to pull myself over but it’s no use, her grip is too tight and my own is only weakening.
Just as I’m about to pass out, her grip lessons along with her foot on my hand and I take a huge gulp of air just as long vines whips out from nowhere and wrap around my hands, pinning them to the rocky mountain’s edge.
Relief fills me and I think the other two Alita have finally come to their senses and are going to help me. That is until I spot the look on Sasha’s face.
She moves closer to me, and I see the darkness in her eyes. It has ice crawling down my spine. The vines quickly tighten around my hands and climb down to coil around my legs.
“You’ve fooled everyone, haven’t you little Alita?” she whispers, and my eyes widen at her words.
I wear that necklace every damn day and never take it off. I’ve showered with the damn thing. There’s no way she—
“I saw you on the beach that day,” she says, answering my freakout. “I saw your pretty white wings and have been watching you since.”
“Such a pity you can’t fly, though, isn’t it?” She glances down the mountain beside me and a savage smirk slides across face. “And such a long way down.”
“How do you—”
She reaches out and grabs my throat once more, squeezing it tight before releasing it a little.
“You’re going to do exactly as I say from here on out or you’re going to die here and now.
Which will it be?” She releases my neck a little, just enough for me to reply to her and instead and thinking about it like a sane person should, I tell her to go fuck herself.
“Have it your way,” she says with a vicious smirk.
The vines snap back away from my hands and before I get a chance to realize what her plan is, Sasha gives me a hard shove backward off the cliff.
Fear jolts through me, followed by horror and shock. I quickly realize I’m not just feeling my own panic as the bond between my mates springs to life, and Knox’s scream of terror slams into my mind.