A Long Way Down: 3rd Draft

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I said to myself, looking down at the ground below. Even before the bus dropped me and my classmates off at Hemlock Overlook I had decided that I wouldn't do the zip line, and here I am on the platform strapped into the one thing that I feared most. Wow. The ground is a long way down.

***

The counselor said, "Make sure you can fit two fingers between your helmet strap and your chin," placing two of her fingers under her chin to indicate how tight it should be.

"Why am I doing this?" I asked my friend Madeline.

"Come on Brianne, it's not scary."
The teachers had said it was fine to back down and say no, but to put on the safety gear anyway.

I was nudged onto the platform with many more "you can do it" and "it's so much fun." Still, I wanted nothing more that to go back down the ladder that would lead me to that safety of ground.

***

But it's too late now, there's no return. "I'm really nervous," I told the counselor that was helping me with my harness. He smiled saying "This is nothing to freak out about, don't worry."

I fought to keep my teeth from clattering. But as I looked down at the ground, way down at the ground. I felt the butterflies begin to flutter their wings. No, I'm not a chicken, I won't back down. Man, this would be so much easier if they weren't all smiling at me. I held my breath and stepped into the air.

Launching off the platform I automatically accelerated into the air. I was a bird ripping through the sky. The wind rushed past my face. I didn't yell like some of my friends did when it was their turn to ride the zip line. It took all my strength to get there and now I was petrified. Even as my sweaty hands strangled the handhold's above me all I could do was think Please don't fall I looked at the trees rushing by my feet. Please don't hit them. I thought I would die and the adrenaline rushed through my body, I was on a roller coaster.

I touched down dragging my feet in the dirt so I would stop. It didn't help much, my cord twisted and I twirled around but another counselor grabbed my feet and helped me unstrap.


The smell of dinner wafting into my nose as I walked into the kitchen.
"How was your trip?"
I shrugged, "Same."