"Make sure you are buckled up properly, one lose hook or strap might cost you your life." The instructor said, buckling himself up. "So let's get started, I'll get the equipment." He moved to his car and brought out all of the stuff and put it on the ground. There were heaps of ropes, hooks, straps, strings, buckles. "There you go." The instructor motioned.
Everyone got down to strapping themselves up. Nora stepped into the harness and buckled it up, the ropes were the tricky part, putting them through the already attached loops was not easy. Looking around, the instructor was already busy with others. "Rachel can you help me put these through." She called out. Rachel looked over and moved to her. She took the ropes and attached them skilfully, "There you go. Now just put on the hooks and you're ready to go."
Checking the ropes and the equipment everyone started climbing. The first part was easy, with the right slope and good support. "Guys we're almost there. Be careful here, this is a little difficult." George shouted leading the group.
"Hey George look out for the attachments." Luke called out. George gave him a thumbs up and continued up the route.
The route up the hill was steep and a little difficult, putting every step carefully they continued with their path.
George lead the group but Nora was quick and caught up quickly, George gave her a nod and she passed him with a smirk. She went up the hill smoothly, putting on the hook at the attachments. Almost near the top, she blanked out, another vision. She shut her eyes and put her hand on her throbbing head, the other still reached to lock the hook. She jerked. The hook on her harness broke open and she fell down, passing others at a lightning speed. She came to a stop with a jerk, hanging in mid air, her body was supported only by a climbing rope. Her eyes still tightly shut, she could feel the strain on her back and the air swinging her from side to side. Opening her eyes she could see the horrified faces of everyone, she tried to straighten herself but felt a stinging pain in her back. Fighting it only made it worse, the attachment was coming off, every movement was dislocating it even more. "Oh shit, stop moving around Nora! The attachment's gonna come off." George shouted. "Stay still."
"Nora." Tina shouted and started to climb down.
"Wait. You're far up ahead. I'll do something." Luke said.
He started descending swiftly. It took him a good fifteen minutes to get near her. "Nora, first of all calm down." The wind picked up its speed, she started swinging faster. She looked at him with wide eyes filled with fear.
He looked at her and realized it was impossible for her to calm down. He was worried, but he had to act fast. He dropped down a little lower and reached beside her, as soon as she swung towards him, he grabbed the rope and pulled her towards him, the attachment came off completely, he held onto the rope tightly and pulled her up, as soon as she was close enough to him he grabbed her hand and pulled her into himself. She grabbed onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around the waist. He smiled, trying to calm her, "Hey you, baby sloth, it's fine." Her face was buried in his neck and he could feel her trembling breath, "Nora look up at me." His tone was stern.
She looked up at him, he looked into her hazel eyes which turned golden under the sunlight, "I told you it's fine, calm down and listen to me unless you want to hang here all day."
She looked around her and down the height, then looked back at him and nodded. "Good." He said.
"First take off one of my hooks from my harness and latch it onto yours."
"But, if something happens to you?" She said.
"It is fine, you need support since you don't have any. Now go on. And do whatever I say without any questions."
She unlatched the hook with shaky hands and put it on her harness. "Good. Now this one's going to be a little difficult. You have to get on my back."
She looked at him then let go of his neck, holding onto his harness she climbed around really carefully and was on his broad back, tightening her grip around his neck once more. "Now hold on and don't move around." He started climbing up keeping his pace slow and steady. Nora didn't speak anything and just held onto him, her eyes shut.
"Nora." Luke called out softly. "You can get down now." She opened her eyes and looked around, worried faces were looking at her. She loosened her grip and stepped down but fell on the ground. "Are you okay? We called the helpline, they'll be here soon." Tina was already beside her. "What happened Nora? You're good at this, you have handled this situation a lot of times. What happened?" She took her into a hug.
"I don't know Tina. I really don't know what happened." She murmured.
"Take off her harness. Let her have some air." Nick said.
The harness and her helmet was off within seconds. Luke bent down and held her leg, she pulled back. "Don't. I saw you were bleeding, give it here." He reached out again, she didn't pull back. Taking a closer look, her knee was injured and was bleeding. He took out a medical kit and bandaged it, "We need to move her." He was on his feet and picked her up. Tina supported her and settled her down on a rock.
The paramedics arrived soon after. All over everything was okay except for some injuries which had her knee, a bruised back and shoulders and a few scratches.
***
The painkillers made Nora dizzy and she fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed.
She woke up near dinner time, the room was empty. The painkillers played their part well. But the bandage on her back was loosened while the one on her knee had to be changed, she grabbed the bag with the medical supply and headed to Tina's room. She rang the bell, no answer. She knocked, no answer.
"She went down for dinner." Luke said from behind her.
"Oh, I'll come back later then." She moved to her room.
"What is it you need from her?" He asked.
"I need help with the bandages, they need to be changed. I'll call her up."
"I'll help you. She just went down, it'll take her time to get back." He offered.
"Oh no. It's not needed, I can wait."
"You can but your wounds can't. You're coming with me and it's not a request."
Without knowing what happened Nora was now sitting in his room, with the bag on the table. He came back after washing his hands and rummaged through the bag, she sat on a chair looking at him.
He bent down near her leg and undid the bandage on her knee. He gently took it off and cleaned the wound with antiseptic, bandaging it again. He looked up at her, "Turn around, your back now."
"Huh? Oh no Tina will do that. You don't have to." She said.
"I'm not in a mood to hear a no. Your back was affected the most and the bandage needs to be changed. You know that right? So turn around Nora." He said again, his gaze piercing through her.
She contemplated for a moment, then turned around. He lifted her shirt and folded it so it stayed in place, then he undid the bandage. As the bandage fell, it revealed her back, which was now a shade of bluish purple. His heart tugged, he lifted his hand and gently placed his fingers on her back tracing the bruise, "Does it hurt?"
"A little." She said.
She heard him mutter something under his breath but couldn't catch it. And then he was on with the process. Nora could feel shivers run down her body every time his hand brushed across her skin. He did it quickly and yet so gently. When done he unfolded her shirt and pulled it down.
Nora could feel her cheeks burn and knew she was flushed.He got up to look at her but she turned her face away. The bell rang, he answered the door. He came with a tray and placed it in front of her, "You need to eat."
She looked at him and then at the tray, arguing was useless and she directly went for the food.
"You're not eating?" She asked.
"Not in the mood." He said gathering the stuff.
"You should eat too to maintain your strength." He looked at her quizzically. "You pulled me up alone and then climbed the hill with me on your back. So you also need to eat."
He looked at her then looked away, "Fine I'll eat. And if you're done you should better go and rest if you want to go out tonight."
She gulped down the remaining food and then got up to leave. "Be careful." Luke called out from behind her. She nodded and got out of his room.