Free Deadly Little Sins by Kara Taylor

that says we’re not allowed to sue the school if we break anything today. Your parents had to sign.”
    Lovely.
    We follow the RA assigned to us—Kyle, who works on the guys’ floor in Amherst—over a footbridge. A brook babbles underneath. That’s when a gigantic structure made out of trees comes into focus. Three trunks converge to make a pyramid, with knotted ropes extending from the top point to the ground.
    “Do we have to climb that?” Farrah asks behind me.
    “Later,” Artie says. “Our group’s first obstacle is that .”
    He points to two trees, each about fifty feet high. They’re connected by a log, which I assume we have to walk across. Below, the ground slopes downward in a steep bank covered with rocks and ferns. The tree overhead rustles; an acorn falls. We never hear it drop.
    Farrah makes a panicked noise next to me. “I hate heights.”
    I squeeze her hand.
    “Listen up.” Kyle emerges from the shed, holding a harness and a helmet. Next to the shed is a log cabin. It says OUTHOUSE, but I’m sure there’s a bathroom attendant and potpourri inside.
    Kyle demonstrates, on Jill, how to adjust our harnesses. We’ll be tethered to a rope, which our partner will belay as we walk across the log. A few people groan at the term partners .
    I turn to Farrah, but Banks is already next to her. He gives her a wolfish smile and extends a hand. She shakes it with one hand and tugs at the end of her braid with another. Artie and Peter have already teamed up, as have the other two boys. I’m stuck with Jill.
    I avoid her eyes as Kyle leads us over to the trees. Bingham and Oliver, who volunteered to go first, start climbing the boards nailed to the trees.
    “I thought he hated me,” Farrah whispers, tilting her head toward Banks.
    “He’s a jerk. He’s not worth your time.”
    “I don’t know … he seems nice.” Farrah shrugs, pink seeping into her facial coloring.
    Something protective—and vicious—stirs in me. “Look, you need to be careful who you trust here. Don’t be so naïve. These kids—they’re not out to make friends.”
    Farrah blinks at me, stunned. We stand in silence until it’s her turn. Banks makes an “after you” gesture and spots her as she climbs the tree. I can see her foot shake as she feels around for the steps on the way up.
    All the color has drained from her face when she reaches the top.
    “Good, Farrah,” Kyle says. “Now hold onto your rope while he hooks you in.”
    Farrah spreads her arms out and puts one foot in front of the other like she’s supposed to. Beyond the trees, I can hear the other groups cheering their members on. I cup my hands around my mouth and shout a word of encouragement up at her. Farrah doesn’t look down—she’d lose her balance—but her expression sets, and she stands up a little straighter.
    And that’s when Banks lets out a sneeze. A very loud, fake sneeze.
    Farrah whips her head around, startled. Her foot slips, and Jill gasps next to me.
    My own gasp turns into a scream as she tumbles off the log, even though I know Banks has got the other end of her rope.
    But the impact is too much. The rope flies out of Banks’s hands, and Farrah crashes to the ground.
    “I’m okay,” she snaps as everyone crowds around her. Then she bursts into tears.
    “What hurts?” Kyle demands, hovering over her. She points to her ankle.
    “Everyone out of the way,” Kyle barks. “Jill, head to the lodge and have Barbara call an ambulance.”
    Banks shimmies down the tree, landing on his feet with a thud. His eyes are wide as he watches Farrah, holding her ankle and sobbing. I want to slam him against the tree, but Brent’s voice is in my head.
    “You did that on purpose,” I yell in Banks’s face.
    “Anne.” Kyle’s voice is sharp. He’s still bent over Farrah. “Let me handle this.”
    “You saw him do it! He pretended to sneeze to screw her up.”
    “ Anne. Get away from him.” Kyle turns to Banks. “Go to the lodge.