Free ALLUSIVE AFTERSHOCK by Susan Griscom Page A

die instantly, plummeting thirty feet or so to my death. Maybe I
wouldn’t die; maybe I would just break something, or several things.”
    “Come on, Max.” I
tugged at his arm.
    “Okay. Okay. You’re
right. We die here for sure or maybe die there. Let’s go before I change my
mind.”

Chapter
7
 
~~Adela~~
     
    I didn’t know what I
would have done if Max hadn’t given in. I couldn’t have left him; I’d even
thought of having one of the guys come back and knock him out so they could
carry him across the steel plank. What Max revealed hurt—not his fear, but the
idea that he thought so little of me that he actually believed I would laugh at
him. I guess he didn’t know me as well as I’d assumed. We walked to the beam
and I was glad to see that one of the men, I think his name was John, had
stayed back to wait for us. I managed to smile at him. “Thanks for waiting.”
    “No problem. Couldn’t
leave you kids over here.” He nodded at Max. “I was thinking maybe I’d have to
knock you out and carry you across, son. Glad you decided to do this on your
own. Go on now. I’ll be right behind you.”
    Obviously, I wasn’t the
only one with that thought. Everyone else stood on the other side, waiting
patiently. The group consisted of nice, caring people and a warm feeling ran
though me as we stood looking at them across the way. “Um … I’ll go first, take
my hand.” I held Max’s hand in mine and stepped onto the beam. He followed
behind me. “Don’t look down. Keep your eyes on my back. Don’t look at your
feet.”
    “How will I know where
I’m stepping?”
    “We’ll go slowly; feel
your way with your feet. Keep your eyes focused on my back. You have my hand.” If
you fall, I fall. So please don’t fall.
    I took a few steps onto
the beam and I felt Max stagger a little behind me. I stopped. “Steady, Max.
You can do this. Just focus on my back,” I coaxed, sounding similar to the way
I talked to Aaron and Ambie when they got frustrated trying something new.
    All of a sudden Max let
go of my hand. “Max, what are you doing?” I turned to see him crouched down on his
knees, looking down at the bottom of the chasm.
    “Go on, Adela. I’m
fine. Just keep moving. I’ll do it this way.”
    “Okay,” I said. I
didn’t want to leave him there, but I didn’t want to stay there arguing, so I finished
walking across. When I got to the end, I saw Max and the guy behind him stopped
in the middle of the crossing. The man was saying something to Max that I
couldn’t hear and then I saw Max nod. He slowly stood up. He looked at me and I
kept my eyes on his as he took shaky steps across to me. When he took his last
step off the beam in front of me, everybody cheered. Max took a deep breath,
his face turned bright red, and he smiled.
    “We’re gonna head north
up toward Spanish Rock,” Roy said. “I figure it’s better to head northwest,
since the quakes originated from the south and the east. Maybe we’ll get lucky
and find a shelter with food and water. They should have a radio or something
so we can find out how bad this thing is. You’re welcome to come along with
us.”
    “We need to get home.
We live on the other side of the ridge.” Max pointed toward the mountain beyond
the trees.
    Roy swiped at the sweat
on his brow. “I don’t think that’s wise, son. You’d be better off staying with
us. A group has better odds of surviving in the wilderness than the two of you
alone.”
    “We’ll be okay. I’ve
walked it before—it’s only about four more miles from here. Besides, our parents
are probably worried about us,” Max said with confidence.
    “If that’s what you
really want, then I s’pose there’s nothing we can do to change your minds.
Thanks for your help with the beam and good luck to you. Let’s go, gang.” He
picked up the little girl and they all walked away.
    I wished that we could
have stayed with the group. The support of some grownups felt good for the
short