Free The Drop by Jeff Ross

gaining on him, he did a quick jump and steered himself down the hill. I got close, but the element of surprise was gone.
    I finally discovered what this area of the mountain was like. There was a split in the mountain, much like the drop, and we were on the low side of this. However, there was a massive wall of snow shooting up into the air at an extreme angle. It was like a launch pad that, if you hit it just right, would launch you up and over to the other side of the mountain. The kidnapper tucked at it, rode up the side and shot into the air. He just managed to clear the lip of the other side. I had no choice but to follow him. I shot into the air, pulling my legs up tight beneath me, and just managed to creep over the lip on the other side. I was so close behind the kidnapper that I almost landed on him.
    â€œWhat the…?” he yelled. I peeled off and cut up the mountain.
    â€œWhere is Hope?” I shouted. “And Bryce?”
    â€œAnother one!” he replied. “Your little girlfriend is hanging on over there,” he said, pointing back where we’d just come.
    â€œWhat?”
    He laughed and disappeared into the storm. I headed for it. I could just make out something pink on the edge. I headed for it. As I got closer, I could see Hope hanging on to a rock, her bottom half dangling over the edge. There was no launch pad here. Just an open, immeasurable nothingness beneath her.
    I skidded to a stop, lying down as I did so, and dug my board into the snow. I grabbed Hope’s arms.
    â€œStay still,” I said. I started to pull, and my board shifted forward. I dug it more deeply into the snow and pulled again. Hope didn’t weigh much, but with the board on her feet, it was like dragging an elephant up the side of a skyscraper. I pulled as hard as I could, and she moved another inch or two.
    â€œIs there anything you can get your board on?”
    â€œNo, there’s nothing here.” Her voice was higher than normal.
    â€œSwing a little. Just try.” She shifted around, and it was really hard to keep hold of her. Her jacket was slippery, and so were my gloves. “Hold on to the rock again,” I said.
    â€œNo. Don’t let me go.”
    â€œI have to get a better hold on you, Hope. Just hold the rock for a second.”
    â€œNo, no. Please don’t let me go.”
    â€œOkay. Try this.” I was panting as I spoke. The strength was being sapped from my arms. “Grab the rock with one hand. I’ll still have a hold of you.”
    â€œNo, no, no.”
    â€œHope. You have to do this. I can’t hold on much longer.” She looked up at me. Her face was red. There were cuts on her cheeks and nose. Her eyes looked desperate and lost.
    â€œTrust me, Hope. It will be okay. Just trust me.” Tentatively, slowly, she let go of my arm and grabbed the rock with her right hand. I quickly shot forward and got my arm under her left arm. Now her face was beside mine, my elbows dug hard into the packed snow.
    I looked down and couldn’t see the bottom. Just a foggy haze of snow and rock.
    â€œHow far is it?” Hope asked.
    â€œDon’t worry. Don’t look.”
    â€œHow far?” Her breath was on my cheek.
    â€œHope, you’re going to have to drop your board. It’s the only way I’ll be able to pull you up.”
    â€œBut how will I get down the mountain?”
    â€œIt’s the only way. Do it now.” She slipped a little, and I steadied her. She gasped in my ear. “Please, Hope, do it now.” She let go of my arm with one hand, reached down and undid the front binding. With a little wiggling, she was able to get the back binding undone. Somehow she managed to pull the board up and toss it over the edge of the lip. It dropped into some deeper powder, then slid down the hill.
    â€œHow did you do that?”
    â€œJust get me up,” she yelled back.
    â€œOkay,” I said. “On three. One,