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Paxton screaas the impact jarred every molecule in ony lit upabout this situation

The pounding in ly loud until I realized that it wasn’t my heart at all--it was footsteps

"Leah!" Landon’s face came into view at least ten feet above me, sweat-soaked and beet red "It’s okay," he said between heavy breaths

"This is not okay!" I yelled back "I can’t hold onto get you out of this, you understand?"

I nodded the tiniest fraction, scared toway too far out over the edge

"There’s a foothold above your right foot if you raise it a few inches," he said

Slowly, I did as he suggested, and found it My h to stand on the sht and held it, but given the way pieces cru this will hold"

I didn’t kno long I would hold

"Can we get a fucking rope up here?" Landon asked

"It’s co!" Penna yelled

"Hold on, Leah!" Brooke added, the sound echoing around me

I focused on the rocks directly in front ofcolors, texture, until I wasn’t on a cliff in Morocco, I was back above the car crash with Brian’s body burning beneathfor you You can’t hold on Just let go and it will all be over, the pain, the fear, all of it He’s already dead

But it wasn’t Brian beneath me, it was Paxton--whom I loved--as very much alive Still, h to hold on indefinitely, and I wasn’t brave enough to let go, so I hung in lile you’re at, I can’t get to you You have the only foothold, and if I coers, which would be pretty detrioal, don’t you think?" Landon asked

"It could put a da breaths I couldn’t getto slow, or h so only he could hear oing to fall" Every second rip less firm

"Yes"

He said it so calmly that I didn’t panic when I looked up at him, even whento last until the rope gets here"

"No" His eyes were soft, steady

"Leah, you’re doing great Just hold on, baby!" Paxton yelled up