C - The Crumbling Cliff

"Don't let go."

"I'm trying not to," she panted, "but my fingers keep slipping." "God
John I'm so scared. I don't want to die."

"You're not going to die. Keep holding on. You're doing great. Here,
take hold of this."

Cautiously she eyed the tufted end of the rope he had thrown down to
her. Her heart pounded noisily; a hard knot of fear congealing in her
stomach.

"I can't!"

"Yes you can."

"No, no, it's too far. I can't reach."

"OK. That's fine. You just stay there. I'm going to have to come down
to you. You're going to be fine. Try to keep calm. Now I have to go and
find something to secure the rope onto. It won't take my weight
otherwise."

Ten seconds later. "OK. I've found a good rock to fix it onto. I think
it'll hold me but I'm not sure."

"Hurry, please! I can't hold on much longer&;#8230;"

As John looked away he heard her body slipping down the rubble. He
turned back and clasped his hands over his head. "Amanda! NO! NO!
Please God NO!" He winced as he heard her body hit the shelf of rock
below. Like a dead weight.

"Amanda?"

Feebly, "Yes?"

"Are you OK?"

"I don't know. I think so. I can't move my leg&;#8230;. and my
head's bleeding."

Straining his neck, "looks like you're on a pretty solid bit of rock
now though?".

"Yes. I guess so". Her voice faded into unconsciousness.

"Amanda? Amanda?" Oh shit. He hurriedly scrambled along the cliff top
back to the rock he had found. The rope would never reach her now. He'd
never been so completely and utterly filled with fear. The nearest call
point was over ten miles away. Shaking, he chanted under his breath
"Pull yourself together. Pull yourself together. For her sake".

Seemingly independent of his mind his legs then started running, taking
him inland blindly, frantically, whilst his voice shouted out "HELP!"
"HELP!" "SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!"