(23) The Fall

The cool night air rushed past our ears. We landed on the first rooftop easily. The next several jumps went really well, then, we slipped. I felt our feet fly out from under us as we began to land. Our bodies fell backward, hurtling toward the ground.

 I reacted by flipping my body mid-air and launching John up onto the roof to safety.
He grabbed my hand,
holding my fingers tightly,
but the sweat on our hands cause his
grip
    to
      lessen.

                He
                    lost
                          my
                              hand...

As his fingers parted with mine he bit his lip and slid off the roof after me. The buildings were about 15 feet high. I could not keep us in the air now that we were falling. John wrapped his arms around my waist as something shot up at the roof.

Our bodies suddenly jerked upward and we were suspended about 6 feet off the ground. He had fired a grappling hook at the roof and it had suctioned on to the structure. How John had managed to fire the gun and hook it onto his belt before grabbing my falling body as we tumbled through the air? He saved our lives in a matter of seconds. The push of a button and we were lowered slowly to the ground. John's feet hit the ground first and he cradled me in his arms as the hook disengaged and dropped to the ground beside us.

"Let's stay on the ground for a while, okay Elaine?" He laughed between gasps for air. I nodded, too winded and stressed to speak. "You saved my life Elaine. I saw what you did there. I owe you a debt of gratitude...although I did just save your life so I think we're even, don't you?" a crooked grin flashed across his face in the moonlight.

Oh, but he hadn't saved me from falling. I fell even harder that night for my hero, John.