The Writers' Circle

"Are you sure this way will be safe?" Fran said while Doug carefully but quickly lowered himself down onto a ledge a metre below them.

"It'll be fine just try to stay positive we'll get through this, ok"? Doug cleared his throat to hide the tremble in his voice,he reached his hand up to help Fran down. Her ankle twisted as she hit the slippery ledge bumping into Doug and nearly knocking them both off. Rubble started to come down hard and fast.

"It's getting worse " Fran said,she closed her eyes and cuddled up to Doug against the side of the wall hoping they'd manage to ride through it.

"These rocks are going to kill us we need to get out of here, fast." She put the toggle from her hoodie into her her mouth to chew on for security.

"I wish we hadn't come on this stupid trip, then we wouldn't be in this bloody mess" Doug replied , he wiped his greasy black hair away from his face and scanned for a point of reference or another ledge. Nothing.

"I can't see anywhere else for us to go, we'll need to jump" he said shakily.

"Jump are you nuts, that way we will be killed" Fran replied while peering over the edge. It still looked like they were a long way from the bottom.

"Give me your hand and we'll go on three, deal?"

"Ok deal" Fran nervously put out her hand and waited for Doug to take it. Doug gripped her hand like a vice. He was starting to panic and his heart was desperately trying pound it's way out of his chest. "One"

"Two...."

"Three"

They shouted in unison as they leapt off the edge into the dark. The sweat on Fran's back grew cold as the wind clawed its way inside her jumper. Her stomach was doing somersaults nearly causing her to vomit. Doug held her hand tight and that gave her a little bit of hope that maybe everything was going to be alright.