Skyline Gang: Trial of Darkness

Chapter 19

Thanks for the 300+ reads everyone!

"Dude! Candi!"

As that voice cried out, it was like an out of body experience. No one knew if they were dead or alive. They were just caught in between. Time had stretched. Whatever felt like hours, were in fact seconds. During the echo of the sound, reality sunk right back in.

The Gang felt like their hearts had leaped out of their mouths at that moment. They had faced scary enough things through this adventure. So far this tops them all. Dude felt like his arms were going to be ripped right out of their sockets. One hand holding onto the remaining rope that held the last of the bridge, the other keeping a death grip on Candi's hand. Candi's grip on him was just as tight. Her free hand automatically flew up to his wrist, her nails digging into his skin. Her legs swung limply as she struggled to stay still. Dude meanwhile tried not to focus on her for a few seconds. The rope was burning his hand as he kept a death grip on it. He looked up at it briefly, trying to determine how much time he and Candi might have. Hoover, that's where he reached a bad stump in that plan. There was no way to know if the rope he was holding onto now would give out at any second. A ticking time bomb.

"Dude!" Candi cried out, her blindfold becoming damp with tears.

"I've got you! I'm not letting go!" Dude strained, tightening his grip as best he could. Try to keep Candi calm. The last thing that was needed, was her panicking. She's terrified enough as it is.

"What do we do?! What do we do?!" Sprout shouted, spinning in circles so fast that he might make a tornado.

"Panicking won't help!" Mimi took charge, grabbing Sprout before he had a chance to fall off the edge of the gorge himself. He swayed a little from how dizzy he made himself. Misty kept back, not sure if she should keep going or stay to watch the scene before her. She wanted to go, she tried to. But something held her in place. It was as if she was strapped to the ground. Bud was looking around frantically. Rainbow was doing the same. Maybe if he found a long enough stick, Dude or Candi could grab hold of it. Pip had already figured out a plan. It was risky, but it might work. If it was just Dude, he might have managed to use the rope like a set of monkey bars. However, he was holding onto Candi, who was like dead weight to him right now. Try the plan now, or they could lose both of their friends.

"Grab my legs!" Pip ordered, having already stripped off her rucksack and sat on the edge of the gorge.

"What?! Pip?!" Bud exclaimed as Pip started leaning back.

"Grab her!" Mimi shouted, jumping into action. She and the others pinned down Pip's legs as she hung upside down like a bat. Rainbow laid out flat over her ankles like an anchor. Even Misty suddenly found herself helping. Why did she care? No, she doesn't care! So why was she helping?! What is wrong with her right now?! It was like some kind of instinct that she had to help.

"Dude! Swing her over!" Pip called out, ignoring the blood rushing to her head.

"What?!" Candi shrieked. Dude looked at the rock chick himself in shock. Then he started to think about it as quick as he could. They were so close to getting off the bridge. Just a few more steps and they would've made it. They were close enough for Candi to be thrown to Pip. The question if Dude had enough strength to pull it off. Right now he didn't know if this gamble was going to pay off. But something needed to be done.

"Candi, listen to me carefully." Dude grunted, looking down at Candi. Despite her vision being compromised, Candi looked right up at him. She was going to hate this plan. "I'm going to start swinging you. Pip is going to grab hold of you."

"You promised not to let go!" Candi wailed, kicking her legs automatically. Dude fought hard to keep himself still, straining to keep a firm grip on the girl.