One Last Chance

Chapter 23

Daniel perched at the opening of the cargo container in a Spiderman pose. He was in a container stacked high up.

Daniel looked behind him, back into the container, where the frayed ropes that had bound him lay draped on the chair. The cargo container was a forty-footer, so each container was approximately 2.2 metres high. And his container was at the top of a six container tower.

What's 2.2 metres times 5?

11 metres.

So if I fall, I'll break my neck.

But how did I even get up here in the first place?

Daniel scanned his surroundings.

Oh right. A crane.

Focus, Daniel. Before you get yourself killed. These people mean business.

The tower of containers on his left was three containers short. Too low.

On his right, just a single container. It was a long way down.

In front of him, diagonally left and directly in front, two containers. And diagonally right, the tallest stack of containers he had seen here, eight containers.

There was no way out.

Or was there?

Daniel went back into his container and dragged the chair over to the door.

Now for the dangerous part.

Gingerly, he stood on the chair, one foot before the other. His hands cleared the top of the container easily.

He hauled himself up, kicking and swinging his legs in rhythm to gain maximum momentum and finally got on the top of the container.

13.2 metres up.

Now he could see the rest of the warehouse stretching out in front of him. Stacks of containers rose up everywhere. It was like a playground for parkourers.

Daniel smiled. One thing he was good at. You could call it his hidden talent, his gift from God or whatever. How many years had he spent running from bullies?

Pity I didn't use it earlier when running from Red Pants in the park. It would have made escape much more easier.

Daniel mentally drew the easiest path to the other side of the warehouse, where he assumed the exit was. His path was the same height most of the way. But the containers were stacked far from each other.... Could he do it?

He backed all the way to the edge of the container he was on, took a running lead and pushed off the end, windmilling his arms, bringing his knees into his chest. He cleared the gap between the two container stacks easily and flipped into a forward roll to cushion the impact from his jump.

He advanced easily this way and soon made his way across. He now lay on his stomach, looking down from a four container high tower directly at the big open doors of the exit. The crowd of workers entering and exiting were thinning rapidly, and the light outside fading. Daniel guessed it was about seven in the evening.

Daniel waited patiently. It had occurred to him that Edward could be imprisoned in any one of the containers here, but he was not going to waste time clambering up and down searching for him. The logical thing to do now was to get out of the warehouse and get help.

But from who?

Daniel pushed the question out of his mind and he saw the last few workers leave. He was both scared and excited at what he was going to do next.

Postioning himself on the edge, he took a deep breath...

And jumped.

He was freefalling...

Wind rushing through his hair...

The ground rushing up...

Brace yourself!

Daniel's feet hit the floor and he flipped into a roll. He sprang to his feet and made for the exit, welcoming the fading sunlight.

But he never got there.