The Understudy of an Alchemist

60. Surviving With Slightly Scorched Hair

Gravity finally finds me, and I'm slammed to the ground face first, the impact so sudden that I recoil slightly as I hit the floor, my entire body aching now as I try to rise to my knees, desperate now to find Varian.

And then, the explosion came.

I've never heard one this loud before. Not even during the experiments with Varian. My eardrum lets off a loud squeal, and I myself let out a gasp in pain, covering my ringing ear in any attempt to protect it.

My bursting eardrum is such a high priority for me, it takes me several seconds to process the falling sensation that I am suddenly experiencing. Terrified, I scream, and begin frantically fumbling for something to grab onto, but the rocks are too smooth, there's no handhold.

Panic sets in, and I scream, scrapping my fingernails in a desperate attempt to prevent myself from falling off the side, which is so close, I can almost hear the river down below. At this moment, I can hear Varian screaming, and my heart fails; he's falling too.

With a sudden jolt, my body falls off the ledge, and in a desperate attempt, I grab onto the ledge with my right middle three fingers. Dangling off the ledge of a 'cliff' is not as easy as interpreted in novels, three fingers is nowhere near strong enough to support any human's weight, and the explosion is still going on around me.

My heart must have morphed into a kettle drum, it's beating so fast, my fingers are bruising, I can't hold on much longer. My eyes search for Varian, but I can't see him anywhere. The explosion is beginning to fade, but that hasn't stopped the falling debris around me. Pieces of black rock are falling inches from my head. I want to- no. I need to call out to someone for help, I don't have enough inner strength to pull myself up, not if I'm using my fingers for support.

But is there anyone still up there? The ledge that I am holding onto is cracking, and my heart practically fails. The harsh reality that my fingers may tire any minute now which would result in me falling to my death is so terrifying that I just want to keep screaming, and it takes all of my willpower to hold it in.

My ring finger twitches. I don't have that much longer. Just as I begin contemplating my death, I hear murmuring voices. "Rapunzel, I think they blew off the side." It's Eugene.

"Eugene!" I scream from where I'm dangling, both my ring and middle fingers twitching now. Then, I hear another voice, "Wait! Did you hear that?" Seizing my chance, I scream again, even louder. "Rapunzel, Eugene, it's me Violet, help!" I scream once more. My ring finger bends, which results in me releasing a scream of pure fear.

Then, I hear hurrying footsteps towards the direction. As if purposefully being a killjoy, my middle finger bends, which leads to my scream again, "Please hurry! Please!"

"Blondie, I see her!" I hear a familiar voice cry, and as if by magic, Eugene appears above me, thrusting his hand towards my head. "Kid! You're okay! Take my hand." I stare at his outstretched hand, then at my own hand, clutching the side of the ledge. "I can't!" I scream, my index suddenly bends, and I scream again, yet manage to catch myself just in time.

Shaking my head frantically, I repeat, "I can't! I'll......I'll fall!" He also shakes his head. "No, I won't let you fall. See," He shuffles forward, and takes the wrist that was clinging onto the ledge. I still hang on, however. "Okay, I got you. Now, swing your other hand towards me, and take my hand."

He stretches his hand back out to me. I shake my head. "I-" Eugene shakes his head again. "It's your other hand, you're safe, okay?" Cautiously, I take a deep breath. Then building up a swinging my momentum I hoist my left hand up, which Eugene grabs.

"See? I've got you. Now," He gestures with his eyes towards my hand, which is still frantically grasping the ledge. "You need to let go." I shake my head frantically. "No! No! I can't-" "Violet." His voice is calm, reassuring. "I've got you. I won't let you go. When you let go, I'll pull you up. But I can't while you're holding on there."