Page 64 - Life's Outtakes 12

plunged down the side of the tower. I

was in absolute freefall. I fell for

over half the distance, and in that

instant, I knew I was going to die.

But suddenly, the rope pulled tight

and stretched. Then I bounced

upward about six feet and came down

again. Like a spring, I went up and

down, finally coming to a stop.

My heart was pounding so hard it

had choked my voice to a gurgling

gasping squeak. I couldn’t even yell.

When I finally came to a stop, and my

head quit spinning, I did yell, but the

boys and Rod were laughing so hard

they could hardly hear me.

“What the devil kind of belaying