The Ordeal

Risty screamed as he landed in the air and continued falling.

"All of you move to the back, but don't get out of the vehicle. Do not let the other vehicles come close," Dr. Reeves frantically ordered his passengers, who were jolted awake.

Angel, who had just woken up, obediently moved to the back. She gestured with her hands and shouted at the top of her voice. "Stop the vehicles."

The four remaining drivers sensed that something was wrong, so they stopped three meters from the first vehicle. They got off and cautiously approached. They gasped when they saw that half of the front wheels of the vehicle was suspended in the air.

"Is this a cliff?" Captain Niel asked.

"It looks like it is a cliff." Leoric confirmed. 

From a distance of one meter, one would not notice that there was a void below because all you could see was the sand that looked golden under the moonlight. They were thankful that Dr. Reeves braked in time, otherwise the vehicle would have been plunged below.

The captain cautiously approached the cliff's edge, keeping a safe distance.

"Risty, can you hear us?" He shouted at the top of his voice.

There was no response.

"Risty.. Risty.. Risty.." He called out three times but there was no response.

"Let's secure the vehicle first," Leoric said. He wasn't sure if the sand was stable enough and he didn't want the vehicle to come crashing down with one wrong move.

Mario Diaz took it upon himself to get a coil of rope from his vehicle and attach it to the back of it. He then went back to the driver's seat and drove the second vehicle in reverse.

Gavin Reeves, who dared not move from his seat, started the engine and also drove in reverse.

Everyone sighed in relief when the first vehicle was a safe distance from the cliff's edge.

Dr. Reeves tied a rope around his waist and secured the other end to the vehicle. He then approached the edge of the cliff and peered down.

"I cannot tell how high our elevation is. The sand looks the same. It does not look too deep."

Angel took a 125 ML can of juice from her backpack. She opened the lid and drank the liquid in two gulps. She filled it with sand and carefully approached Gavin Reeves.

"What are you doing? Get back here!" Leoric yelled. Angel paused, glared at him, then continued.

Leoric clenched his fists.

In no time, Angel was standing beside Gavin Reeves. She handed him the can filled with sand.

"You can try throwing this down."

Gavin Reeves smiled and took the can from her before tossing it down. They waited until they could no longer see the can. It did not hit the bottom.

"This ravine is too deep to rescue Risty from this point." Dr. Reeves declared which worried the rest of the group.

Risty was hired by Emily's eldest brother to watch over her and ensure that Leoric was taking care of her.

"No, you have to rescue, Risty, no matter what. He is like a brother to me." Emily shouted as he charged toward Dr. Reeves and Angel.

She had a sinister thought in her mind. Who cared about a guard? She took this opportunity to get rid of Angel in the guise of saving Risty.

Leoric didn't expect Emily's sudden action. She tripped near Angel, causing her to fall off the cliff before anyone could react.

Instinctively, Angel grabbed the nearest object she could hold onto, which was Emily's long hair. 

Emily screamed in pain. She felt that her scalp was numb and painful. Because Angel grabbed her, she also fell, hanging upside down as Dr. Reeves tried to grab Angel but was too late and instead got hold of Emily's two feet.

She was wearing a white dress and due to the force of gravity, her skirt was pulled up, exposing her white underwear and legs.

Doctor Reeves's eyelashes fluttered, but he could not close his eyes and get distracted. The lives of the two women depended on him.

"Let go of my hair, you bitch." Emily cried in pain, tears streaming from her eyes.

"If you want me to let go, give me your hands," Angel told her in an icy voice. She knew that Emily intended to push her off the cliff.

Emily did not want to, but the pain on her scalp was killing her. "You bitch! Why did you not fall to your death?" Emily was shouting profanities at Angel. A wind blew, and the grainy sand above them scattered and fell off the cliff. Emily was still shouting curses when she felt something coarse entered her mouth and she almost choked.

"Give me your hands, unless you want to prolong your agony. I promise you that if I fall, I will take you with me." Angel said harshly.

"Leo, save me," Emily cried piteously. Her voice was hoarse, and she was trying to spit the sand that had gotten into her mouth.

A sudden idea came to her. She was upside down, so if she spit, then it would fall on Angel.

She willed herself to produce as much saliva as she could, and then she spit out a mouthful. A gust of wind blew on her face, and her saliva splattered on her face.

Angel waited for a few seconds, but Emily did not extend her hand to her. 

Angel tugged at her hair and Emily screamed. She was left with no choice but to offer her hands to Angel.

Angel did not accept her hand but used her right hand to grasp Emily's right arm. She released her hold on her hair and grasped her left arm.

Emily was relieved when she felt the burning pain on her scalp disappear.

Leoric and Captain Niel hurriedly to look for ropes. While Captain Niel was busy tying the rope to the closed vehicle, Mario Diaz stood close to the edge. He threw a whip and the end of the whip coiled around Angel's whip at the same time that a course rope also coiled on her waist.

"Let go of Emily, and we'll pull you up." Leoric sounded panicked, but to Angel, it sounded like he could not wait to ease Emily's burden.