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They had spent the night before packing up everything that wouldn't be needed in the morning. They had planned, looked over the plan and revised it four times, till all seven of them finally agreed and felt comfortable with what was decided.
As morning's first light began to break, Vin and Chris were up and fixing fried egg sandwiches. Something that would be light, but would insure no growling stomachs would announce themselves. Slowly one by one the other five woke, grabbed their portion and began gathering their own items that would be needed for their planned action that morning.
Arriving at their point of destination, JD and Buck left the group going down and left. Nathan and Chris going right around the large blind spot, disappeared quickly. Josiah, helped by Ezra and Vin sat with his sprained ankle propped up, made sure the radio was in reach. Once it was done Vin and Ezra headed off torward to the way they were going.
Josiah checked his watch, looked around, then checked his watch again. He picked up the radio sending out the call in only one word. 'Now'.
Three different sets of two quickly started their task. One set at a jog upward on the right, one set hand over hand on ropes on the left. And the last set grabbing holds and securing their path at a steady rhythm.
Each set to work quickly, carefully to fulfill their task. Sweat rolled, muscles strained, urgency felt through them all as well as the adrenaline that was coursing through them.
An hour came and went, but when the approach of the second hour was closing, one set saw their end at hand. Reaching up and pulling himself over, turning and reaching down to help his partner up and over, the two men didn't even pause even though their bodies were asking it of them. Rushing forward two hands grabbed the object, lifting it high. Following it with two yells one a rebel one, a Texas yahoo, just as on the left and right two sets ran out in time to see.
“Wow, how did you climb the cliffs so fast with out ropes?” JD excitedly asked.
“Easy, there were a lot of edges and foot holds,” Vin answered with a grin.
Chris standing there shook his head, he had truly thought that he and Nathan would have beaten them, since they had taken the jogging path up around the side of the mountain. He had figured Buck and JD might beat them since they were taking the hand rope bridge and lace ladder piece way. But he honestly figured that even though Vin and Ezra were good at free climbing, it would still take them longer to reach the top and grab the flag that had been placed at the top the night before.
It was their last night out camping in the natural forest and before they left all seven had decided they wanted to do something fun and challenging, though Josiah couldn't participate because of his sprained ankle he had gotten from falling after catching the biggest small mouth bass any of them had seen. And that it self was a story on its own, getting a sprained ankle because of a fish. He had decided he would be the starter gun and base, just in case some one needed help due to an accident or something unforeseen. They all had carried radios.
“Josiah, we all made it. We'll be heading back down in a minute,” Chris radioed in.
“Who won?” Josiah's voice rumbled across.
“The two spider men,” Chris smiled as he answered. Hooking the radio back to his waist, Chris replied to the five with him, “OK, let’s take five minutes to rest and then will head back down to the SUV. We should get back to Denver some time around five this afternoon.”
After taking there break and drinking some water to rehydrate, Chris, Nathan, Buck and JD headed to the hiking path to head down.
“Mr. Tanner, would you be interested in traveling the same way as we did reaching our goal?” Ezra grinned.
Returning the grin, Vin reported, “I'm game.”
The End
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