It had an odious fleshlike sensation which roused...
It had an odious fleshlike sensation which roused panic, made them want to hasten
The ledge narrowed to nine inchesCroft kept peering ahead in the mist, trying to determine if it would become widerThis was the first place on the mountain that demanded some skillUntil now it has been essentially a very high hill, but here he wished for a rope or a mountain pickHe continued along it, his arms and legs spread-eagled, hugging the rock, his fingers searching for crevices to latch upon
He came to a gap in the ledge about four feet wideThere was nothing between, no bushes, no roots to which they could clingThe platform disappeared and then omega quartz continued on the other sideIn the gap there was only the sheer drop of the ridge wallIt would have been a simple jump, merely a long step on level ground, but here it meant leaping sideways, taking off with the left foot and landing with the right, having to gain his balance while he teetered on the ledge
He slipped off his pack carefully, handed it to Martinez behind him, and hesitated for a moment, his right leg dangling over the gapThen he leaped sideways, wavering for a moment on the other side before steadying himself
"Jesus, who the fug can cross that?" he heard one of them mutter
"Just wait there," Croft said, "I'm gonna see if the fendi b ledge widens out He traveled along it for fifty feet, and discovered it was becoming broader againThis gave him a deep sense of relief, for otherwise it would have meant turning back to find another routeAnd he no longer knew if he could rouse the platoon to go up again
He leaned over the gap and took his pack from MartinezThe distance was short enough for their hands to touchThen he took Martinez's pack and moved a few yards farther away"Okay, men," he called, "let's start coming overThe air's a helluva sight better on this side
There was a nervous snicker"Liften, Croft," he heard Red say, "is that fuggin ledge any wider?"
"Yeah, more purse logo than a bit But Croft was annoyed at himself for answeringHe should have told Red to shut up
Roth, at the tail of the column, listened with dreadHe would probably miss if he had to jump, and despite himself his body generated some anxietyHis anger was still present, but it had altered into a quieter resolve
As he watched them pass their packs across and leap over, his fear increasedIt was the kind of thing he had never been able to do, and a trace of an old panic he had known in gym classes when he waited for his turn on the high bar rose up to torment him
Inevitably, his turn was approachingMinetta, the last man ahead of him, hesitated on cartier clock the edge and then skipped across, laughing weakly"Jesus, a fuggin acrobat Roth cleared his throat"Make room, I'm coming," he said quietlyHe handed over his pack
Minetta was talking to him as though he were an animal"Now, just take it easy, boyThere's nothing to itJust take it easy, and you'll make it okay"I'm all right," he said
But when he stepped to the edge and looked over, his legs were deadThe other ledge was very far awayThe rock bluffs dropped beneath him gauntly, emptily
"I'm coming," he mumbled again, but he did not moveAs he had been about to jump he had lost courage
I'll count three to myself, he thought
But he could not chanel black wallet mov