Let's Share! -- Excerpts

I know you all are ready for another teaser. This comes from the end of my most recently edited chapter. I'm open to any advice or comments. And feel free to post your own short excerpt--I'm anxious to see what my friends are writing as well. :)

In this scene, Graham and Ninevah are caught in a fire at a factory. All normal escape routes are either blocked, or they don't know how to get there, forcing them to the one window without bars on the second floor. Here ya go:

Her balance wavered, but she pulled herself onto the window ledge. She stood there, motionless.

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t answer.

“Ninevah, are you okay?”

“It’s too high.”

He groaned. Why did she have to be afraid of heights? He wiped a hand across the sweat on his forehead. It was hot. “Ninevah, I know you’re scared. But you have to jump.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. I know you can. It’s not as far as it looks.”

“Graham, I can’t.”

So much for easing into it. “Ninevah, do you want to die? Because that’s what’s going to happen if you don’t jump.”

She whimpered, but didn’t move.

He reined his voice in. “Ninevah, look at me.”

She turned her head to peer down at him.

“Ninevah, I know this is scary. I’m scared for you. But you have to do this.”

She nodded ever so slightly.

“On the count of three, okay?”

She turned back to the outside.

“One.”

Her fingers turned white against the dark frame of the window.

“Two.”

Her knees bent.

“Three.”

A piercing scream rang out above the din of the fire as her body disappeared from his view. The sound faded until he couldn’t hear anything. He waited. Nothing. Did she make it?

He raced to the window and hoisted himself up in a second. He balanced his boots on the window sill and searched for Ninevah. He found her on the rooftop in a crumpled heap. He watched, but she didn’t move.

Taking a deep breath, he jumped—arms spread, lungs frozen. The world rushed beneath him. The rooftop approached at lightning speed. He bent his knees to brace for impact. His feet hit, and he bent forward into a rolling tuck. The jolt took his breath away. No time to relax. He turned to his side.

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