Fiction: The jump

"Monica, it's time to jump," the instructor was saying taking her by the arm to lift her up.

"Ok, Harry, let's go." Monica would stand and position herself at the door of the plane she felt the cool air caressing her beautiful cinnamon colored face, it was a pleasure for her.

She would fill her lungs with oxygen, practicing breathing before rushing into the void. Her lips drew a smile at the wild wind blowing at 5000 meters high. Monica took her time to enjoy the beautiful landscape, looking down, her pupils dilated as she witnessed the green carpet and the relief of the mountains, which looked like small mounds of sand.

100 jumps would be Monica's personal best, she would celebrate big when she reached the ground. Her family had prepared a big celebration for her at the most exclusive club in town. She came back from her thoughts and prepared to jump.

Monica grabbed the door with both hands, to give her jump momentum. The man's voice was lost at times with the wind that carried the words away. Last indications and the instructor began the countdown by folding his fingers, first the little finger, then the ring finger, then the middle finger and finally the index finger.

The instructor showed Monica his fist as a signal to jump with the momentum in her mouth she jumped into the void and a great adrenaline scream filled the space out of nowhere. In spite of her difficult problems, she enjoyed this great adrenaline rush to the maximum, she was free of everything, nothing could ruin her great moment or the difficult situation she was living with her husband.

Everything bad disappeared in this sacred jump which made her live again, awakening the warrior and wild woman who lay asleep down there. Tears trickled down her glasses, merging with the fierce wind. She smiled showing her happiness and pleasure in that unique moment, almost magical for her.

She would open his arms and fly off into infinity. "I'll keep doing it no matter what," Monica repeated to herself in that emptiness that brightened the sadness of her life.

Her eyes would rest on her instructor who was beckoning to her pointing to the camera on his helmet. Monica began to make humorous gestures, while Harry laughed non-stop at his student's crazy performances.

Monica continued to enjoy that feeling that produced the emptiness in her stomach, but sadly the emotional trip was over and Harry showed her the altimeter, they were reaching 1700 meters after that limit they would have to open the parachute to fall safely and smoothly to the ground.

Monica was passing the limit and Harry was waiting for her to open the parachute, he never opened it before his students. She was still falling and approaching 1000 meters, she looked at her instructor who with a serious gesture was signaling her to open the parachute. Monica laughed and with her hand on the ring she was about to pull it to calm Harry down.

She counted to ten and pulled the ring, nothing happened. Monica remembered her training and taking a breath, did not panic. She began to fumble with her reserve parachute looking for the second ring, grabbed it tightly and pulled it, nothing happened. Monica desperately called Harry's attention, panic had inoculated the woman's mind.

Monica's gestures made the instructor realize that something was wrong. Monica was still falling uncontrollably approaching 900 meters, after that point it was urgent to open the parachute or it would be too late. Monica was trying to come to her senses, regained control and started looking for a way to open the parachute.

Harry thought about approaching Monica, gaining speed with the 'head down' position, but she was falling fast. The woman watched as her instructor tried to reach her, while she kept thinking about how to open her parachute. The situation was becoming desperate. Monica was falling at over 200 kilometers per hour and an icy feeling of anguish was running through her body.

Harry was doing everything he could to reach her, he might not make it in time to intercept her. She looked at her altimeter and at that precise moment she was passing 900 meters it was a point of no return, Monica's only hope was that her instructor could reach her.

At that moment the memories started to flow through Monica's mind, the lump in her throat was a premonition of the bad thing that would happen next. She was still falling fast and watched as the ground approached at full speed that beautiful green landscape would be her executioner.

Monica began to cry while the wind whistled in her ears, the helplessness caused a pit in her stomach. There was nothing she could do but watch as the ground relentlessly approached to claim her life. With nothing else to do, she said a prayer to that beautiful blue sky and closed her eyes at 100 meters high.

Monica was delivering her 100th jump to the divinity on the other side. She took a deep breath and gave up, just asking for the pain to be fleeting, she closed her eyes...

Suddenly she felt a strong pull upwards, she opened her eyes and looked at Harry who was clinging to her, he had opened the parachute, but the canopy could not slow the speed of the fall enough and they both fell violently to the ground, losing consciousness.

Harry and Monica awoke in the hospital after days in a coma and with some fractures.

"How are you?, Harry," Monica asked, battered.

"I thought we weren't going to make it," Harry replied, smiling a reassuring smile.

"Harry, you're a fool." Monica laughed with difficulty because of the fractures.

"Rest, Monica, you're still delicate," Harry spoke to her with authority of being her instructor.

"It's all right, my dear instructor." Monica mischievously looked at Harry and at that moment she felt something for that man who risked his life for her.

The next day a call came in on Monica's cell phone, a detective was speaking to her, "Hello, Mrs. Monica, I am Detective Wilson."

"Tell me, detective, what are you calling me for." Monica listened intently to the voice on the other end of the line.

"Mrs. Monica, after the accident you suffered, your family called the police to investigate what happened with the parachute. After much investigation and with a lot of evidence we found your husband guilty. He tried to murder you to claim your life insurance money and escape with his lover to Brazil, fortunately we caught him and now he is in jail."

Monica was stunned at what she heard, dropped the cell phone and began to cry inconsolably. Harry got up with great difficulty and went over to her to comfort her, giving her a hug. Monica looked up at him and, with a few tears still welling up in her honey-colored eyes, she said, "thank you for everything, my angel."

Harry wore a beautiful white smile that matched some gray locks of his dark hair. After the embrace a kiss ended Monica's adrenaline-fueled story.

The end