Chapter 21 - The Rescue WindowAva hung from the cliff with one hand.
Her fingers slipped slowly across the stone.
She looked down.
The original ledge had partially collapsed. Only a narrow section remained beneath her, too far to reach safely.
The hollow above was close.
She swung her body once.
Pain tore through her shoulder.
She swung again.
Her left hand reached upward and caught the edge of the hollow.
Ava pulled.
Her injured ankle scraped against the rock.
She cried out but kept moving.
With one final effort, she dragged her upper body into the shallow space.
She rolled onto her side and pressed both hands over her abdomen.
The baby moved.
Ava laughed once through her tears.
Then a powerful rotor sound approached from the north.
The Coast Guard helicopter crossed above the cliffs.
Ava waved the reflective wing fabric.
The aircraft turned toward her.
A rescue specialist appeared at the open door.
Ava raised both arms.
The helicopter moved closer, but the cliff created violent turbulence.
The rescue specialist signaled for Ava to remain still.
A cable descended.
Wind slammed the metal hook against the rock wall.
It bounced away.
The helicopter repositioned.
Ava looked toward Ethan’s aircraft offshore.
It rolled suddenly toward the ocean, then recovered.
Something was happening inside.
The rescue cable descended again.
This time, the specialist followed it.
He approached the cliff slowly, spinning beneath the aircraft.
Ava held the reflective fabric high.
The rescuer reached the hollow.
His boots struck the rock.
He extended one hand toward her.
Then the cliff beneath Ava cracked.
A dark line spread across the hollow.
Stone broke loose beneath her hip.
May you like
The entire section began sliding toward the ocean.
👉 The rescuer was only feet away when Ava’s final piece of solid ground started collapsing.
