The Freefall Trilogy (Complete Collection) Read online

  The rush of the wind was deafening. She could feel it creasing her cheeks. But at the same time, it was almost like weightlessness. She was suspended. It felt like she was floating in time.

  Suddenly, It dawned on her. She couldn't feel anything; she couldn't feel Josh anymore. He wasn't pressed against her back - she tried to turn her head. She couldn't see anyone. Had the straps come undone?

  At first there was panic. Then, for one eerie moment, calm. A strange sensation swept over her. It was almost as if she didn't care.

  Then she felt it - a sharp tap on her shoulder. Lucy grinned. He was there all right. She looked down at the chequered blanket of fields, so far below. Another tap.

  Oh... Oh right! Oh shit!

  She unhooked her thumbs from the chest strap, finally remembering the drill, quickly spreading her arms. Lucy felt the faintest tug. They seemed to slow a little.

  There was someone else with them in the air.

  Stu was smiling. He looked completely at ease. Two muscular brown arms came into view from behind her. Stu's smile broadened as he floated towards them. She saw the playful glint through his goggles.

  Josh's hands reached out. He was only wearing a t-shirt. Terminal velocity made his flesh ripple, tanned skin distorting against muscle, sinew and bone. Lucy watched Josh grasp Stu's ankles, Stu laughing back with a hand gesture: pumping his arm - outstretched forefinger and pinkie. Lucy grinned.

  They were playing like kids, thousands of feet above earth. She squealed, but the wind stole the sound.

  Josh let go. Stu tumbled away from them. Lucy looked down at the ground. The patches were x2; so much bigger already. She felt Josh's hand on her forehead, gently drawing her head back.

  Oh...

  They started spinning, around and around, an endless expanse of blue whirling around them. Lucy's laugh bubbled up; they stilled. She looked out across the cobalt sky; to the brilliant white clouds in the distance, glancing down at the chequered fields; the sparkling sea.

  It hit her like a freight train, tears soon pricking her eyes. Something unravelled: a ball of warmth in her chest. An explosion: pure euphoria. It was like every snippet of joy she'd ever felt, wrapped up in a bow, multiplied by a thousand. It surged through her veins like electricity, pumping from her heart to her head, to her fingers and toes; surging back again, amplifying. She savoured every second. They didn't have long. Lucy knew what was coming.

  It felt like they were shooting upwards. Lucy could feel him again; she felt heavy in her harness. The sense of weightlessness had gone. The roar of the wind died down to a whistle, and then, nothing. There was an overwhelming sense of silence, but for the parachute, gently flapping above their heads.

  'How was that?' came Joshua's voice.

  It was so quiet. He sounded miles away.

  'Oh my God!' Lucy panted.

  '...You didn't like it?'

  Her eyes rolled, then settled back on the horizon. She could feel they were dropping in altitude, but oh so slowly.

  'Oh my God!'

  '... ... ...You did like it?'

  Lucy tried to formulate a tangible response. Her brain was scrambled, her mouth like cotton wool. She nodded furiously.

  'Uh-huh.'

  She heard Josh laughing behind her.

  'OK, Lucy. I'm just going to remove your goggles.'

  She felt his forefinger and thumb brush her brow and cheek, pulling her goggles down, letting them hang around her neck. Lucy reached up, quickly dashing her tears on the back of the rough canvass gloves.

  'Are you all right?' Joshua asked.

  Lucy nodded.

  'I'm fine,' she beamed, sniffing. 'It's just... It's so beautiful.'

  'It sure is,' Josh agreed. 'Look!'

  She followed his finger.

  'That's the bay over there.'

  It glittered back in a royal blue arc.

  She'd looked out at that strip of coast almost every day of her life, but she'd never seen it like this.

  An unwelcome thought popped into her head.

  'Can they see us?' she asked anxiously.

  She had a vision of her mum, pegging out the washing, looking up.

  '...Huh?'

  She looked again. She could see Berry Head.

  'If we can see them, they must be able to see us...'

  Josh thought for a moment.

  'I guess so...' he agreed. 'With binoculars or a telescope.'

  Her mother had neither, thankfully. Lucy's stomach lurched as she felt the parachute turn.

  'And if you look to the left, Madam,' said Josh, in full anorak-tour-guide-mode, 'that's the start of the Bristol Channel. On a very clear day, you can see all the way to Wales.'

  Lucy smiled, turning her head slowly, trying to take it all in. Martin told them in training they'd be able to see both the north and south coasts. She hadn't really believed him - it didn't seem possible - it was a huge expanse. Looking down now, they were just lines on a map.

  'Do you see that building down there?' asked Joshua. She frowned, tracing his finger to a terracotta speck in the green.

  Lucy nodded.

  'What is it?' she asked.

  It didn't seem very much.

  'Ah,' grinned Josh. 'You're looking at my favourite sight of them all. That, Miss Simkins, is the pub.'

  Lucy's laughter quickly faded with the realisation. Magnification x4 now. Her heart sank as she saw the grey strip of runway.

  'Lucy, you're doing a great job so far. Would you like to have a go at steering?'

  Her head whipped around. He was still wearing his goggles. Through the clear perspex she caught his green eyes; cocked eyebrow.

  'OK...'

  'Excellent. Right then, raise your hands, put them through the loops, but don't do a thing until I say so. All right?'

  'Sure.'

  Her stomach fluttered.

  I can do this.

  She reached out with her right hand, slipping her gloved fingers through the yellow canvass strap, following suit with the left, careful to keep them as still as possible. She hadn't thought for a minute they'd let her do this. She swallowed, thinking what might happen if she screwed up.

  'When I say so, you're going to pull down by four inches. You're going to do it slowly, smoothly and gently. But not until I tell you. All right?'

  All trace of humour had disappeared from his voice.

  'Yes,' she said, arms outstretched, hands dead still.

  'These are called toggles,' Josh explained. 'We use them to steer with. This is how we make turns. If you pull the left toggle, we'll turn left. If you pull the right, we'll turn right. With me so far?'

  Lucy nodded, suddenly very excited.

  'Yes!'

  'You pull down by a four inches, then raise your hand back up. Do it smoothly and slowly when I tell you to.

  'Don't keep your hand down, or we'll keep turning. Does that make sense?'

  She nodded again.

  'Absolutely.'

  'OK. I want you to make a left turn now, Lucy. Remember, gently does it.'

  'Now?'

  'Yes, now.'

  Lucy pulled the left toggle cautiously. They turned, just like he'd said. She felt resistance, her hand pulling back. She peered up at the toggle, saw his fist clenched above hers.

  Oh...

  She wasn't steering at all.

  'Very good,' said Josh. 'Now let's try a turn to the right.'

  They repeated the process, wheeling around to the right. She knew he was steering it really. But it would be her one day - she made up her mind up then and there.

  'Good job,' said Josh. 'You can let go now, Lucy. I've got it.'

  Lucy lowered her hands, lips pursed, brow crinkled.

  'Do you want me to show you some proper turns?' asked Josh.

  'OK,' she replied sulkily.

  'If you don't like it, tell me to stop.'

  'Fine,' she said. Whatever.

  In a split-second, they were spiralling right, her legs swinging out like
they were on a fairground ride, her stomach turning somersaults.

  'Whoa!'

  The ground was coming up fast.

  They levelled off, slowing considerably, the rush of air replaced by the gentle flap of the parachute above them.

  'Enough?'

  'No!' Lucy protested. 'Oh please! Do it again!'

  Joshua grinned.

  'All right then. One more.'

  And with that, they went spiralling left, Lucy giggling like a little girl; Josh soon joining her.

  They levelled again.

  'I'm just going to loosen your leg straps for landing.'

  Oh...

  Lucy's heart sank. She could see the dropzone below them.

  'OK,' she said reluctantly.

  She felt him fiddling around with the straps on her thighs.

  'Thank you, Josh. That was amazing.'

  'You're very welcome,' he told her. 'It was my pleasure.'

  She could see every blade of grass; the two catchers waiting for them.

  'Should I lift my legs now?'

  'No, not yet,' Joshua decided.

  The ground was coming up at them. It seemed like they were just a few metres away.

  'Are you sure?' she asked anxiously.

  'Are you questioning my authoritah?'

  She giggled nervously at the Eric Cartman impression. The warning was there though. It was implicit.

  She'd been questioning his authoritah before they'd gotten out of the plane. Lucy cringed, realising how annoying she'd been.

  'OK, you can lift them up now,' Josh said cheerily.

  She placed her hands under her knees, surprised by how high her feet rose in the air. It was a lot easier than it had been on the floor of the training room. And with that, they touched down, sliding across the damp grass on their backsides, the catchers grasping the lines, the parachute slumping down.

  Stu was back, the camera whirring in her face. Lucy wiped her nose on the back of her glove, praying she didn't have a booger.

  'Good job!' said Josh, patting her shoulders, adeptly unclipping her. He undid the throat strap of her hat. 'All right, Miss Simkins. You're free to go.'

  Giddily she stood up, yanking the awful rubber hat from her head, wrenching off the goggles, running a hand through her hair.

  Oh...

  It seemed like a good idea at the time. It was meant to be cathartic. She loved Sienna Miller's new cut. Sandra tried her best to dissuade her.

  'Wow, that's drastic,' she gasped, scowling down at the crumpled photo ripped from Cosmo. 'You've got beautiful hair, Lucy. Don't you think it's too much?

  '...Look, if I take it up to here,' Sandra coaxed, resting her fingers on Lucy's shoulders. 'Put some layers in—'

  Lucy stared back in the mirror, mouth pressed into a line, obstinately shaking her head.

  By the time she left, it was already kinking, a red-cheeked Sandra sweeping twelve inches of blonde locks from the floor. Another hour and she'd gone from the sleek Sienna Miller cut, to a messy Meg Ryan in City of Angels. Her hair was too thick and rebellious. Sandra had tried to warn her.

  Lucy ran her fingers through the mass of golden corkscrew curls, so light and unruly in the wind.

  'So, Lucy. How are you feeling?'

  Stu was in full snapper mode. She grinned back at him.

  'Fantastic!'

  She saw the twinkle re-emerge in his vivid blue eyes.

  'What was the best bit?' he asked, camera still whirring away. 'Freefall, the canopy ride... sitting in Joshua's lap?'

  Lucy gaped for a moment, then narrowed her eyes, cocking her head.

  Oh, you little bastard...

  She and Stu smirked at one another.

  'Freefall,' she blurted, cheeks flooding with colour. She ran her hand through her hair again. 'Definitely freefall.'

  I am going to kill you...

  Stuart grinned back goadingly from behind the camera.

  'Well then, there's only one thing left to do...'

  Lucy cocked her head.

  What's he up to now?

  'Go and give the man a hug. He just saved your life!'

  Oh... Oh you little bugger...

  She looked across at Joshua shyly. He was standing there, arms outstretched. It was the drill; he'd evidently done it thousands of times. She embraced him awkwardly.

  Lucy's cheek touched his shoulder briefly. She could feel the warmth of him through his damp t-shirt. He smelt of fabric conditioner and a faint woody scent. Wow... She stepped away giddily.

  A few more snaps and Stu scurried off to do his editing. She looked down at Josh as he knelt over the canopy. It looked straightforward over their heads, but so complicated on the ground, a mass of lines and silk.

  'Is there anything I can do?'

  He'd pulled his crash helmet up, the chin wresting on his forehead, goggles wrapped around it. She saw a trace of stubble, gazed at his full, soft lips. He glanced up. Lucy looked away.

  'No,' he said dryly. 'I think I've got it.'

  Lucy prodded the grass with her Adidassed toe. She wanted to do something, she didn't like just standing there.

  'Sorry,' she muttered. 'I only wanted to help.'

  'Lucy...' she heard him growl. 'Are we sulking again?'

  He rose up, the blue and white parachute bundled up between them in his arms.

  'I... I...'

  'You got in a right little tizz when I took your toggles away, didn't you?' he teased.

  She looked up from his Converse trainers. He grinned back, eyes a bright green blaze.

  'I liked it,' she admitted. 'I want to do it again.'

  'Yes,' he nodded. 'I had a feeling you might.'

  'On my own, I mean. Can you teach me? I've got the money,' she gushed excitedly, 'I've been saving. I've got some tunnel time booked in Milton Keynes. Do they do AFF courses here? I was looking at static line, but then there's no freefall and... and—'

  'Whoa, whoa, whoa!'

  The atmosphere between them switched in an instant. He studied her anew.

  Josh had just had her pegged as a day jumper. Those crystal blue eyes were sparkling now; she was talking too fast. Josh bit his lip and frowned, suddenly on the back foot.

  'We do the AFF course here,' he said, trying to sound blasé, biting his lip. 'I'm qualified' ...just. 'I can teach you' ...if Martin will let me.

  The beestung lips parted in a blinding white grin.

  Fuck me.

  This was not the same girl he'd seen earlier, glancing up from the picnic bench with a broken smile. Trembling in the hangar as he tried to fit the harness, shifting annoyingly from foot to foot so he had to keep adjusting the straps. Staring out of the window on the plane, looking as though she might burst into tears. No. Whoever she was, he'd left her up there.

  Josh smiled back at Lucy. It was difficult not to. Happiness radiated from her.

  Moments like this were the reason why Josh loved his job. It wasn't just the kudos from his old school mates (though he liked that well enough). It wasn't the teenage fan club (though an ego stroke is always nice). It was the fact that you could take someone, obviously damaged, and make them all shiny and new. He'd seen it happen hundreds of times. He wondered what the story was with her.

  'Do I book at the counter?' she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. 'Would we be able to start next weekend?'

  He lowered his eyebrows, struggling with the smirk.

  'Look, just... One step at a time, eh?'

  Josh turned away from her, watching the minibus roll up.

  'Let's go back, sit down, have a drink and a chat. I'll explain everything this entails, and we'll talk about your options.'

  Lucy copped the catcher's smirk out of the corner of her eye. She watched Joshua's eyes narrow, giving him the evils. The catcher quickly looked away.

  'I... I don't want to keep you from your work,' she said.

  She followed his finger to the windsock. It was billowing. She followed his hand to the sky.


  Jeez...

  'Columbus...'

  The cloud was closing in fast.

  'I think we're done jumping for today.'

  'Your phone's been ringing,' the lady behind the counter told Lucy as she collected her bag. 'Quite a lot, actually...'

  Lucy pulled out her mobile, rolling her eyes. Right on cue, it started ringing again.

  'Somebody certainly wants to talk to you,' said the lady in the specs.

  'Ready?' came a voice from behind her.

  Lucy tapped on Decline, silencing the xylophone ringtone, smiling at Joshua.

  'Yes.'

  Two missed calls from Suzie, five from her mother, one from Jean at the shop. Nine from Phil. Lucy glowered.

  What on earth is his problem?

  'Everything all right?' Josh asked innocuously as she sank into the couch.

  'Fine,' Lucy said distractedly, still gazing down at her phone.

  'What would you like to drink?'

  She opened up her text messages.

  What are you doing at dumbleton airfield?

  Lucy snorted. There was only one reason why people went there.

  Are you skydiving? Answer me please.

  Lucy frowned.

  Why do you care, all of a sudden?

  Third message from Phil:

  You need to ring your mother. She's worried. We all are.

  Lucy rolled her eyes. Great. Trust Phil to go telling on her. She frowned chewing her lip. More to the point, how did he even know she was there?

  'Lucy...' Josh called in a singsong voice.

  'Yeah?'

  'What would you like to drink?'

  She glanced up briefly.

  'Beer,' she blurted out.

  He hovered over her.

  'You drove here, didn't you?'

  Who are you, my mother?

  'All right. Shandy then,' she said irritably.

  Suddenly remembering herself, Lucy jumped up.

  'It's OK, I'll get them,' she called to his back, softening her voice.

  He turned back gave her a look.

  'Sit down, Lucy,' Josh growled.

  She did, after a beat.