Roman s Heart I Sharon Sala
great branch， stopping her dangerous descent. With her heart
thundering in her eardrums， she closed her eyes in a silent prayer
reaimation hit. Yes， she was stranded in a tree and dangling from
a parachute， and as soon as she d opened her eyes， a small part
of her had accepted that fact without wondering why or how it
had happened. But just now， when she d been about to give
thanks to the Almighty for still breathing， a great gap in her mem-
ory became fact.
\"No! Oh， no!\"
She reached for her face， testing the shape and texture of each
feature， as if touching it for the first time. She wished for a
mirror...or anything that would give back a reflection， because
right now she didn t remember who she was.
Stifling a quick shaft of fear， she reminded herself that it wasn t
a name she needed right now. What she needed was a way to get
down.
She reached toward a nearby branch， and again the movement
sent her into motion. Twisting and spinning like a yo-yo on a
tangled string， she grabbed onto the straps， willing herself not to
panic.
When she could think without wanting to shriek， she began
another approach. Maybe she should consider her injuries. The
ones she already had were miserable but minor. Adding more
could be the difference between being able to walk away from
this and dying.
Okay， where does it hurt the worst?
And then she almost laughed. As best she could tell，~tl~e answer
was everywhere. The question shouldn t have been where does it
hurt， but how much?
One thing was for certain. Her lower lip was throbbing， and
there was a coppery taste in her mouth that made her stomach
roll. She reached toward the ache with the tip of her finger， wine-
ing when it came in contact with what felt like a cut.
She closed her eyes and groaned， then leaned to one side and
spit， unwilling to swallow her own bit
stung as if it bad been flailed， the throbt
tar worse. It was no surprise to discove
the hairline. But when her hand came a
jerked hack in shock. Again， the motic
cariously within the branches.
\"Easy， easy，\" she muttered， delibera
and exhaling slowly after each one. X~
ceased without her having fallen any far
As she continued to dangle helplessly
breeze came up， blasting its way throug
her hair into her eyes. When she venture
sinking into the western horizon， panic r~
soon. Time was running out.
And while she feared the act would b
shout， knowing full well that there probal:
within miles who could hear.
\"Help!\" she called， shouting over and
a scream and her throat was burning fro
An eerie echo bounced hack with each
less against the fear she heard in her voi
A startled deer bolted from a nearby t
vious of its mobility. Off to her left， a sqt
thing fell through the branches from abox
cheek as it passed.
\"Ouch!\" she cried， cupping her face.
Blinking through tears， she looked do
pine cone ricocheted from branch to bl
ground. The sight sent a fresh wave of 1
of her stomach. Quickly closing her eyes
the space in which she was hanging， she
that she hadn t been what was falling. I
that had taken the plunge.
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