Chapter 36: Climb
Reid goes slowly, the only speed he has. The further he climbs it seems, the rougher the wall and the more frequent the
available perches or jutting support structure, so he has no need to scramble for holds any longer.
His worst enemy is weakness. Days without food, feast or famine when it comes to water and very little rest while driving
his body to its limits have taken a terrible toll on him. His knees tremble every time he shifts positions, muscles
spasming as he tries to give each set some rest by supporting his weight on his arms or his thighs. But the problem
remains that none of them have energy to spare and doing so offers little in the way of relief.
Reid is so tired he is no longer thinking as he climbs, but allowing his body to move and his hands and feet to find
holds while the rest of him is fully absorbed in his pain. He slides one foot out to a protruding chunk of rock, opposite