I could see the slightly apalled look on Captain Corbluff’s face. I would’ve laughed aloud if I hadn’t been so terrified of climbing the to the top of the Crow’s Nest. It wasn’t that I was afraid of heights, I’ve been climbing on things since I was born, they just hadn’t been moving…
You can do this Gloria.

I began the climb not looking down, not speaking, not stopping and before I knew it I’d reached the top. The rain was soaking me and the nest swayed back and forth in the wind. The ring was not there.

“Captain!” I yelled downward, nearly dying when I saw how high up I was. “There’s nothin’ ‘ere!”

I could almost swear I heard a collective gasp from the crew below. The Captain yelled something I couldn’t hear. The wind suddenly picked up swinging the Crow’s Nest around. I tightened my grip, but my fingers were losing feeling from the cold and slipping from the wet. I didn’t think I could hold on much longer. As it turned out I was right.

What happened next would make me wish I could die…