The Hunt for the Yeti Skull: Nepal by Elizabeth Singer Hunt Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Singer Hunt
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would win.
âI donât think so!â Jack shouted back.
Up to his left was another hand-hold. Jack reached out and grabbed onto it with all his strength. Heaving himself upwards, he quickly looked for another grip. Marko was already a full bodyâs length ahead.
âCome on, Jack!â yelled a distant voice. It was Richard, one of Jackâs best friends. Richard was Jackâs âbelaying partnerâ, or the person who controlled the safety of Jackâs rope from below. âYou can do it!â
Jack was really sweating now. After climbing for nearly ten minutes, his muscles were quivering. He glanced down, past the nylon rope dangling to his side. Everything and everyone looked far away. Thatâs what happened when you were six storeys off the ground.
According to the Alti-Meter on his Watch Phone, Jack was sixty-five feet high, and he had another ten to go. Up to the left was another slim plastic grip. If Jack could reach it, he might get the break he needed.
Stretching his body across, Jack pressed his cheek to the rock face and felt down with his foot to find another ledge. He managed to pull himself over to it. From there, the holds were easier to reach and Jack was able to gain some speed. Now, he and Marko were racing neck and neck for the bell.
âRing it!â shouted Richard.
But Marko was shimmying across the wall towards Jack. Instead of stepping on a ledge, he purposefully stepped on Jackâs fingers.
CRUNCH .
Jack yelped in pain and immediately let go of the hand-hold. His body fell fast, and skidded several feet down the wall before Richard locked off the rope. Jackâs body stopped with a severe jolt. He hung there in his harness, swaying back and forth.
DING!
The bell rang from above. Marko raised his hand in triumph and gave a smug grin.
âWell done!â said a voice from below. It was Mr Matheson, their climbing coach. âWhy donât you boys come down?â
Jack abseiled to the ground, bouncing his feet off the wall. Instead of taking it slowly, Marko sailed to the floor as fast as he could.
âTold you Iâd beat you,â he boasted as he passed Jack.
âCheat!â yelled Jack.
As soon as Jackâs feet touched the floor, Richard was at his side.
âWhat happened up there?â he asked.
Jack rolled his eyes as he took off his helmet and harness.
Coach Matheson walked over to Marko and slapped him on the back. âNice job,â he said, congratulating Marko. It was obvious that he hadnât seen the cheating going on. âYouâre the champ of the day.â
Marko snickered.
Jack wanted to tell his coach what had really happened, but sometimes being a tattletale was worse than cheating. Besides, Jack figured, Marko would get what was coming to him sooner or later.
âTimeâs up,â said Coach Matheson. âPack up your gear. See you next week.â
Jack looked towards the glass exit doors. As always, his dad was waiting for him. Jack said goodbye to Richard and walked over to his father.
âHi, Dad,â he said, his shoulders slumped.
Across the way, Marko was with his dad. The man was congratulating his adopted son.
âDonât let it bother you, pal,â his father said. âAfter all, youâre the best climber in the county. You have a trophy to prove it.â
âThanks,â said Jack, trying to smile.
Jackâs dad put his arm around his son and the two of them left the climbing center.
Chapter 2:
Breaking News
As soon as Jack got home, he told his mom what had happened at rock climbing. He also how told her that heâd got a perfect score in his spelling test at school, so it hadnât been a completely bad day.
When he saw the kitchen clock tick over to 7:20 p.m., Jack excused himself from dinner and headed for his room. As soon as he got there, he went over to his desk and signed on to the GPF secure website. On the home page was the latest
âI donât think so!â Jack shouted back.
Up to his left was another hand-hold. Jack reached out and grabbed onto it with all his strength. Heaving himself upwards, he quickly looked for another grip. Marko was already a full bodyâs length ahead.
âCome on, Jack!â yelled a distant voice. It was Richard, one of Jackâs best friends. Richard was Jackâs âbelaying partnerâ, or the person who controlled the safety of Jackâs rope from below. âYou can do it!â
Jack was really sweating now. After climbing for nearly ten minutes, his muscles were quivering. He glanced down, past the nylon rope dangling to his side. Everything and everyone looked far away. Thatâs what happened when you were six storeys off the ground.
According to the Alti-Meter on his Watch Phone, Jack was sixty-five feet high, and he had another ten to go. Up to the left was another slim plastic grip. If Jack could reach it, he might get the break he needed.
Stretching his body across, Jack pressed his cheek to the rock face and felt down with his foot to find another ledge. He managed to pull himself over to it. From there, the holds were easier to reach and Jack was able to gain some speed. Now, he and Marko were racing neck and neck for the bell.
âRing it!â shouted Richard.
But Marko was shimmying across the wall towards Jack. Instead of stepping on a ledge, he purposefully stepped on Jackâs fingers.
CRUNCH .
Jack yelped in pain and immediately let go of the hand-hold. His body fell fast, and skidded several feet down the wall before Richard locked off the rope. Jackâs body stopped with a severe jolt. He hung there in his harness, swaying back and forth.
DING!
The bell rang from above. Marko raised his hand in triumph and gave a smug grin.
âWell done!â said a voice from below. It was Mr Matheson, their climbing coach. âWhy donât you boys come down?â
Jack abseiled to the ground, bouncing his feet off the wall. Instead of taking it slowly, Marko sailed to the floor as fast as he could.
âTold you Iâd beat you,â he boasted as he passed Jack.
âCheat!â yelled Jack.
As soon as Jackâs feet touched the floor, Richard was at his side.
âWhat happened up there?â he asked.
Jack rolled his eyes as he took off his helmet and harness.
Coach Matheson walked over to Marko and slapped him on the back. âNice job,â he said, congratulating Marko. It was obvious that he hadnât seen the cheating going on. âYouâre the champ of the day.â
Marko snickered.
Jack wanted to tell his coach what had really happened, but sometimes being a tattletale was worse than cheating. Besides, Jack figured, Marko would get what was coming to him sooner or later.
âTimeâs up,â said Coach Matheson. âPack up your gear. See you next week.â
Jack looked towards the glass exit doors. As always, his dad was waiting for him. Jack said goodbye to Richard and walked over to his father.
âHi, Dad,â he said, his shoulders slumped.
Across the way, Marko was with his dad. The man was congratulating his adopted son.
âDonât let it bother you, pal,â his father said. âAfter all, youâre the best climber in the county. You have a trophy to prove it.â
âThanks,â said Jack, trying to smile.
Jackâs dad put his arm around his son and the two of them left the climbing center.
Chapter 2:
Breaking News
As soon as Jack got home, he told his mom what had happened at rock climbing. He also how told her that heâd got a perfect score in his spelling test at school, so it hadnât been a completely bad day.
When he saw the kitchen clock tick over to 7:20 p.m., Jack excused himself from dinner and headed for his room. As soon as he got there, he went over to his desk and signed on to the GPF secure website. On the home page was the latest
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