"Go without me. I can't walk." Looking at Jake for a moment, his eyes pinching at the sides, Tom nodded and turned his back. After one step, he stamped on the floor and spun around again. "Fuck it!" "Just go. There's nothing you can do to save me." "Fuck it!" "Go!" "Fuck it!" "Stop saying that!" Walking up to the edge of the plank, Tom briefly looked down. Snapping his eyes back up again, his cheeks puffed as he exhaled. "What are you doing, Tom? Just bloody go already." Closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, Tom then reopened them and placed a shaking foot on the plank. Gulping dusty air, Jake put his hand on his chest, his heart kicking against it. "What are you doing?" Staring at Jake, Tom said, "Will you please shut up? I'm concentrating." Biting down on his bottom lip, Jake watched on in silence. When Tom fully stepped onto the plank, it was hard to tell if the wobble was coming from the plank, the wind, or Tom's trembling body. Whatever the cause, the effect was horrific.
