Acrophobia+and+I

__**Acrophobia and I**__ “Come on Lyra! Don't be such a scaredy cat!” I shook my head, mortified as I stared up at the five storey tower that seemed to tower over me like Godzilla. My bottom seemed to be cemented to the ground. Jump off the top of that tower? Not in a million years! I turned to plead with the instructor, putting on the most beseeching look I could manage. He simply glared at me. Sighing, I trudged over to the tower's base, where my friends were waiting for me.

Just as I reached the spiral staircase that led up to the top of the tower, my friends all darted up the stairs, racing each other and leaving me alone at the bottom. For a moment, I stared up at the steel structure, contemplating whether I should just run and hide in my bunk instead of climbing this infernal tower. A should from behind told me otherwise, as I gripped the hand rail of the staircase, knuckles turning white with the effort. Reminding myself not to look down, I ascended the tower.

I let out a sigh of relief as I took the last agonising step, finally reaching the top floor of the tower. I had finally done it! I walked up to the group confidently, a smile on my face.

“Lyra, you're up first. Come here.”

My smile disappeared, the colour draining from my face. Convincing myself that the situation was not possible, I was in a daze as the trainer hooked me up to the harness and guided me to the jump off point. For the first time, I looked down, and gasped. The height was dizzying. I was so sure that it looked only five storeys before. But from his angle, the ground looked like it was a hundred miles away. Ready to tell the trainer that I had made up my mind not to go, I felt a hand push from behind. Too late.

I plunged downward for what seemed like an eternity, the only thought in my head repeatedly telling me that I was going to die. Suddenly, I was jerked forward, caught by the zip-line that I was attached to. Convinced that I was not dead yet, I opened my eyes.

The rush of the wind through my hair was intoxicating. The ground below me whizzed by, a blur. All of a sudden, I was not afraid of heights. As that realisation struck me,, I marveled st the sight of everything flying past me in a blur of colour. It was a sense of freedom and empowerment that gripped me instead of the fear I had expected. I was actually enjoying myself! I let out a triumphant shout as I flew past the instructor standing below – all I could catch was the wave of his arm and a glimpse of his grim. I smiled, knowing that it was more than enough.

I grinned like a cheshire cat as I was helped down from the zip-line. Unhooking me from the harness, the instructor asked, “Not so bad now, was it?” I simply laughed. “Are you kidding? I want to do it again!”