The Kazak Guardians Read Online Free Page B

were currently working their way up the cliff. They looked like bugs against the gray face of the mountain. Every now and then, one would fall and land in the net. The higher they were when they fell, the closer the net came to the mattresses. Most of those who fell looked to have suffered only minor injuries to arms or legs; however, a few appeared to have injured their backs or necks and had to be carried off by medics. When I looked away, a small crowd had accumulated around us. Like us, they appeared mesmerized by the sights. Just then a man walked up and waved his arm for us to gather around.
    "Listen up. The only way to qualify for admission to the Kazak school is to successfully climb to the top. The risk is totally yours. As you might have noticed, you could be killed if you fall and miss the net. Even if you land in the net, you could sustain serious injuries. You'll be allowed only one try and you must start your climb before five p.m. tomorrow. After that the qualification period closes for two years." He turned and walked away. Half of our little group turned around and headed back down the trail.
    "Well, Lynn, are you going?"
    "Yes."
    "Let's get started." His jaw clenched tightly in determination.
    "I'll wait, Gabe. I want to watch others climb, before I try."
    "Having second thoughts?"
    "No, I want to see which climbers make it to the top." I wondered if some approaches might prove better than others. I decided to wait and watch which paths the successful ones traversed.
    "Well, watch me," Gabe said as he walked up to a makeshift gate and handed the man his token. Then he walked to the base of the mountain and stood for a while looking up. Finally, he grabbed onto a small ledge and started up. For the next few hours, I watched as he and several others negotiated their way higher. Even after the sun had set, the moon provided sufficient light to see the climbers. Five men had fallen during the time I had been watching. Suddenly, Gabe seemed to lose his grip and hung onto a small ledge with only one hand. Then he fell. Although I knew it wouldn't help, I crossed my fingers. He hit the net and bounced up and down several times before stopping. A medic helped him out and they stood talking for several minutes before walking over to me. He was holding his arm.
    "I tried. It's a bitch, Lynn." He held up his injured arm. It was badly scratched and his hands were bleeding. "Are you sure you want to try it? It's a long way down, although that was kind of fun-sort of."
    "Come on, Gabe, I'll walk you back to the car. I want to borrow your driving gloves." After having seen his fingers, I hoped the thin gloves might help. It certainly couldn't hurt. We walked in silence. I knew Gabe was disappointed. He had hoped to spend at least a year or two there. Now, it had been a long drive for nothing. Jianyu's don't go advice had been right for Gabe. I knew I wouldn't be going back. I had watched the route three of the four successful climbers had used to reach the top. It turned out to be the most dangerous as it forced you outside the area the net covered. While I watched, a man taking that route had fallen, missed the net, and hit the rocks below.
    "The gloves are a good idea. I hope they help. I'll cross my fingers that you make it. In any event, I'll wait to see you over the top or down at the bottom. Good luck." Gabe probably had mixed emotions. We were friends, therefore, he wanted to see me succeed. On the other hand, it would make him feel inadequate if a woman made it when he couldn't. I had promised myself I'd be a Kazak or die trying. The time had come to prove I meant it. I gave the man my token and began the climb.
    Never having climbed before, it was a lot harder than it looked. Several times, my foot slipped off a ledge. Fortunately, I had a good handgrip each time. The gloves helped, but over the hours, they had ripped in several places and my fingers began to bleed, making it difficult to get a solid handgrip. When