"My jewels." Doug's eyes stayed locked on those gems, pupils dilated with obsession. He crawled forward, reaching for an emerald the size of a thumbnail.
"Forget them. We need to go."
"No!" His voice cracked. "I need them." He grabbed the emerald, clutching it in his fist. Then he reached for a ruby.
"Doug, stop." I forced myself to my knees, every movement sending fresh agony through my body. "The ledge is breaking. We have to get off it."
"I need these." He grabbed a few more, stuffing them into his pockets.
"There's no time." I moved toward him carefully, trying not to shift too much weight. "The rock's moving."
"Liar!" He spun on me, eyes wild. "You want them for yourself! You've wanted them all along!"
"I don't want the damn jewelry. I want to get off this rock before we both die."
He reached for a gold bracelet.
The ledge shifted. A crack spider-webbed across the stone.
I lunged forward, grabbing his arm. "Move. Now!"
"Let go of me!" He tried to shake me off, but his hands were full of jewels.
"I'm trying to save you, you stupid bastard."
He swung at me awkwardly, one-handed, still clutching his precious stones.
I blocked his fist easily. "Don't be an idiot."
"I said, let go!" He swung again, harder this time.
I caught his wrist mid-swing. "Doug, please. Listen to me. The ledge is?—"
He wrenched his arm back with surprising strength. The sudden movement threw us both off-balance.
The ledge shifted beneath us with a sickening grind. More cracks splintered across the stone.
Doug's foot slipped on loose gravel, and he staggered backward toward the edge, arms windmilling.
"Doug!" I lunged forward, grabbing for his shirt.
My fingers caught fabric for a split second before it tore free.
Doug stumbled off the ledge. His hand shot out in desperation and clamped around my ankle.
The sudden weight yanked me off my feet. I pitched forward, sliding toward the edge on my stomach. "Shit!" My hands scrabbled against the stone. My fingers closed around a gnarled tree root jutting from the cliff face.
The sudden stop nearly ripped my arm from its socket. Pain detonated through my shoulder, white-hot and blinding. Every tendon screamed.
"Mitch!" Charlie screamed from above.
Doug dangled below me, his hand clamped around my boot in a death grip. His weight pulled at me, dragging me down. The root creaked and slipped an inch out of the earth. My grip started to slip.
"Help me!" Doug's voice was raw with terror. "Please!" He swung back and forth, his momentum making the root groan and shift. Each swing sent fresh agony through my shoulder.
"Stop moving!" I yelled. "You're making it worse."
But panic had him. He thrashed wildly, his free hand clawing at my leg, trying to climb up my body.