Why, look! An OP_300 challenge piece that is actually 300 words! (well I think it was 200something but, details.) The prompt for this particular piece was 'virgin'. I got carried away with this week so the next two submissions will have the 'virgin' prompt as well. For now, here's a little Coby and Helmeppo for you. Also, I extend a great appreciation to those who have commented thus far and, of course, everyone who has read. :)
Over the Edge
"I'm going do die a virgin!" Helmeppo screamed. Coby was, sometimes unfortunately, a rather congenial person. It didn't take much for him to be civil and it took a great deal to get him annoyed except when under stress. Clinging to a sheer cliff wall with a drop of nine meters onto razor sharp rocks, held in place by scraped fingers and a thin rope with his best friend swinging free over the bulge and screaming into the wind definitely qualified as stress. Coby, politely, wished Helmeppo would shut the hell up.
"You're not going to die!" Coby called back. I hope. He tugged at his own rope, making sure it was secure, made his regrets, braced his feet against the cliff face and grabbed Helmeppo's rope with both hands, trying to pull him up. He was heavy and Coby's arms (according to Vice Admiral Garp) were still as useless as limp noodles. It was, in fact, Vice Admiral Garp's fault that they were down here. Coby cursed him and of course thanked him as well. The rope slid through his hands, blistering his fingers.
"I'm going to swing you toward the cliff!" he shouted, pulling the rope toward him. "Grab on!" Helmeppo met the cliff with his face first before swinging away again.
"You bastard!"Helmeppo squawked, blood dribbling out his nose. "Give me some warning next time!" Coby grinned sheepishly.
"Okay!" he said. "Ready?"
Helmeppo nodded.
"One, two, three!" Coby swung again, pulling up as he did so. The knot of his own rope tightened around his waist. Helmeppo managed to grab on this time, cramming his bleeding fingers into the small gaps in the rock. Coby grinned, wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and continued to climb. They could do this.