Page 13 of Chained

I walked behind him, placed my hands on his back and shoved. Not much happened.

"Stop pushing like a girl," he teased.

This time I took a few steps back and ran into it, putting my weight behind the shove. He flew forward and swung his legs out to propel him further. Taylor was whooping and laughing as he swung up towards the sky, held still for a fraction of a second, then hurtled back towards me.

I realised too late. The seat and Taylor hit me hard in the chest. I was lifted off of my feet and flew backwards through the air before crashing down onto the dusty soil. I smacked my head on something hard which thunked on the outside of my helmet and made the whole thing vibrate. My breath whooshed out and I coughed, clutching at my chest. A moment later, Taylor was at my side.

"Are you ok?" he asked as I sat up, taking a deep breath and waiting for my head to stop spinning.

"Yeah, I think the helmet took the hit for me. It's not broken is it?" I reached up and ran my hands along the back of it but I couldn't feel anything.

Taylor twisted my head to get a look and shrugged. "I think it's okay,"

"You think? Don't think. Is it okay or not?" My heart started to race.

"Yeah, it's fine. There's a bit of a crack on the ventilator but you can still breathe can't you?"

"If I couldn't breathe then we wouldn't be having this conversation," I snapped.

"That was amazing." A huge grin split Taylor's face in half and he was the little boy I had known forever.

"Which bit? The part where you flew or the part where I fell on my ass?" I grumbled.

"My bit." He tried, without much effect, to rearrange his features to look more concerned. "You should try it." He offered me a hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Are you sure my suit is alright?" I ran a hand over the ventilator nervously while Taylor rolled his eyes.

"I told you, it's fine. So?"

I considered the seat. Taylor started making chicken noises under his breath, chasing away any last feelings of doubt I had. I strode over and sat down, gingerly putting my weight onto the old plank of wood.

"Ready?" Taylor was behind me with his hands on my back.

"Yes."

"Lift your feet up." I did as instructed and held tight to the ropes on either side of me. Taylor's hands left my back for a moment, only to return with force, knocking me and the seat forward, up into the air. I screamed.

I had never felt anything like it. My stomach dropped out from under me and blood pulsed in my veins. My palms were sweaty and I was utterly terrified. But I didn't want it to stop. As I swung backwards, Taylor rushed in to push me again. I swung higher this time and I tipped my head back to look up at the blue sky stretching endlessly above us.

Again and again Taylor pushed me and my stomach swooped and I squealed in delight, kicking my feet in front of me.

Eventually, the seat slowed and finally stopped still.

I stood up, feeling wobbly.

"That was the best fun I have had. Ever," I said, grinning at him.

Taylor grinned back and was about to have another go himself when the GPS started beeping at us.

"It's time to go," he moaned. "You hogged all the fun."

"Well I'm also going to have one hell of a bruise," I said, feeling the ache on my backside where I'd landed in the dirt.

"Does my ventilator still look okay?" I asked. Taylor tipped my head back to get a better look.

"I think so." He knocked his knuckles against it and I heard a faint pop.

"What was that?" I grabbed