The Ascent, One Last Click

The email came in, one short line

that made my breath catch tight.

'Important Meeting,' they wrote, 'Tomorrow.'

Now it's this slow, grinding pull,

each click of the chain a step

upwards, away from solid ground.

I can feel the metal groan,

the seatbelt digging in.

The view from this height, precarious and wide,

shows everything I'm about to lose.

Just waiting for the last click

and the sudden, hollow, stomach-dropping fall.