The Nightmare Vortex Read Online Free PDF Page A

monkey bars, bounced off gym balls, collapsed into foam pits from swinging trapezes and winded herself trying to clear jumping horses. Hard balls knocked her off her feet and rope nets strung across giant rubber mattresses got her hopelessly tangled.
    â€˜Oooooph!’ After several hours of Alex’s rigorous training routine, Max fell from the rock-climbing wall and thudded onto a gym mat right at Alex’s feet. Alex’s head was buried in her computer as Linden landed expertly beside her.
    â€˜What’s next?’ he asked excitedly. Linden, of course, was good at all this stuff.
    â€˜The virtual cascades,’ Alex said, stepping over a flattened Max.
    The two moved off as Max picked herself up.
    â€˜Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,’ she mumbled as she followed them into a darkened room and up onto a wooden platform.
    â€˜This is the virtual reality chamber,’ Alex began. ‘The next task must be completed wearing these specially designed headsets.’
    Max and Linden took this as their cue to put the headsets on and when they did, what they saw was eye-popping. They weren’t standing on a wooden platform anymore but on one side of a towering cliff top with a raging flood of water flowing beneath them.
    Max was afraid of heights and even though she knew the waterfall wasn’t real, she had to warn her legs to stop shaking.
    â€˜The headsets allow you to experience dangerous situations within the safety of the training centre,’ Alex began. ‘Beside you is an Abseiler — a pocket-sized device that allows you to descend heights or cross seemingly impassable distances. The Abseiler is fitted with a rope made of Venus Flytrap fibres which makes it extremely adhesive. Simply take hold of the rope, attach it to the wall behind us, and hurl the Abseiler towards the opposite cliff face, where it will adhere with an unbreakable strength. Climb along the rope to your destination, press the release button to disengage the fibres and the Abseiler will retract. Any questions?’
    Linden shook his head while Max concentrated on not passing out.
    â€˜Good. Before you is a chasm where the bridge has been blown out. You must use your Abseiler and in two minutes, get to the other side.’ Alex held out the stopwatch hanging around her neck. ‘Who’s first?’
    Linden stepped up to the edge of the cliff. ‘Me!’
    Alex started her stopwatch. ‘Go!’
    Linden attached the rope behind him, threw his Abseiler across the plunging ravine and watched as it sucked onto the opposite cliff-face. With a determined expression, he grabbed onto the rope and climbed above the boiling rapids with the ease of someone crossing a street. When he reached the other side, he pressed the release button and stood proudly on the opposite cliff.
    Alex pressed her stopwatch.
    â€˜One minute twenty. Well done. Max?’
    Max stepped up to the cliff-edge. The swirling waters below made her feel dizzy. Her head felt like it was melting and her breath came in short, sharp jabs.
    â€˜Go!’
    Max tried to make her feet move but with every second that passed they seemed to become heavier,like they were made of cement. No matter how hard she tried, her fear of heights wouldn’t let her budge.
    â€˜Max?’
    â€˜I … I …’ she began, but felt like she’d forgotten how to speak. She wanted so badly to do it, but couldn’t. Her eyes blurred so that the cliff and the abyss merged into one giant fog. Why couldn’t she move?
    â€˜Time’s up,’ said Alex and left the room in a stinging silence.
    When Max and Linden met her in the main training area, she was making notes on her computer. It seemed like ages until she spoke.
    â€˜Linden. You did well. You have a natural ability.’ Silence again, before, ‘And Max?’
    Her heart perked up. ‘Yes?’
    â€˜Sometimes you have to look fear in the face to realise