Sarah Beth nodded and, while she waited, tried to project, but her mind’s eye stubbornly clung to the inside of her skull. A loud kachank, kachank, kachank followed by an even louder kaching reverberated outside, making Sarah Beth cringe.

“Idiots,” Michaela said under her breath.

“Sorry, that was the ladder,” Josh said, poking his head back in one more time.

“If he didn’t know we were coming before, he certainly does now.”

Josh shrugged and waved for them to follow.

“Why don’t you go next,” Sarah Beth said to Michaela, sensing that if given the opportunity to go last, Michaela might chicken out and not come at all.

“No, that’s okay; you go,” Michaela said.

“Probably better if I go last; that way I can help talk you through it.”

Michaela frowned but acquiesced. Sarah Beth watched as she climbed out the window, whispering the Lord’s Prayer in a rapid-fire cadence as she did. As soon as Michaela was on the balcony, Sarah Beth heard her shout, “I can’t do this,” and then she tried to climb back inside.

“Yes, you can,” Josh said, catching her by the arm. “Just don’t look down.”

“If I don’t look down, how do I climb down the ladder?” Michaela snapped, panting hard, rivulets of rainwater streaming down her face.

“Good point. Okay, so only look down at the next step you’re going to take. One rung at a time,” he said. “Just go slow and be careful. The rungs are wet and might be slippery.”

Sarah Beth saw the abject fear on Michaela’s face and knew the girl was about to have a full-blown panic attack any second. Not knowing what else to do, she pushed a thought in Michaela’s head.

I believe in you, Michaela. You have the power to do this. . . . Reach inside and gather your strength . . . Go now, and God will go before you.

“Okay,” Michaela said, then murmured a soft prayer before looking up at Sarah Beth, a tight smile now on her face. “I can do this . . . I have the strength . . . I can do it.”

“I’ll be right below you, okay?” Josh said. “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

Sarah Beth smiled as she watched Michaela overcome her fear and climb down the fire escape ladder after Josh. Then gritting her teeth, she climbed out onto the fire escape balcony and into the rain. Within seconds, she was soaked through. With a resigned exhale, she began her descent, clutching the wet steel rungs with a death grip. Below her, she heard the others congratulating Michaela as she disembarked the ladder. This made Sarah Beth smile and without warning she felt a shift . . . and found herself in the transept corridor.

Oh, I projected, she realized. So that’s when my brain finally decides to work, while I’m climbing down a ladder. Nice . . .

She was standing in front of the white door, looking at the nurse’s office record room.