A Brief History of Falling

Alex had always been terrified of falling, ever since he tumbled out of a maple tree at age seven and broke his arm in a painful way.

"I remember the feeling of the branches breaking and the ground rushing up fast," he told his friend Sam one evening over steaming coffee.

That memory still made his stomach clench even now, so many years later.

He shook his head, trying to dismiss the familiar anxiety that crept into his chest.

"You need to face it head-on," Sam suggested, leaning forward with a confident grin that seemed impossible to resist.