Crystal

Past

"Alice!", screamed a childish voice that was mixed with laughter and joy. It came from a little girl who was just playfully running and chasing her friends through a local forest. They play there every Sunday morning. However, because the local community declaring the area hazardous,  they are only able to stay within a secured region.

"Slow down!", yelled Bambi, a young girl who was in the small, but close, group of four girls. She was calling her friend, Alice, who had just ran of on her own into the part of the forest that was forbidden to enter. Alice had an adventurous personality and jumped head first into any kind of danger, as far as it goes for a kid.

Alice was further ahead, dashing at top speed between trees, breaking twigs and branches that have fallen off trees and sometimes almost falling when her foot doesn't grip the slippery ground well enough. She was fixated on finding out why did they ban her from going to her favorite place in the world, the bridge.

The three girls, Bambi, Ellie and Candy, were desperately calling her while slowly walking past the fence. Out of fear they stuck closely together tripping each other while walking. Worried for their friend they continued forward.

Alice on the other hand already reached the bridge. It was a rope bridge with boards for footing. The river underneath it was not too far bellow, but was not close either. Alice smiled and felt relief when she saw it in one piece.

She turned around hoping to see her  friends catching up to her like usual, however they were no were to be found. She was panting slightly and was a little bit sad that she was alone. Other filings ware there, too, but were so weak that Alice didn't even notice them. She waited a few more minutes hoping that they will show up. 

"Slowpokes...", she muttered to herself.

After changing the place were she was standing so many times that she lost count, she stud up with her fists tightly camped and yelled:

"Who cares about you! I'm going alone", she screamed at the top of her voice, not knowing that her friends have almost arrived. 

Hearing their friend scream they dashed to the bridge only to find her standing in its middle dashing to the other side. The whole construction was gently swinging from one side to the other releasing creeping sounds.

"Alice I don't think that's a vary good idea", said Candy. The others didn't say anything but agreed completely.

"Why?", she said while suddenly stopping. The bridge didn't take the impact well and started trembling. Alice gripped the rough ropes that were used for the railing tightly, trying to get her balance back. Her heart started to pound rapidly out of fear.

The feeling that she had a while back was there again, only stronger this time. It wasn't good and growing every second. It was strange. Like a snake was wrapping around her body. It left a cold sensation on her skin. The feeling of fear was showing its face.

The moment she felt stable she started slowly walking to her friends. With every passing step she felt the uneasiness growed larder until finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"Guys...I'm scared", Alice wised and crouched down wrapping her arms around her legs. 

The trembling of the bridge didn't stop even for a second. A weird sound, quiet at the beginning, was now loud catching every ones attention, vary similar to the teraing of paper only more chaotic.

Bambi, Candy and Ellie who were till now just penitently waiting for their friend to return, not knowing the fear inside Alice, were now panicking themselves. They were young and didn't know what to do. 

Finally it happened...

One of the main ropes had snapped, and the whole thing came crashing down into the river.

                                                                   Alice

Huh?

What's this?

Screams? Fear?....

No...it's cold...Even colder than before...And dark....

Look...there's light up there...

I, I can't  reach it...