Luna's Law

Cliff's Edge

Stood on the edge I looked out across the rippling ocean, the bitter salty breeze nipping at my nose. Breathing in short bursts of sub-zero air to keep my lungs from catching frostbite, I allow my mind to run off into the peacefulness of nothing. Not a single word or thought crossed my mind as I took in my surroundings. The sound of the waves crashing into the cliff edge in front of me, mixed with the sounds of nature behind me, a tornado of sound swirling around me. This is the only time I get a break from my mundane life. No thoughts, no stress, just grounding myself, embracing the true chaotic beauty of nature.

BUZZZZ!!!

My eyes snap down to my tight jeans pocket, a soft clear cloud of air escaping my lips in disappointment. Pulling out my cracked phone with my red-tinted hands I look at the caller ID, and to no surprise 'STEP DUCHE' lights up the screen. Looking out longingly across the dark consuming ocean I raise the phone to my ear, answering it with a barely audible, "Hello..."

"Jesse! Thank god! I was worried!" I could feel my eyes roll with his 'caring' words, looking down at the forest floor, I noticed my smart school shoes coated in mud from the hike up, I just sighed spinning around on my heels, unwillingly making my way back down. 

"Sure you are, Clif..." I muttered back, a chill going down my spine as I started my way down the path I'd carved out during many hikes to this spot, something in the back of my mind, like always, telling me I wasn't truly alone, but like every other time before it I brushed it off as nothing but paranoia.

"Jesse, you can think whatever you'd like but I do care for you, alongside your mom and sister..." Clif responded warmly. As if he didn't just turn up one day, get my mom pregnant, and on top of that expect me to accept him and that hell spawn as my true family.

"half-sister..." I reminded him in a resentful tone, feeling my body tense up at the idea of being fully related to the crotch goblin. Crackling branches under my feet were all I could hear as Clif thought about responding to my comment.

"Hmmm. Well, anyway, I called for, numero uno! Checking that you were ok and hadn't fallen off the face of the earth.." He chuckled lightly, ironically not knowing how much I'd love for that to happen. "And number two! To see if you could help your mom out." Clif hummed mindlessly through the phone. The temptation to turn back and jump off the cliff's edge suddenly becomes much more appealing. 

Sensing the silence on my end Clif couldn't help but start mumbling on. "You know how much your mom tries with your sister, and how hard it is on her to have only one income through me. Then on top of that, I'm always gone working at a new construction site, so she can't rely on me being there to take Flora off her hands when it's getting too much..."  Clif rattled off, sounding desperate as he pleaded with me.

"Sure thing Clif... I'll be there in about forty-five minutes." Bitting down on my stinging lip, I chewed off a little piece of dry skin, I could feel my instinct take over, a smile plastering over my face as I nodded at nobody in particular. My eyes travel down the thickening trees that interlock into infinitely tall giants, creating a black tunnel straight toward the sunlight of the exit ahead of me. 

"Thanks, champ!" Cliff chirped happily, making me internally groan at his go-lucky nature. "I'll make sure to tell your mom that! I'll also be sure to say thank you tomorrow in person." He buzzed back in happiness. Can't he leave me be and stop it with this fake, 'buddy-buddy' stuff?