The Edge.

chapter one

Eva sat silently at the Edge. Looking down she saw blue-gray smoke curling around. The wind was the only sound to be heard. Eva shivered as the wind pushed against her - willing her to fall.

The wind had always been a frightful thing for villages near the Edges. It was ferocious during the night, tearing down anything and everything that got in its way. As night grew to day, the winds died down, and became almost nonexistent.

Judging by the power of the wind, it was only a slight breeze now, Eva thought sunrise would be in a few minutes. She would be able to stand now, but it was still dangerous - she remained sitting, at least until the winds died down completely. If she stood and lost her footing now, she'd fall right over the Edge. She'd be gone, never to be seen again, dead.

The wind stopped, dying down to a nothingness by the time the sun rose. Eva was always amazed by the dazzling sunrises. Vivid colors so beautiful to the eye, and yet no-one ever saw them. Everyone was always safely hidden in their underground houses when it was time for the windy nights. They wouldn't risk being outside while the winds were blowing, they would only come out when it was completely safe, and the sunrise was gone.

Eva sighed, standing up. The winds were long gone now, and the town was starting to wake. Her parents would notice her absence soon, she had to be back before then.

She walked past the old, wind beaten sign. In faded red letters, it read:

WARNING. EDGE. STAY AWAY.

She continued along the familiar path back home. Eva made it to the main road, the streets were already busy. It always surprised Eva at how quickly her town came to life after sunrise.

Parents walked to work, teens and children to school. Toddlers played with friends, unsupervised, waiting for the babysitter to get there. No one was worried about falling, they were too far away; the winds were gone. It was time for life to begin.

Eva took a left at the end of the road, and then a right into her driveway. She arrived at her family's house. From the outside, it was one story tall, made from strong metal that was durable against the wind. Underground however, was three more stories, buried beneath the ground, safe from the wind that haunted the town.

A broken window was untouched on the side of the house. Eva slipped through, and brushed the dirt off of her black nightgown. She heard her parents' voices in the next room.

"It's obvious that she's been out all night."

"No, she's somewhere inside! She's not... she wouldn't dare go outside, not at night!" her mother's voice cried loudly.

"Her bed hasn't been messed with."

"She made it when she got up this morning."

"Stop trying to protect her! You know that she leaves every night to go to that place!"

"No, she doesn't. She's smart, and stays safe in her room!"

"Stop lying to yourself."

Eva sighed, she often heard her parents argue like this. Arguing about whether Eva sneaks out at night, if she goes to the Edge, and if she is anything like her older sister, Than.

Her parents walked into the room, Eva was still standing awkwardly by the broken window. Her mother ran up and hugged her, "See?" she said, "she's inside, safe!"

"Are you even paying attention to where she's standing? The only broken window in the house? This is obviously where she's been sneaking in and out of the house from.

Eva's mother shook her head, and held onto her daughter tighter, tears in her eyes. "Eva is smart, and careful. She wouldn't risk her life to go to some stupid place! She isn't like her."

Slipping from her mother's grasp, Eva walked in front of her father and looked him in the eye. "You're right. I've been going to the Edge to watch the sunrise. I'm just like Than."