How It All Changed (ON HOLD)

Chapter 8 - I Killed Him!

On our journey south to my house, we came across a lake that Wahya called Chimney Rock Lake. Me being me I couldn’t pass up a chance to take a swim, so we went and found a secluded spot where no one would see us and raise an alarm. Coincidentally, the only isolated place was a rocky drop off over the water.

I stared over the edge lying low on my belly contemplating how deep the water was at this spot; I didn’t want to die because of an inconveniently placed rock at the bottom of the drop. Judging safe, I still wanted to test it just to be sure. I looked at Wahya, he was doing the same as I was, looking over the edge only he wasn’t lying on his belly. He was a prime target. I lifted up and turned toward to the path that led to the water, acting as if I was going down to check it out.

Instead, I turned around and tucked behind a tree, so he couldn’t see me and assume I was on the other side of the rock he was standing on and on my way down the rocky descent. Now all I had to do was for him to shift his weight to one side so he was easier to tip. I didn’t have to wait long; he finally shifted all his weight to his left side giving me a better chance of him not seeing me before it was too late.

I bounded to him in two steps and lunged.

Next thing I knew I was in the water coughing up enough of it to fill the lake. I heard a severe huffing sound that look me off guard, looking up I saw Wahya rolling on the rock snorting with laughter.

Ha, ha, ha, I said dryly. You are so funny. That just put him through another round of fitful laughter. Fine if he was going to laugh I just won’t tell him that-

Splash

I started laughing much like he did, huffing and snorting. Just got to say, I saw that one coming. In his, literally, rolling laughter he kept getting perilously closer and closer to the edge of the drop off. He submerged with a glare ready and directed at me. Growling, he climbed out of the water and shook little crystalline droplets everywhere trying to dry off.

I don’t know what you’re growling about, I was the one pushed in, you just fell in.

Yeah, well, you could have told me I was rolling to the edge. He harrumphed.

And why would I do that, I say you got what was coming to you; pushing a girl over the edge, inconceivable. I joked.

He snorted at my tone, on my book that means I was forgiving even though I didn’t actually do anything, which I guess was the point. I climbed out and shook my coat out, which just made Wahya have to re-shake himself.

I was thinking; why do you always jump into any body of water that we come to? I mean, come on, you can’t like a bath that much. He asked curiously, I just had to say the first thing that came to my head.

Remaining straight-faced, I told him. ‘Okay. It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin' on the porch with my family, singin' and dancin' down in Mississippi...’

Wait, what? He regarded with what I could only call a bewildered expression. I just couldn’t hold it in, I laughed. The more I laughed the more confused Wahya became. But you said you were Native American, and also you live here in Oklahoma. Now you are telling me you are African American and lived in Mississippi. I just laughed at him some more.

Finally I calmed down enough to stand again, but when I looked up Wahya was gone. I spun around and didn’t see him so I decided to take the high ground to find him. I ran up the incline to the rock ledge. Just as I was getting to the top I was tackled, being shoved against the rock, jarring me.

As I was getting a handle on my dizziness I thought I was being attacked by a group of small dogs. But slowly they formed into one big wolf. Wahya. He was growling at me on the outside and the inside. Wait, no, that was just my head buzzing his words in my head.