The Silver Owl

38

Falling.

It's an odd concept.

You know you're going to hit something, and the further you drop, the faster you go.

My best friend has just let me drop off a cliff, and all I can do is fall.

Fall until I hit the rocks and the water.

But I feel like time has slowed down, Zac has already turned around and left.

The concept of air rushing around you would be comforting, if it weren't so terrifying.

I am paralyzed with shock. My body is limp. I fall as my body forms a 'V' shape.

I hit the water. It's over isn't it?

• • •

• • •

• • •

It's over. I'm dead, aren't I? I'm weightless. I'm afraid to open my eyes. I don't want to see. I don't want breathe. I'm too scared.

It takes me a minutes before I realize
I'm wet.

No. Not dead. I'm wet. I hit the water.

What about the rocks-? Oh. I feel around with my hand. The rocks surround me expect one area.

I open my eyes. But I continue to hold my breathe. I'm so glad I didn't breathe before. Then I might really be dead...

It's not as dark as I thought it was going to be.

I look down the fairly large tunnel, but there is no air in it. I surface quickly and snag one last breath of air, and I swim down the tunnel. It gets darker as I swim.

I continue to swim, it's almost completely black. I feel my lungs beg for air. But I keep going.

I do an underwater breaststroke, as my lungs begin to throb.

They contract and release rapidly. If I don't try to get air now, air.

Air air air air air air air.

Air air air. I need air.

I throw myself to the roof of the cave, and I am met with the cruel roof that contains no air.

Crap.

I feel rapidly with my hands for a pocket above the water. A little to my left I find one. It's big.

I throw my head above water and gasp and gasp. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Air is beautiful. Be thankful you have air. Don't ever take it for granted. Ever.

I look around. The tunnel of water ends, and the brown rock around me is lit by a small fire placed on the wall held by torches.

I wade out of the water. Still breathing hard.

I hear a gasp that mine probably sounded like, and I see a head surface a bit to the left of the place I did.

It's Zac.

I can't hold in my rage this time.

"WHAT THE HELUP?! WHY THE HELUP WOULD YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THAT?!" I yell. My
harsh words echo all the way across the cave.

"Lizzie-" Zac starts. But I don't want to talk to him.

"I don't want to talk to you, you clearly don't care about my life! Why are you even doing this with me?! I just want you to go away!"

"Lizzi-"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU. GO AWAY. I DON'T WANT YOU HERE ANYMORE. GO AWAY. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU ANYMORE."

I turn around. I'm sopping wet. It's salty and uncomfortable, my jeans cling to my legs, and I shake violently.

A) I'm cold.
B) I'm so enraged at Zac right now.

"What the helup," I add on. Helup is not a nice word.

Zac begins to wade out of the water. I march forward, then I break into a run. I forget that I'm wet, and I slip on the rock.

I trip and land on my right hip. I see Zac coming. In the flickering light of tunnel Zac looks more sincere than I've ever seen him.

My jean rips. I feel the sharp cold hot pain in my leg. It burns and hurts and Zac comes closer.

"I said," I begin, "DON'T. COME. NEAR. ME. LEAVE. ME. ALONE. GO. AWAY. I DON'T WANT YOU HERE."

"I'm sorry," Zac says.

"I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN. DON'T EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN!" My leg continues to bleed. It pumps out blood rapidly and I'm crying from the rage and the pain.

I'm guessing Zac left out backpack up there, wait- the piece! The compass piece!

"Zac. Do you have the compass piece?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Yeah," I hear Zac's voice crack, "I always keep in on me."

"Good," I huff. I try to struggle to me feel, I can't lift my leg. Zac sees my struggle.

Zac walks closer to me, and knees down next to my leg.

"Go away," I growl. I don't want to see him ever again. He tried to kill me. Twice. I want him to leave. He's not Zac. This isn't my best friend.

Zac takes off his soggy shirt, and wraps it around my pounding leg. The shirt immediately is drenched in blood. I feel bad for a moment, but then I realize it's his fault. It's Zac's fault I'm here and my leg is like this.

I don't feel bad anymore.

"Help me up," I demand. It's the least he can do.

Zac helps me up. I'm so unstable I almost fall.

"Here, use me as a crutch."

"Okay," I grit my teeth. And then I think something really nasty, "You know, I still hate you."

Zac looks down, I see a water droplet drips from his face. I'm not sure if it was from his hair, or that he was crying.

"I know."

A/N: Oof.