The Miraculous Story of Harper Lynn

Chapter Three.

     I should've brought a coat. Then again, had I known I was going to have been unwillingly (but not totally against it) kidnapped and taken into the woods behind the high school, I probably would have brought one. Zach walked ahead of us all, his hands balled into fists and shoved deep into his shorts pockets. The tallest boy is a few yards behind, looking over his shoulder every once in a while and smiling. Lexi stays next to me and babbles, half-singing and half-giggling. I wonder if she's always this chipper. "Harp" brought up the back of the group, occasionally joking with Lexi but mostly staying quiet.

     The september air was cool, and the wind bit at my skin like frozen little teeth. Nobody else, i noticed, had a coat with them, so I did my best to not shiver. I was herded across the dead field separating the school from the football stadium. A weed-covered chain link fence ran across the end of the field, separating us from densely wooded unknown.

     Zach pushed aside a clump of brown leaves and branches, revealing a small gap in the fence. He pulled it aside and held it open as Lexi and the tall boy crouched through, before following himself. Harp was just bending over when I grabbed her arm.

     "Wait, um, Harp, what is this? It's not like, illegal or anything right?" My insides churned with anxiety. She threw her head back and laughed, a hearty but not deep chuckle, and it just put me more on edge.

     "Already calling me by my nickname 'eh?" I  looked at her quizzically. Was her name not Harp? I mean, sure, I had thought it was weird but if that wasn't her name, what was?

     "My name is Harper. Harper Marie Lynn. Jadyn gave me the nickname Harp. He's the-tall skinny guy with gages." She explained.  I nodded and looked again at the gaping hole leading into the woods.

     "And no," Harper continued, "What we're doing is not illegal. At least not most of it." And with that she bent down and through the hole. I guess I have no choice but to follow her.

     I have to jog, to catch up with the already-twenty- meters-away Harper. She's running, her long legs pumping, propelling her though the underbrush like a deer. Her crop-top slides off one shoulder, exposing a bra-strap and very defined shoulder blades. God she is gorgeous. I run up a small hill, slipping on the occasional root or ditch, and at the top stands Zach, Lexi, Jadyn and of course, Harper.  We overlook the most pathetic lake ever known to man-kind. Behind the scraggly trees surrounding the water's edge are houses, way too nice for me to ever dream of living in one. The sun is still low in the sky, just beginning to peak over the treetops and make the water look a sickly shade of green.

     "I swear it gets more beautiful every time." Harper says. Her voice is low and whispy, and she's smiling at the ugly view. I scoff, "Yeah, once you get past the decaying water with literally corpses in it." I point to the shore, where a dead fish lies belly up on the surface, mold already taking over.

      "Ew! Oh-my god. That is SO disgusting!" Lexi squeals, Zach coughs and makes a gagging sound, back farther away, like the dead fish might spring up and attack him. Jadyn just laughs and runs his fingers through his dark hair. I smile and look at Harper, who is glaring at me. 

     She shakes her head at me, and sticks out her tongue. "Whatever, you just can't see the beauty of it." She stares back out at the water. 

      'You're right. I can't see the beauty of dead fish and puke-water." This gets another laugh from Jadyn and I even hear Zach chuckle. Lexi pulls out a pack of cigarettes from her back jeans and distributes for the group. She hands Harper three, one which she passes to me, and two that she puts in her mouth.

      "Um, I'll pass." I tell them, handing mine back to Harper. She shrugs and puts the third in her mouth as well.

     "Jesus Harp, you're gonna die by the time you hit twenty if you keep smoking like that." Jadyn says, pulling one out of her grasp and handing it back to Lexi. Harper grins and shrugs, lighting both before passing the little orange lighter.

     "So like," Lexi takes a drag and exhales white toxic smoke, "You've never had a smoke?" She asks me. I shake my head no, and Zach laughs.

     "What'd you expect? He's just a freshmeat prick." I blush and look down at my shoes. Harper shoves him and says to me, "Don't let Zach get on you, he's just being a dick."

     "Like always!" Lexi puts in, and we laugh. I notice Jadyn's cheeks have gone a shade of red, and he grins. "Nothin' wrong with dicks, I should know of all people." Harper groans and Lexi stifles a giggle.

We stay there for a bit, smoking (not me!) and staring out at the grotesque lake.

     "C'mon guys, bell's gonna ring soon, and If I get one more tardy I'm getting ISS." She says, stamping out her cigarette, and we begin to follow. Harper stays put, looking out at her beloved lake. I walk away, following Zach and Lexi. Second day of school tardy does not sound like something my parents would understand if I told them I was looking at a lake for 40 minutes. Jadyn gingerly takes Harper's hand and leads her away, and I catch the glimmer of sadness before she puts on that dazzling smile again.

    As if to distract the group, Harper yells "RACE Y'ALL TO NEWDUMP" and takes off sprinting towards the school. Jadyn whoops and takes off after her, followed by Lexi, Zach, and this time, I'm not far behind.