Whispering Tempest

Chapter Two - The Freak Freaks Out

Chapter Two – The Freak Freaks Out

Summer has always been my favorite season. It’s the only time people act differently on their own free will. When you’re in class, there’s an unwritten rule to separate the cool from the un-cool. Neither associate with the other and it’s that way in every school I've been to. Summer makes people throw away their usual pride and accept things they wouldn't normally. Example: I’m headed up to The Ledge with my crush. Only this season can do that for me.

The air of the sea tickles my nose as we trudge through the terrain, dodging rocks and overgrown vegetation. The long grass brushes my bare legs. Wind blows through my dreadlocks, flipping them into my eyes and no matter how many times I push them back, they fall where they want. Climbing higher makes me more excited. The bonfire’s music thumps gently in the background noise but we are far enough into the trees to lose it behind the crickets and the lapping of ocean waves.

“Almost there,” Ryan enlightens me, talking about none other than The Ledge. A year and a half in his school and I’m finally going to see the infamous spot. I've heard it’s amazing. The cliff overlooks the sea at an enormous height, gazing down upon the ocean. Rumor has it people who go there have seen mermaids in the moonlight too. But since many go up there to get high, I doubt there’s any truth to it.

Coming across on an old chain link fence, Ryan stops. His fingers fold through the metal wires and stare up at the crescent moon. My mood dampens a bit. He taps the black and white ‘NO TRESSPASSERS’ sign covered with different signatures and graffiti. I move beside him and look at the untamed grass in front of us, clawing disappointingly at the barrier.

“The city built a new fence every year,” he tells me with a rather serious expression. His forehead presses on the fence like there’s more going through his mind than he’s letting on. “There have been people who jumped. No one survived yet.”

The haunting story is ruining my excited mood. Of course, it’s depressing to hear of jumpers but more people have had a good time here to make me turn away. Ryan takes his gaze from the moon and watches as I shake my head.

“I’m still going over,” I say defiantly. My shoe shoves into one of the wire diamonds to hold my weight. Noticing that I’m climbing, Ryan grabs the back of my jacket and keeps me from going any higher. “You’re impatient, aren't you?”

I flick my eyebrows playfully while dropping back down. The thrum of his pulse races through his skin and unnerves me too. I press closer, placing my hands inside the pockets of his hoodie. It’s a daring move on my part but I like it. New me is braver.

“What gave you that idea,” I tease.

The boy shyly removes my hands from his coat and takes one into his palm. He leads me on another path beside the barrier. I glide my hands along its metal every so often, enjoying the repetitive thump. Each step we take is further away and I’m getting more anxious. Ryan looks back and pulls harder as we race around.

“Where are we going,” I whine impatiently. He says nothing but smiles. A few more steps and he takes a pause by a twisted old tree. My legs start to feel sore but I can tell by his awkward grin that Ryan’s planning something.

“After a while,” he begins, putting his hands on the top railing. “They stopped fixing the holes in the fence since people tore them down anyway. Now, they just let it be.”

Ryan pulls the bottom of the fence easily, removing it from the pole. The entrance to The Ledge. I smile, ready for the gorgeous sight. My excitement is almost indescribable. We follow the trampled dirt until the trees clear away from view and the sky is no longer blocked by their branches. Soon we’re at the top of the hill, able to see everything but the wonder on our faces.