Fall or Fly

Chapter 1

"The next stop is Miles Canyon, Miles Canyon everyone."

"Stop referring to me as everyone, Mark!" I called to the front of the bus. "No one in their right minds would be up this early, anyways."

"Oh, well that explains why you're here!" The bus driver jokingly answered, his voice slightly dismembered from the microphone.

The static microphone cut off, leaving the bus in a comfortable quiet as it rumbled along. I rolled my eyes and smiled, enjoying the lull of the bus and the view of my tiny town from the window. Standish was small, but her charm and witty residents made it easily my favorite place. Granted, I had lived here my whole life, but I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I grinned as the sloping incline that would lead to Miles Canyon came into view. Although it was still dark outside, I new the area so well, I could fill in the blank spots and see it perfectly.

Miles Canyon was the only thing Standish, Utah was known for. Almost three fourths a mile deep and 10 miles wide, it was the only thing that brought tourists into our small town. Everything was named after it. My parent's bakery, for example, was named The Miles Canyon Cafe, and was known for its "Miles Canyon mini cakes." Almost every store was like that, with a name and a product related to the cliff. It was quite ridiculous, although I couldn't blame people for taking advantage of the one thing that put our town on the map.

"Isn't it beautiful, Mark?" I asked dreamily, resting my head on my arms as I looked out the window. "All the plants and animals, all the different colors, all mixed together into one landscape."

"Oh, should I leave you two alone?" Mark asked, humor clear in his voice.

"Shut up, Mark!" I exclaimed, laughing as I came out of my daydream. "It's just so beautiful and peaceful..... and magical. I feel at home there."

"Well that sounds nice, pumpkin," Mark said, his southern accent sounding wistful. "But I think I'm a bit too old to think like that."

The bus came to a stop, its engines shutting off with a hush. I heard the squeak of the door opening. I got up and made my way down the walkway. When I got to Mark, I patted his shoulder.

"You should come with me sometime," I said, giving him a big smile. "I think you'd really enjoy it."

"Well some people have a job!" Mark joked, but he grabbed my hand and held in his withered ones. "Thank you, pumpkin."

I gave his hand a squeeze and then jumped off the bus. I waved at Mark as he drove off, giving a sad smile as he went out of view. Mark was having a tough year so far. His daughter was killed in a car crash in January, and he had to deal with his and his wife's constant grief while balancing a job to keep his family afloat. He kept a good spirit about it, though, and he often joked about how he could prove to you that everyone knew everybody's business in this town; by showing you his giant mountain of frozen casseroles in his freezer.

I laughed to myself as I started towards the hiking trail lead up to the sudden drop and magnificent view of the other side that made up Miles Canyon. Mark had taken me mostly of the the way up the mountain, but there was a point where the road stopped so the canyon wouldn't be disturbed. The hiking trail was beautiful, and although I could practically feel the tourists' sweat and dehydration in the hot summer days, I could easily walk up it from living here all my life. As I got to the beggining of the trail, the streetlights ended and the darkness settled in. I opened my backpack, and amidst my scattered colored pencils and worn sketchbooks, I found my flashlight. Pulling it out, I pushed the button, illuminating the ground around me. Heaving the backpack over my shoulder again, I started on the upward path towards the canyon.

The sun hadn't rose yet, so the birds weren't out, but crickets drowned out what would be silence. There was almost never anyone out here this early, except for an occasional runner who had an obsession with personal health, or an insane tourist who wanted to make the most of their vacation. Still, I had a hideaway spot off the trail that no one ever came to, so I was never bothered.