Switched

Prologue

My heart stopped, eyes widening at the scene unfolding before me, mouth agape in horror. I clutched the phone tightly as if doing so would stop her. There, standing at the edge of the cliff, was one of my classmates, Mia, Park Mia. Her eyes already set on mine.

"Hello, Ida." She spoke with a malicious grin towards me before staring up at the sky. A chill ran down my spine. There was something wrong. That smile, it wasn't an ordinary smile. I remained still, unsure of the detached way she watched me. Unsure of what to do next.

"What are you doing, Mia?" I spoke to her slowly putting down my phone. "You shouldn't be standing there. Its dangerous, please-"

"Oh, I'm well aware." She let out a humorless laugh as she slowly waved her foot over the edge, watching for my reaction. My face paled. She smiled, enjoying my terror. "I'm glad you received my text to meet me here. It's actually a relief."

My breathing grew heavier by the second. A lump forming in the back of my throat making it difficult to swallow. Nervousness made my legs feel as if they were made of jelly, as if I would collapse at any moment. Whats going on?

My body began to shake the longer I stood there. I couldn't help but feel afraid. Afraid of what her intentions might be. Afraid of where all this would lead. Negative thoughts barraged my mind as I tried my best to thwart them away.

"Mia." My voice was shaky as I uttered her name.

"I know what you're thinking." Her eyes now locked with mine. Searching for something behind my frozen stare. I'm sure all she saw was a frightened child, desperately looking for any excuse to bring her closer to me. To bring her farther away from the danger that was very, very, near.

"I don't understand."

She scoffed before looking at the bottom of the cliff. It was a long time before she turned away. Her head snapped back to me, passionless eyes observing me silently. My breath caught in my throat, hands trembling by my sides. The wind caused her messy hair to flow around her. Only now was I able to notice the state she was in. The dirty clothes. The tears in her pants. To anyone she would be viewed as a mentally unstable person by her outfit alone. A person who would only cause trouble if you were unfortunate enough to find yourself near. But all I could see was my classmate. A girl who was trying to solve a temporary problem, with a permanent solution.

My hands twitched by my sides, my feet trying to bring me closer. A twig snapped beneath me making her aware of my actions.

"Don't move." She hissed as she took one step back. I froze, fearing for her safety. Obedient only for her sake.

"I'm," she breathed in deeply before continuing her sentence, "going to kill myself." Her piercing eyes had not moved from mine. My breath hitched at the new information, playing her response over and over in my head until I finally understood. This was no friendly reunion. This was her last death wish. We stood there, watching each other. The red moon filled up the darkness, reminding me of spilled blood. A burning red contrast against the bright blue sky. The trees moaned and groaned besides us giving the situation an eerie feel.

"Please Mia, don't do this. Please! You don't have to jump. Whatever it is, we can fix this." I pleaded desperately. "Please step away from the ledge. I can help you." My eyes burned with unshed tears, helplessness flooding all of my other senses.

My mind screaming and screaming in my head. Try harder! Try harder!

"I'm going to kill myself." She spoke quietly as she turned away, giving me her back. Her chest heaved, ignoring my words. "And you're going to watch."

"No!" I screamed as she finally let go. Time seemed to slow as I watched her fall, her hair flowing above her, caught in the wind. Her legs slowly lifting above the ground, leaving its surface. The light glinting off of her ring, the smell of oak invading my senses. The horrible moment caught forever, embedded into my memories.

"Mia!" My heart beat in my ears, drowning out any other sound as I ran. Ran to where I last saw her, my hands reaching. Reaching and reaching but grasping at nothing but air. Trying so desperately to reel her back to me.

There was a moment where I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I could hardly speak. My body stilled, remaining in the same spot she had been only moments before. Had it been only a few seconds or has it been minutes? Has it been a few years or has it already been a decade?

My legs refused to move, my hand still reaching into the air, frozen in place. I laid there on the ground, vaguely aware of my own cries in my ear. My hand still reaching out as if she were to take it at any moment and laugh it all off as if it had been one big joke.

Only this wasn't a joke. This was real.

I continued watching in horror as a thousand feelings rushed through me. My breathing coming out in ragged gasps. There was nothing I could do. Her body quickly began to disappear from my vision, fading into the trees down below. Mia gave out one last bloodcurdling scream before the sickening sound of her body making contact with the ground reached my ears.

And before I knew it, I was falling. Falling fast and faster into a darkness that grabbed onto me and refused to let go. Sinking into oblivion, sinking into madness. The last scream of horror leaving my throat before silence.

And then a spark of pain. Pain so immense. Pain so unimaginable. Pain that I felt it in every fiber of my being. Pain that I felt in each and every individual cell of my body until it was all I could think of. An agony so great that I had no choice but to succumb to it, begging for mercy. Begging for it to go away.

Maybe if I had fought harder against that darkness, I would not be in the situation that I am now. I would not be here, dying, watching the life bleed out of me. Helplessly watching my best friend as he fought for his life. As he risked everything for me.

Maybe.