Tales of Aridia

To The Shore

A small hand touched my head, I quivered. Looking up Elliana blocked the sunlight with the braids that fell over her ear. “It’s okay,” She said softly, crouching down to my side. “Everybody dies at some point,” She carried on, lulling me with her words. I nodded subtly, stroking the stem of the
flowers with my fingers. “He saved me,” I said, my voice toneless, filled with so much grief that I could do nothing but sink into silence. The guilt I felt deepened, pulling me into a state of paralysis. “It’s not your fault,” Max said, like he could read my mind. Although he said this, I was still doubt full.
I could of saved him, I thought, torturing my mind with the idea that I was the reason he died.

He pulled me up, soaking my knees with rainwater in the grass. My legs trembled, “What happens now?” I asked, staring ahead at the tulips. “Run,” Max said suddenly, pointing at the village wall. A
mass of hostile villagers sped down the path, their arms outstretched In front with pitchforks and torches. “My god…” Elliana whispered, throwing the braids behind her head. I scrambled to my feet, slipping as I regained balance. Max repeated himself, “Run!” He yelled, sprinting across the field
towards the stone staircase that descended down the Cliffside. His feet left muddy imprints in the ground, spread far apart from the long strides he was taking. I grabbed Elliana roughly by the arm,
forcing her to quicken pace.

The villagers behind shouted, throwing their weapons high into the air. Max stopped, and turned to see if Elliana and myself were okay. His face was washed white, drained all the way to his neck, as was Elliana. My top was soaked, drenched from the froth that foamed from Jayden’s mouth. Max noticed, his face dropping into a grimace. We had stopped shortly to breathe, before realising how close the villagers were.

Reluctantly, I began walking down the staircase, avoiding the cracks and holes carved out in the stone. Now and again the staircase would rock, at which point I would drop to the floor, taking Elliana with me. She clung close, holding onto my shirt, and staying away from the wet patches. Her
fingers dug into my skin, leaving scratches from my ribs down to my hip. Max walked in front, testing each stone by tapping gently on it. His eyes flashed with a fear that I had not seen before, eyes like Elliana. We had reached the bottom, our feet sliding into the ground and our shoes filling with sand.
The villagers peered over the cliff edge, struck with anger as their eyes fell upon our faces. One by one they ran down the staircase, carelessly. At the cliff edge was a group of children, trying to throw themselves at the staircase, but they could
not. They met a point where they were frozen, trapped. The adults piled down, leaving their children behind. Before the first one could reach the end the stone crumbled, falling down In fragments. “Are
you doing this?” Max asked, astonished. I shook my head, entranced as one after the other, fell to their deaths.