AcademyX- School For Gifted Children

Taking Risky Paths

I get farther down the cliff. Climbing down the vines, one foot after another. This must be really difficult for Clara and Adam. They're afraid of heights. Wow, Adam, the big tough guy, is afraid of heights. Everyone is afraid of something, and his super strength won't help him if he falls off the side of this cliff. Mine won't help me either. It's a good thing I'm not afraid of heights.

The farther we go, the more narrow the strip of rock we walk on seems to get. Just as we catch a glimpse of our destination, the stone ledge beneath Clara's feet crumbles and breaks away. Everyone looks in shock as she falls forward. Kaitlyn dives off of the ledge after Clara. Kaitlyn's body begins to change. Long wings covered in feathers grow from her arms and her body shrinks down. She's a bird, a very large bird. What kind of bird is that? It's gigantic. The bird, or Kaitlyn, swoops down as fast as she can. She finally gets beneath Clara. Clara lands on the birds back very hard. The two begin falling down , but luckily Kaitlyn's powerful wings are delaying their plummet. By now, other people are trying to help. There's a kid shooting something from his palms down towards the two, and I think it's webs, spider webs. Spider Man? Then I look over and see Kylee at the edge of the cliff. I call to her. She glances at me, then jumps off. As soon as she leaves the ground, huge, magnificent, white wings come out of her back. Angel wings. She flies towards Clara and Kaitlyn. The kid finally got ahold of them with a string and of webs, but it's not quite strong enough, so it just slows down the fall some more. Finally, Kylee reaches Clara and grabs her hand. Everyone settles down as Kylee and Kaitlyn bring Clara back to the ledge.

After everyone relaxes for about 10 minutes, we keep moving. Everyone is much more cautious now. Soon we reach the point where we finally get to get away from this horrible cliff. Some people climb, Kaitlyn and Kylee fly, and many others use their abilities to get up as well. Everybody makes it to the top and rests. After that, I think I might have a fear of heights now, but just a tiny one.

The next step is to go around some bushes, which aren't at all hard to find. Large bushes lined together stand in front of us like a hedge. People start walking towards it, then out of the corner of my eye, I notice a student who's arms are forming into long silver blades. He slashes at the bushes in an attempt to get through. Half way through the bush, he disappears. People rush over to where he went through, but find nothing. However, the spot he cut is gone. The bush repaired itself. Is it alive? Oh my god, I think the bush just ate him! Students look around, some panicky, some upset, and others are very confused. A rustling sound comes from the bush. The student who had just been swallowed by the bushes shot out. Everyone crowds around the body. He's covered in blood, and he's got branches sticking out of him. He glances around, then groans and closes his eyes. He's gone, and it's all because he decided to come on this mission with us, but his chances of dying in the tournament were just as high. A very recognizable voice pipes up in the middle of the group. Damon.

"Everyone, settle down" he says with a sigh as he wipes tears from his eyes. "We all need to be strong here. He was brave and curious, but it got him killed. He will be receiving credit and honor for coming with us. Does anyone have his name?" He says with another sigh.

"Tony. His name is... I mean, was Tony. Tony Hutch" says a quiet faint voice.

A young girl steps up. She looks Clara's age.

"He's my brother. I'm Lydia Hutch" she says, weeping.

"Tony is a fighter. He will be remembered for his bravery and his sacrifice. Had he not done what he did, we might all have tried to go through the bushes, and this whole thing would've been for nothing. So let's do this, for Tony" Damon says, while comforting the young girl.

Kaitlyn becomes a large wolf and spends a good 15 minutes digging a large hole. The web guy, who says his name is Danny, covers Tony's body in the silky webs until he is no longer visible. I'm given the job of lowering him into the hole. I bring him down gently, laying him down on the soft soil at the bottom. Next, me and a couple others begin filling the hole with dirt. Adam comes from behind with a very large stone. The stone is placed on top of the dirt. Lydia steps forward. She hovers her hands above the dirt and flowers bloom. Another girl walks over to the handmade grave.