Over the Edge

Introduction

My heart races as I dodge in and around the towering pine trees. They will know we are missing any minute now, we slipped out while papa was filling the bucket at the well and James was out hunting with Liam. There will be chase when they notice we are missing. I try to keep my eyes on Kember and Lyle, they run as fast as their legs will carry them towards the edge. Their black curly hair bobbing with each stride. Kember's green eyes meet mine and grow wider when the horn blows. They know we are gone. The deep voices start calling out for us, their voices faint in the distance but grow louder with each passing second. The horn bellows once more, they've seen us.

I don't know why the edge is such a forbidden place, but I know Kember, Lyle and I feel drawn. The need to go. To jump. We need to know what is out there, what's in the beyond. We are almost there, jumping onto the fence we scurry as fast as we can, Lyle makes it to the top first, straddling the top. He has always been the best climber of us. He reaches down for my hand, at the same time, I feel hands wrap around my ankle, looking down I see papa holding tight. Kember shrieks as James and Liam grab her down off the fence and start to drag her away, back towards the cabin. My eyes look up again, meeting Lyle's deep blue orbs. "GO!" I yell as I remove my hand from his and push on the bottom of his foot, giving a hard shove. He tumbles off the other side, disappearing over the edge.

Papa pulls me the rest of the way down, tucking me under his arm. He scolds me, all the way back to the cabin. "This stupid idea of yers jus got 'em killed. I hope yer happy!"