Remembrance ***Available on Amazon***

{1} Breaking the Rules - PREVIEW

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"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes."

"How do you know about this place?" Lark asked once again, her deep brown eyes never landing on one spot too long before bouncing to another.

"Botany expi last week."

"Do you even know where you're going? You don't have a plex pad or the coordinates," Knox spoke up from pushing through overgrown leaves and limbs. The forest was thick, green, and lush. Once off the rover paths cut through the wildlands one could easily become lost if not careful.

"Knox, if I had my plex then we wouldn't be OTG, would we?" Knox laughed realizing the truth of her words. Going off the grid meant leaving her communication and tech device at home so there was no chance of them being tracked. Honestly, she was surprised she'd gotten Lark to agree to this at all. Going outside the gates wasn't something they'd ever done on their own before. Her insides did flips just thinking about it but she'd never let a few nerves stop her before.

Lark's gasp when they pushed through the last of the ferns minutes later caused her lips to turn up. Yes, it was worth it just for that sound of happiness from her friend. Lark worked hard... they all had been working hard... and deserved this, she thought pushing aside any further doubts about going OTG.

"Why have you kept this to yourself?" Lark blurted out, suddenly changing her tune. The rush of water from the falls filled the air causing the three to speak louder than intended at first. Lark's short brown curls bobbed as her head swiveled in each direction. Knox was already shucking off his outer layers, standing in a pair of shorts by the time the girls finished admiring the lake.

"Last one in," he called rushing into the chilly water. Lark gave Gwelle one panicked look before shrugging, stripping down to her tank top and shorts. Following her friends' lead, Gwelle joined them, teeth chattering the first few steps into the water. After the heat of the day, the clear, cool water was a refreshing change. Diving under, she swam to the other side opening her eyes as she went. The blue shimmered beneath her, almost glowing in the depths. Breaking the water's surface, Gwelle tread where she was for a moment looking up at the bubbling water racing over the top of the hill. The longer she watched the mesmerizing scene, the easier everything around her faded.

She forgot work, family and friends. She forgot she was on a strange world they knew very little about. She forgot the cold ache in her chest when she remembered her dad. The memories faded away with the rush of the water. So, engrossed in the beauty, she was half way up the climb, jumping rock to rock, before her plan registered. As a child, her impulsiveness got her in trouble more than not. As a teen she tried curtailing it, but still failed much to her mom's displeasure. But something inside her drove her to discover, to chase that wild idea or find a new path. Today was no different. She would listen to that inner voice even though everything else was screaming this was definitely her most idiotic plan of all.

Standing atop the falls, balancing on a rock at the edge, Lark and Knox looked small down below like dolls rather than people. She heard their shouts but their words were picked up by the wind and carried away. She waved, courage building in her, the wind tugging at her wet locks as if it were trying to help her jump. Looking down below once more, she closed her eyes, pushing away from the top of the cliff with all her might. The water's spray hit her, as she rushed past. Her legs flailed a moment before she pointed them just before the water rushed up to meet her.

"What were you thinking?" Lark's shriek was the first thing she heard once she surfaced and the ringing in her ears cleared. Luckily, Knox shaking his shaggy blonde hair as he pulled himself out of the water saved her from answering. "Oh, no! Not you too!"