Nearly Solivagant

Chapter Two

A light figure in the darkness stood blinking hesitantly through an abstract window of a door. Silently she cursed and took a deep breath. She leaned back against the wall trying to keep confidence, but cringed at the noise of her book-bag when the fabric scraped against the wall. Impatiently, she waited and instinctually rubbed her fingers together. Suddenly, a light went out masking her in the dark. She held her breath and flattened against the wall as a hand turned the knob on the other side. Hugging the wall she prayed that whoever it was would be oblivious to their surroundings. She did not trust that the darkness would hide her completely.

An administrator came through, disregarding the fact that others were asleep and letting the door fall shut behind her as her heels clicked loudly off the floor. Once she was a good distance away, Abilene gave a smile of relief but knew it was just the beginning. Hurriedly, she opened the door carefully and locked it behind her.

There she stood at a four way intersection of hallway. She cursed quietly again, knowing that the nerves made her forget which way to go. She yanked the fire escape directions out of her pocket and started her way down the left hallway. Quickly, she sped to a jog, glancing at the paper seeing that there were no doors therefore no reason for someone to be near. Just a few more turns from this hall.

"Come on, almost there," she whispered encouragingly as she turned another corner fast. Soon, her luggage began to weigh her down some. But she kept going until she swerved around the last turn. She ran, beaming.

When she reached the doors to the outside, she slowed and stopped two feet from them. Her heart was beating ten miles an hour, but only slightly from being out of breath. Immediately, her smile started to fade. Thoughts flooded her mind and she agin cursed. "Arawn," she murmured guiltily, "and Margreet."

I d-did not even leave them a note. I did not even say goodbye. Her hands began to shake; it all happened so quickly. She let the school and being confined finally drive her over the edge and she did not even-

She thought about it and turned her neck but snapped back toward the door. No, no, I cannot go back. I-I am being ridiculous, she hammered herself, trying to make a decision. If she turned around and looked down the hallway she would continue to ponder about her friends and begin a slow journey back.

She stared at the metal doors. No, I will come back for them; I-I can write a note, she agreed smiling gently. She calmed; a little less stressed now that she had one less problem. Her foot began toward the door before her mind was assured but she did not stop it.

Little did she presume, but it was curiosity that kept her on with her agreement. Without it, her doubt would have been too much anxiety to handle; she would have turned around and never considered trying this again. She would have gone through the days endlessly working and writing, unaware that Arawn and Margreet planned on ditching her after year fourteen in school. That she would have matured and discontinued being such a troublemaker. Contributing to-

Abilene's hand grasped the handle firmly and she held the cold metal for a few seconds before turning it clockwise and pushing forward. Then sirens screeched in her ears causing her to falter and reach for them. "Shit," she mumbled as she straightened and sprinted away. Every which way there seemed to be ten foot fencing surrounding the perimeter as far as she could see. She ran up too it and jumped back around; no one seemed to be there, yet it was hard to tell from the deafening sirens and flashing red lights. She attempted to squint through it but gave up.

Her heart was racing faster than it had ever in her life. Sweat dripped in streams down her forehead and neck. Her mind was clouded and cluttered with emotions and thoughts all at the same time.

Abilene panicked; she faced the fence and leaped onto it, gripping the wire. She climbed as the fence caved and wobbled immensely from her weight and force. But she was determined to keep hold of it. Suddenly, a feeling different from the rest racking around inside her brain came to her. It was different because she could physically feel it: She felt air blow coolly around her. Her stomach increasingly filled with a hole and strands of hair blew up out of her face. She resorted to her sense of sight; she put her eyes into focus and looked through the fence to the other side. All she saw was growing darkness; then it clicked.

This fence and school were both here for a reason; not to confine but to keep safe. To keep safe from falling over the edge of a cliff. Over the edge of the world.

In that moment, Abilene felt only one emotion; complete and utter fear as the fence bounced flat against the edge if the precipice.