How To Save A Life

It was a beautiful sight, the sun only just rising, orange light breaking through the darkness. It felt like walking on the razor’s edge, the ends of the earth, as if the world really was square. I was walking on the top of a small rolling hill, nothing but hills and trees on either side of me, and on the other side of those hills. It made me wonder about what it would be like to be the last person alive - not that I ever would be. But I guess if you were the last person alive, how would you know it?

The gravel under my shoes was so loud I didn’t hear Ryan behind me, until he came up beside me. I didn’t jump when I saw his figure in the corner of my eye; I just went a little bit hot in the cheeks. I laughed to myself as I remembered our ‘nice’ conversation. I got a little irritated at loosing track of my thoughts too.

“Are you following me?” I asked.

“I guess.”

“Why are you following me?”

“I don’t know. Guess you’d want a bit of company?”

“You do a lot of guessing.” I snapped my mouth shut when the words came out harsher and more mocking than I wanted them to. But I was annoyed – he had interrupted my thoughts just a few moments too soon. I didn’t really want him there. “Did you just guess that it would be nice for me to have some company?” I knew that it was stupid and I was a pretty bad sport by saying it, but I would never have admitted it at the time.

“Sorry. Do you want me to go?” He sounded embarrassed and slightly disappointed. I sighed.

“It’s fine.” I kept walking, looking ahead. Now I was annoyed at myself for ruining what was a good walk. I wouldn’t have many more walks like these, I had to treasure them.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go?” He still sounded unsure and sheepish.

“No, no.” I half sighed, half laughed. “It’s okay.” I lightly punched him in the arm, like I had done last night. He laughed a bit, and punched me, still half-heartedly. I looked forward, knowing I’d made a fool of myself, but I smiled anyway. The sun was in my eyes, making my face and shoulders hot. We walked for a bit, him always staying a step behind me, even when I slowed down. I experimented, slowing down a little, and then watching as he, knowingly or not, slowed down with me, then the same when I sped up. After a while I just burst out in laughter.

He looked at me, an awkward smile on his face. I shook my head at him. “It’s nothing. Remembered something funny.” Either he must have thought I was crazy, or I had something on my face, but for the next while he stared at me. I flicked my gaze back to him every once or twice, sending his to admire his feet.

Even though none of us were talking, he came across as such a quiet person. Either his feet were very graceful or I was just extremely uncoordinated, but I seemed to make twice the noise as he did.

“You’re very quiet.” I said. He didn’t seem to know what to say to that. So I tried to make a joke. “Do I have two heads or something? Because you keep staring at me and seem very reluctant to talk.” I stopped, my hands on my hips.

“Um.” He said. He was so awkward; it made me wonder why he came anyway. I rolled my eyes.

“Come on, it’s Sunday and we have no school tomorrow. Smile!” I saw a small shadow of what could have been a not-completely-awkward smile forming on his lips. I chuckled, and so did he. It sounded like small rocks tumbling down a cliff, but not in a bad way. Then suddenly I was reminded of something. I wacked his shoulder lightly with the back of my hand. “Follow me.” I said.

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“Somewhere.”

“Where somewhere?”

“You’ll see. Be patient.” It started to get warmer as the sun came up more. I walked faster than him – he was still always a step or so behind me. I wasn’t completely sure of the direction I was meant to go, but I knew that it was west from the house and I recognised a few oddly shaped rocks and trees and ditches in the path, so I tried to follow them as much as I could. In the end, after about two or three minutes of walking, sometimes jogging, we stumbled upon a bit of bush. We both stopped and he looked a bit reluctant. Actually, his expression was kind of funny – sort of ‘do-I-really-have-to-do-this?’

He looked at me with the same expression. “We cant go under it, we cant go over it.” I said. I waited, to see if he would finish the sentence. He didn’t. “We have to go through it.” He sighed and followed my lead. I began to wonder if this really was a good idea, but through the bush I knew there was something that would make it all worth it.