Status: Finished
The Lost Boys
Cliff Diving
Leaving the cave was even harder than getting in. Because I was feeling a wee bit off, Chris had to help me up the side of the wall leading out. You must remember that there weren't any stairs, meaning we had to climb our way out. Once finally up, I could walk through on my own perfectly fine, even through the bats. Half of us piled into Josh’s jeep while the other half pulled another car out of the bushes: a blue Chevy Impala. We peeled out and headed up the steep cliff area and to some more cliffs on the outskirts of town. We mostly drove along side a river that I slowly began to recognize. We had always been warned as kids not to swim in it as it turned into a decent sized waterfall. What on earth were we doing here? After parking the car a few yards back, we got out and approached the edge of it. A thick mist from the thundering waters covered the area below, blanketing what lay at the bottom from what I could see this far back. I could only assume the worst.
“Hey Dawn…” Ian got my attention. “Wanna see a cool trick?” He stood right at the edge, facing us. The rest of the group kept a good distance. I caught onto what was coming.
“Ian, don’t!” I yelled, stepping forward.
“Oops.” He spoke sarcastically with a smirk, falling backwards. I held my breath and could only listen as is laugh faded away…But there was no splat, splash, or other sound signifying his demise. At this point, I probably would have paled if my face wasn't so flushed from the wine. But wait…My face WASN'T flushed. Shouldn't it have been? Why didn't I feel…
“It’s a trust game.” Josh spoke, interrupting my thoughts. He now stood at the edge of the cliff with Rebecca; they held hands. “You won’t get hurt…I promise.” His words were innocent, but his smile was malicious. He and Rebecca looked at each other, and then fell backwards, her laughter echoing eerily along the cliff side as they did. I was in complete shock. What the hell kind of trust game was this?! Mike, the other kid who was talking to me earlier, proceeded to do a back flip off the ledge leaving only Chris and David who I had been subconsciously clinging to the entire time.
They each took one of my hands and led me to the edge. My curiosity forced me to look down. I was hoping to see them dangling somewhere, but there was no such luck. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach…Chris lifted a hand and gently took my chin so he could turn my head to look at him.
“Trust me…” He looked concerned, searching my eyes the way he did. “Trust us…” He corrected himself, then let go of my chin. I was unable to move or speak, I watched him walk forward and then I buried my head in David’s shoulder not wanting to see any more. I couldn't block out the sound of him falling as his clothes rustled; fading just like the others had.
“Dawn, look at me.” David commanded. I did, mostly out of fear. He wasn't leaving me as well, was he? His eyes locked with mine. “Have faith in us. We’re not leading you to your death.” There was something in his eyes so soothing that I found myself able to let go and watch as he jumped off the cliff edge. Now I stood, the only one left…I couldn't do it. I couldn't trust them. I couldn't…
“Dawn…” A whisper like before…Like the one I heard in the car.
“Dawn…” It was different somehow. Other voices seemed to join in, overlapping one another.
“One of us…”
“Let go…”
“Give in…” I opened my eyes which I never realized I had closed in the first place. Everything seemed to be fading in and out of focus. I was so dizzy all of a sudden. I felt myself slipping; falling. Did the ground give way? No…I lost my balance, and now I was falling…Falling…
“Dawn!” I jumped up. I was in my bed, tangled in my covers and drenched in sweat. That one was my mother’s voice for sure. “Dawn!” She yelled again. “If you don’t get out of bed, you’ll miss school!” School…? It was a dream? I glanced over at the clock to find it was 6:30 AM leaving me only 15 minutes to get ready. Great. When did I even fall asleep?
“Hey Dawn…” Ian got my attention. “Wanna see a cool trick?” He stood right at the edge, facing us. The rest of the group kept a good distance. I caught onto what was coming.
“Ian, don’t!” I yelled, stepping forward.
“Oops.” He spoke sarcastically with a smirk, falling backwards. I held my breath and could only listen as is laugh faded away…But there was no splat, splash, or other sound signifying his demise. At this point, I probably would have paled if my face wasn't so flushed from the wine. But wait…My face WASN'T flushed. Shouldn't it have been? Why didn't I feel…
“It’s a trust game.” Josh spoke, interrupting my thoughts. He now stood at the edge of the cliff with Rebecca; they held hands. “You won’t get hurt…I promise.” His words were innocent, but his smile was malicious. He and Rebecca looked at each other, and then fell backwards, her laughter echoing eerily along the cliff side as they did. I was in complete shock. What the hell kind of trust game was this?! Mike, the other kid who was talking to me earlier, proceeded to do a back flip off the ledge leaving only Chris and David who I had been subconsciously clinging to the entire time.
They each took one of my hands and led me to the edge. My curiosity forced me to look down. I was hoping to see them dangling somewhere, but there was no such luck. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach…Chris lifted a hand and gently took my chin so he could turn my head to look at him.
“Trust me…” He looked concerned, searching my eyes the way he did. “Trust us…” He corrected himself, then let go of my chin. I was unable to move or speak, I watched him walk forward and then I buried my head in David’s shoulder not wanting to see any more. I couldn't block out the sound of him falling as his clothes rustled; fading just like the others had.
“Dawn, look at me.” David commanded. I did, mostly out of fear. He wasn't leaving me as well, was he? His eyes locked with mine. “Have faith in us. We’re not leading you to your death.” There was something in his eyes so soothing that I found myself able to let go and watch as he jumped off the cliff edge. Now I stood, the only one left…I couldn't do it. I couldn't trust them. I couldn't…
“Dawn…” A whisper like before…Like the one I heard in the car.
“Dawn…” It was different somehow. Other voices seemed to join in, overlapping one another.
“One of us…”
“Let go…”
“Give in…” I opened my eyes which I never realized I had closed in the first place. Everything seemed to be fading in and out of focus. I was so dizzy all of a sudden. I felt myself slipping; falling. Did the ground give way? No…I lost my balance, and now I was falling…Falling…
“Dawn!” I jumped up. I was in my bed, tangled in my covers and drenched in sweat. That one was my mother’s voice for sure. “Dawn!” She yelled again. “If you don’t get out of bed, you’ll miss school!” School…? It was a dream? I glanced over at the clock to find it was 6:30 AM leaving me only 15 minutes to get ready. Great. When did I even fall asleep?