Sky's View

The Mute Girl

Rahul

I walk behind the Andrew, Shane and Harry, reluctantly. I can see the mute girl from here. She looks straight into my eyes. I take it as a challenge and gaze back at her, hoping they tell her to dash from here. But instead, her dark hued eyes meet the book in her hand. It suddenly occurs to me now that I have never seen her without it.

I eel my way to the front so I get to her first before the others do. Her caramel skin feels as soft as silk when I clench her arm, and pull her up. I expect her to put up a fight so it can be the reason to lose her, but she adheres to the act like she is tired of fighting. It gives me a stab in the heart, and I don't know why.

When we reach the cliff, I let her go. I can't do this. I'm not a killer. There's water at the bottom of the cliff but if you jump in the wrong side, you'll end up with cracked bones.

"This is insane! I'm not crazy. I'm not a part of this s**t!" I yell.

Harry rests his hand on my shoulder. "Look at the bright side," he states. "At least we know if she survives, it's safe for us to jump."

"This is attempted murder!" I say, shaking his hand off my shoulder.

Laughter shakes his baseball jacket clad upper body. "Fine, then I'll do it."

As Harry grabs her arm and pulls her towards the cliff with the others, my blood boils. However, I see the hesitation in their footsteps so they stop along the way. But the mute girl doesn't stop. She saunters towards the cliff until she's standing at the edge. She looks down like she's thinking about jumping.

I can hear the stones beneath her feet crunch as they broke and fell down the cliff. Flip, she's about to jump.

"Let's get out of here," Harry shouts. But I stay behind as the boys flee the scene. Gaining momentum, I bolt across the space between us. I refuse to be late this time in the presence of a life and death situation.

"Please, no!" I holler. "Stop!"

I haul her back while she sets one foot forward. I stumble back falling on my back, and she falls on my black clad chest; my arms wrapped around her back.

We lay there for a while staring at each other. Her eyes are so dark of a brown, they look like black beads. I feel her telling me something with her eyes. The way they don't flinch, and just stare unblinkingly.

I take a tight breath in, and shut my eyes, inhaling the pineapple scent from her thick hair.

"I'm sorry," I finally say.

She starts shuffling. I open my eyes to see her waking up. Before I can say anything, she sprints into the forest, following the exit trail.

I don't stop her. I heave from the ground, dusting my back. I ruffle my unruly curls, and make a mental note to go back for her notebook before I leave.