Jump of Fate

The ocean sounded very far away, somehow farther than before, when I was on the path in the trees. I grimaced when I thought of the probable temperature of the water. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

The wind blew stronger now, whipping the rain in eddies around me.

I stepped out to the edge, keeping me eyes on the empty space in front of me. My toes felt ahead blindly, caressing the edge of the rock when they encountered it. I drew in a deep breath and held it…waiting.

“Bella.”

I smiled and exhaled.

I didn’t answer out loud, for fear that the sound of my voice would shatter the beautiful illusion. He sounded so real, so close. It was only when he was disapproving like this that I could hear the true memory of his voice–the velvet texture and the musical intonation that made up the most perfect of all voices.

“Don’t do this,” he pleaded.

, I reminded him. Well, watch me.

“Please. For me.”

But you won’t stay with me any other way.

“Please.” It was just whisper in the blowing rain that tossed my hair and drenched my clothes–making me as wet as if this were my second jump of the day.

I rolled onto the balls of my feet.

“No, Bella!” He was angry now, and the anger was so lovely.

I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain. But it was too ingrained from years of swimming at the public pool–feet first, first time. I leaned forward, crouching to get more spring…

And I flung myself off the cliff.