“I heard there’s a cliff that nobody has ever climbed!” My friend exclaimed from the other end of the table in front of me. I smiled still sad after my brothers death. He died while scuba diving in extreme conditions, ever since then I haven’t felt the adrenaline I used to love. “What do you think? I think we should go do it! We could be the very first people to do it too!” I gripped my cup harder my heart beat rising. “Sure..” I said looking down at my drink.”
My friend squealed at my answer and quickly got up saying she was going to start planning. She left the diner soon after, I sat there looking down at my half eaten food and smiled glumly. By the time we had reached the mountain it was beginning to get dark. “Are you sure we shouldn’t go back to the hotel? It’s getting really dark.” I said as we started to set everything up. “We’ll be fine! We have flashlights remember?” I nodded and searched through our bags making sure we had everything we needed.
We pulled our harnesses on and began climbing, the sun started to set and it was getting harder to see. By that time we were about 5,000 feet above the ground. We had pulled out our headlamps and attached our flashlights to the strap of our backpack to point up. We continued to climb until early morning. “Aren’t you tired yet?” My friend yelled from atop me. “Kinda, but we’re almost there right?”
“I think so. How long have we been climbing anyway?”
“Probably 4 hours? Glad we got some rest before coming here.” My friend looked for some more footing as I continued to ascend below them. “He-“ my friend said right before plummeting. My eyes widened as they fell “Jasmine!” I yelled. Their rope held them in place. I quickly reached out, “Take my hand!” They reached out grasping my hand. I tried to pull them closer to the wall but their rope snapped making them fall further. I held my grip tightening my hand, feeling my muscles tense up. “Don’t let go!” She screamed. I tried to find more leverage but couldn’t. My muscles ached from holding her for so long, “pleas-“ she said before slipping through my grip. She fell plummeting onto a small cliff below me. She slowly got up. “I’m ok!” I smiled knowing she was safe. “Should I come back down?”
I could see her nod and slowly started to descend. By the time I was almost to the cliff my hand slipped scraping against a rock. Blood poured out of the wound making me cringe. I continued to descend and reach the cliff. I grabbed her and hugged her. I felt something wet and sticky on my shirt. “Jasmine.. Are you sure your o-“ I pulled away seeing her all bloody. Her skull cracked open letting blood ooze down her face and shirt. I screamed pushing her away, she fell off the cliff pulling down both our bags over the edge with her body. I watched in horror and tried to reach out for the bags before they fell over the edge.
I weeped watching her fall down further into the trees below. My only friend, gone.. i curled up on the cliff and fell asleep tired from the climbing. When I woke up I found vultures gnawing at my palm. I grabbed a rock and smashed its head open eating the flesh off it. I had regained some of my energy and looked around for anything useful. My climbing rope, harness, a few granola bars from my pocket, a headlamp, and the bones of the vulture. Maybe I should try descending further down? But I doubt I can do that with the condition of my hand. I got up and surveyed my surroundings. Rocks, trees, the sky, and a helicopter? A helicopter! I waved my arms wildly trying to get their attention. They started to fly further away and I picked up my headlamp letting it shine against the sun. I saw them signal back and smiled. My friend standing with me smiling, I smiled back and saw their head start oozing blood. I backed away and saw them try to reach out before seeing the helicopter come back around. She disappeared and I continued to wave.
They lowered a rope to me and I started climbing it. Once I reached the helicopter they asked what happened. I told them and they said they would collect my friends body. When we reached the hospital I saw my friend being rushed in the paramedics calling for a nurse.
After a week I was called into the police station who told me my friend was dead. I cried my eyes out until they put cuffs around my wrists telling me I was under arrest for murdering her. “Why?! I didn’t kill her!” The police men around me looked around and one stepped up “When you were on that cliff and “hugged her” she was still alive, when you pushed her off she hit the tree dying instantly.” I started to tear up and was sent to a cell. I was given 25 years in prison. Everywhere she terrorizes me in my sleep, in the morning, at work, the worst was when I was still in prison. She would sit next to me and tell me I could’ve saved her. I would try to defend myself but she would reach out strangling me. After that I tried to ignore her but ignoring her was an even worse idea. She would grab me by my hair and bash my head against the wall, sometimes the guards would stop her other times they would just watch and when she was done would take me to the nurses office.
It’s been 25 years and I’ve been released. I’m still suffering, she won’t leave me alone. Why?