Erin Richie

“Don't be a sissy!”

Heidi was standing on the edge of the cliff waving her friend Staci closer. For her part, Staci coward a few feet back and shook her head.

“Come on! It's safe! I've done this a dozen times!”

Staci just bit her lip and shook her head again. Erin was watching all of this from the sidelines. Like Heidi, she stood right on the edge of the cliff. She was ready to jump with her friends.

“You're being a sissy! Come on!”

They were at an obvious impasse. Staci kept her eyes on her feet and looked like she was about to cry. Heidi kept gesturing wildly and yelling. Down below, wave after wave pounded against the cliff face. It was probably a four-story drop. Staci had come up to the edge with them, but when she saw that, she scooted back and refused to budge. Erin got nervous looking down there, too, but wouldn't disappoint Heidi. She wasn't going to be scared.

“It'll be fun! Don't be such a spoilsport!”

Staci shook her head again. There were tears on her cheeks. “But I don't want to!”

Erin kept looking at the waves. It was hard to tell from all the way up here, but the waves looked like they were as tall as walls. When they crashed against the cliff, they made a horrible sound. Erin totally understood Staci's fear. She didn't want to do this either.

“If you don't do this, then I'm calling you a sissy for the next week!”

Staci was quiet again. She just shook her head.

“And,” Heidi continued, glancing at Erin, “I'm going to make sure everybody else does, too!”

Erin didn't like this, but she nodded, anyway. Maybe that wasn't the right move. Staci's face went bright red and she started bawling. Immediately, Erin felt terrible. She went over to the other girl and took her hand.

“Come on, Staci. It'll be fine. Heidi's done this before.”

Staci visibly calmed down, but she still shook her head. “Please don't make me do this.”

Heidi also came over, grabbing Staci's other hand.

“Okay, it's time to go.”

She started dragging Staci towards the cliff. Staci resisted, but Heidi was stronger. As she was still grasping Staci's other hand, Erin realized she was expected to help Heidi drag their friend to the cliff. She felt awful for Staci, but that didn't matter. She wouldn't disappoint Heidi. She started dragging Staci towards the cliff.

“No! No!”

Staci screamed and thrashed in animal terror. Her voice had lost something that made it human. As hard she she struggled, though, she couldn't break free of her friends' hold. Slowly, they made it to the edge of the cliff.

Below, the waves had grown. Erin was trembling. She really didn't want to do this. Heidi was there, though, her long blonde hair blowing in the salty wind. She looked like a hero from the movies. She looked totally serene. Erin wouldn't disappoint her.

Both girls held on tight to Staci's hands, rocking them back and forth. “One!” Erin's legs were shaking. “Two!” She decided not to look down. “Three!”

And all three girls were plummeting through the sky.

Down below, waves the size of houses crashed against the cliff.