A Cliff By The Sea

• Tatum Sterling, Grade 9L
• Short Story
• 2015

I've always loved that cliff.
I know, it sounds weird. After all, how can a person love a cliff? Well, that’s the funny thing because I didn't so much as love the cliff, but rather, its isolation. One could sit on the edge and dangle their legs off, gazing into the crashing waves and sharp rocks below and feel powerful. You had the power to tempt your fate at the cliff. The power to decide life or death with one…small…step.
But that wasn't the best part. The best thing about sitting on the cliff was watching the waves. Those mesmerizing waves… When troubles and thoughts plagued my mind and clawed at my sanity, all I had to do was scream and I could count on the waves to carry those thoughts far out to sea. Because they crashed so loudly onto the rocks below, they would silence my screams for anyone but me. I could scream at them about the teasing, about the messages, about the abuse, about everything, and the waves would carry them miles away never to be heard of again.
And I was alone. Alone with the waves and the rocks.

I always hated leaving the cliff. Everything away from it seemed…
Let's just say nothing was the same.
At school I was ignored, excluded, hit and at home, I was worthless. But at the cliff, I was able to be me, without any hesitations or worries. I could cry, laugh and scream and no one would care. I was free!
I belong at the cliff. I belong with the waves. I feel powerful whenever I am there. I have the power to tempt my fate, the power to decide life or death with one…small…step.
I've always loved the cliff.