She pushed her hair away from her face, staring at the ground as she shuffled along.

“I dare you.”

Her voice cracked as she spoke, and she bit her lip quickly to prevent the tears from falling.  Her hair blew into her face again.  She didn’t try to push it back.  

“I dare you.”  

She sat at the edge of the cliff.   Thoughts swirling about her head, she tried to push them away.   They would not leave.  Her emotions pressed at her eyes, the force becoming unbearable.  Water thundered below.  It raged angrily; spray reaching up to the heavens, calling her down from her rocky perch.  She looked at it longingly, wishing she could comply.  

“I dare you.”

Pale hands shaking, she pulled her sweatshirt tighter around her shoulders.  She gasped suddenly, tears rushing as quickly as the river beneath her.  Her shoulders shook with every sob, her breath came in ragged bursts.  

“I dare you.”

The wind blew about her body, throwing sand and debris into her side.  She covered her face, pulling her knees up to her forehead, and tried to control each gasping breath.  Each tear.  Each event in her life, so planned and perfect.   So robotic.  So not her.  

“I dare you.”  

The wild beauty of the cliffs surrounded her, calling her to peace. She ignored it.  Everything had come down to this last day, this final moment.  She reached into her pocket, fingering the crumpled piece of paper inside.  The other note was at home, lying on her bed.  She bit back another wave of tears.  She sniffed and breathed as evenly as she could.  

“I dare you.”

She stood up, looking at the river once again.  She looked at the sky.  A hawk flew in circles above.  She pulled up her jeans, trying to ignore the pain as the fabric rubbed against new scars.  She looked across the ravine, the woods on the other side.  Her home, her town.  Her parents.  “WHY?!” she screamed at them, at all of them.  Her scream echoed across the landscape.  The hawk disappeared.  A twig snapped behind her.  
She whirled around, saw nothing.  She turned back to the cliff.  Sat back down.   She put her head down again, sobbing again.   A hand gently patted her shoulder, a figure sat next to her.  

“I dare you.”   

She looked the newcomer in the eyes, looking at the object of much of her love and fear.  “Why are you here?” Asked the friend.  

“I dare you.”

The newcomer watched as the girl stood up, looked at the ledge.  The girl sat back down.  “I love you,” she whispered.  She kissed the newcomer on the cheek, passed her the note in her pocket.  The river beckoned to her still, ragged rocks reaching towards the ledge.  Called her to her end.  


“I dare you.”