Free After the Fire by Becky Citra Page A

lifeguard had frowned at her and some boys had jeered.
    â€œHe jumped right from here,” reported Alice. She looked over her shoulder at Melissa. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. “He said it felt fantastic. He said it didn’t hurt at all when he landed.”
    â€œOh,” said Melissa.
    â€œAre you afraid to stand on the edge?” said Alice.
    â€œNot really,” said Melissa. “I just don’t want to, that’s all.”
    â€œWhat about jumping? Would you be afraid to jump?”
    â€œI don’t know,” said Melissa. “It’s just not my thing.”
    Alice peered over the edge one last time and then walked back to Melissa. “This is my plan,” she said.
    Melissa felt a tickle of apprehension run up her back.
    â€œWe agree to jump. Both of us.”
    â€œI don’t want to,” said Melissa quickly.
    â€œI don’t mean now. We have to psych ourselves up for this. We’ll make a pact. We’ll solemnly swear to jump in one week.”
    â€œNo,” said Melissa.
    â€œI thought you were in on this,” said Alice.
    â€œIn on what?” said Melissa weakly.
    â€œThis whole thing. Being part of Dar Wynd. Elfrida is brave. She’d do it.”
    You’re the one who’s pretending to be Elfrida, not me, thought Melissa. Alice’s stare made her uncomfortable.
    â€œWe need some kind of test of bravery,” Alice persisted. “And it’s not like it’s even dangerous or anything. Austin’s done it tons of times.”
    That’s not how she had made it sound before, thought Melissa. She had pictured Austin jumping once, that was all. Maybe he had just been lucky. “I’d never be able to do it,” she said.
    There was a short silence. Then Alice said frostily, “Okay, I’ll do it by myself. And I’ll have to think about all this. You coming to Dar Wynd, I mean. It’s not going to work if you won’t do stuff.”
    What kind of stuff? For a second, Melissa pictured Alice climbing in the window of their cabin. Was that the kind of stuff she meant? Melissa felt miserable as she followed Alice back down the trail to the canoe. She scrambled in her mind for a way to repair the rift that had sprung up between them. Alice had said they would jump in one week. Melissa could always pretend to be part of the pact and then at the very end say she had changed her mind.
    Melissa sucked in her breath. “Okay, I’ll do it,” she said slowly.
    Alice spun around, a wide smile lighting up her face. “We’ll prick our fingers with the knife when we get back to Dar Wynd. This is going to be great. I’m so glad you came here, Melissa!”
    Melissa flushed. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She felt guilty about deceiving Alice, but it was worth it if she got to keep her for a friend.
    â€œMay the gods witness this deed,” whispered Alice. “We take the oath to jump from the High Cliff on the eleventh of August. We seal this pact with the blood cast this day at the stronghold of Dar Wynd.”
    Melissa studied the pinprick of deep red blood that sprang up on the tip of her thumb. She glanced up at Alice’s pale face, pinched with excitement, and shivered.

Eleven
    W hen Melissa got back to the cabin, there was a note on the table from her mother.
    Cody and I have gone to the store. Keeping ice is a full-time job. NO SWIMMING BY YOURSELF!!! Love Mom
    Melissa got out her sketchbook and pencils and settled herself on the porch . She doodled for a few minutes while she decided what to draw. Her mind drifted to the pact that she and Alice had made. It had been dumb, really, pricking their fingers with the knife. The kind of thing little kids did. But Alice had taken it so seriously.
    There was no way Melissa was going to jump off that cliff. She knew that about herself. It made her sick just thinking about it. She shrugged away the worrisome