Wonderland is Dead [On Hold]

Looking for a Way Out

        I love that feeling you get right before you're about to do something. Something daring. Something your parents never wanted you to do.

        Like jumping off of a cliff.

        I got that feeling of exhilaration as I dug my heels into the soft earth and pushed off the dry land. Then I was soaring. I felt nothing except excitement mixed with some fear as I looked below me, the icy blue water of the lake welcoming me as I got closer and closer.

        Then I hit the water. I let my body go limp against the faint freezing currents, listening to the quietness of under the lake. Compared the the world above, the calmness of the water was bliss. The world above was filled with noises, while nothing could be heard within the grasps of the blue of the lake.

        I opened my eyes, kicking myself back up towards the surface of the lake as bubbles swarmed around me, seeming to help me reach my destination. Within seconds I broke the surface of the icy blue lake, taking my first breath of air since my jump. I looked back up the cliff, giving my friend Laura a thumbs up and a huge grin.

        She only placed her hands on her hips, moving her red hair away from her face. "Morgan! I thought you had died!" She yelled down to me, sicere worry and now anger filling her high pitched voice.

        I rolled my eyes, kicking my legs to stay above the water. "Of course you did, Laura." I shouted back. "Because you always come to the worst conclusions."

        She pretened to gasp. "No I do not! I was seriously worried about you! I mean, what would I do if my best friend drowned in a lake while with me? Think of what would happen to me. I would be a dead woman."

        I laughed, shaking my head. "So say I did drown... You wouldn't care about me?"

        She tried to hide her playful smile, covering her mouth with her hand for a second. "Of course not! Not when I had the chance of being beaten by your brother for letting you jump of off a cliff and dying."

        I raised an eyebrow. "So are you jumping into the water or not?" I asked her, letting a sliver of playfulness enter my voice.

        She nodded, grinning. "Of course I am! I'm not going to let you sit in the freezing cold water alone!" She sighed, walking away from the edge of the cliff while throwing a "hold on a second" over her shoulder.

        I sat in the water, still kicking bubbles around with my feet to stay up. Seconds later, Laura was running towards the edge of the cliff and pushing off like I had. But unlike me, she let out a scream as she fell closer to the surface of the lake.

        After about thirty seconds, she broke the surface of the water, letting out a squeal as she shook her head to get rid of some of the water that was now trapped in her loose curls.

        "The water's freezing!" She yelled more to herself, squealing another time.

        I let out a small laugh. "I didn't tell you that it wasn't."

        She turned and playfully glared at me. "Well you should have!"

        "Really?" I asked, giving her a look.

        She nodded. "Yes, you should have." And with that, she splashed me, sending the same droplets of water she was complaining about into my face.

        I squealed, turning away from her and hiding my eyes from the water.

        She giggled from behind me and I turned around just in time to have more droplets sent in my face.

        I splashed her back, giving her a fake glare. "Don't splash me again." I told her, struggling to hide my smile.

        She let out another giggle. "Okay, okay..."

        I sighed, throwing myself onto my back against the water. "Ugh..." I started as she did the same.

        We sat there for a few minutes, staring up at the cloudless light blue sky in silence.

        "God, I hate this village." Laura muttered from next to me.

        I nodded in quiet agreement.

        She sighed. "I can't wait to move out of here. I just, I want something /more/... You know what I mean?"

        It was my turn to sigh. "Yeah, I understand. Unfortunately, I'll probably be stuck here for a long time." I trailed off, not taking my eyes off of the single cloud that was moving across the sky.

        Laura scoffed. "You have a better chance of leaving than I do." She told me, turning her head to meet my eyes. "I mean, the only thing I can think of that would let me out of this village would be if some rich boy comes to visit his grandparents or whatever, meets me, then decides to whisk me off to his mansion and make me his wife."

        I gave out a small laugh. "You know, my brother's always available." I told her sarcastically.

        She frowned. "He's not really my type."

I shook my head, smiling. "I was joking. I don't advise you going after him, he wouldn't ever get the hint."

        Laura laughed, shaking her head. "But seriously, I'm never going to get out of here."

        I nodded. "Me either."

        I looked away from her as she did, turning my attention back towards the little cloud that was now halfway across the blue of the sky.

        She was right, it would take something huge to get us out of this little village.

        Turns out, that thing was coming sooner than I had imagined.