On The Edge

5... Shattering Secrets and People from the Past

Jake stood there and found himself staring at the face of Sarah, all covered in soot. He slid down the pile of junk and sat down beside her. Sarah wiped her tears and tried to put on a fake smile.

"What are you doing here in an abandoned building!"

"Well...." replied Sarah, clearly showing signs of hesitation.

"You can trust me. I'm not going to hurt you."

Sarah wasn't used to letting people into her life so easily, but she found some sort of comfort in his expressions and the calm tone of his voice. She choked back her tears.

"So it was a few months ago that I was with James McAllistair.

He couldn't take criticism and always wanted to be the best. I kept telling him that this wasn't good and he didn't have to prove anything to anyone.

One day, he was beaten at Football by a new kid. He beat up the kid, and eventually broke the kid's back. He used this as an example to reinstate his power in school's hierarchy.

I couldn't take it any more and I broke up with him.

He hated it and started spreading rumors. He beat up anyone who spoke to me and became my friend in order to isolate me. People began to hate me and I was left all alone, not liable to show my face to anyone without getting a cold shoulder.

So I come here as a sort of refuge from the hate. It just helps me think.." said Sarah finishing her story.

Jake's mind was swimming.

"Wait... James... The guy who beat me up," asked Jake.

"Yup..."

"Where have I heard the name before..." thought Jake. The name seemed all too familiar.

Lost in his world of thought, Jake made his way down the stairs leading to the entrance of the building. Sarah had decided to stay there and study for her upcoming test in peace. Stuck in his world of thought, he missed a stair, and went tumbling down right into the door of the fire exit. The impact was hard and a sharp pain seared his arm. He brushed the dust off and got up. By the time Jake got back to the pitch, it was the lunch break.

The rest of the day went by in a blur and Jake found himself sitting in Advanced Geography as the bell signaling the end of school rang.

He quietly exited the school building and walked the rest of the way home alone. He was lost in the depths of his memory, trying to recall where he had heard the all too familiar name; 'James McAllistair' before he had come into Kennedy Senior High.

He walked into his house, and dropped his bag off at the table. His mother was seeing an old album of photographs. He sat beside her. His gaze came across an old photograph from his kindergarten days. It was a 5' by 5' and was rather old. It was a picture

of Jake standing beside another boy of his age.

Jake gasped in surprise.

"No bloody way!"