"Hey, Bambi!" Austin calls from the kitchen.
"Ya?" I reply, getting up from the couch and unglueing my eyes from 'That 70's Show'.
"We forgot to buy macaroni noodles..." he says as I walk into the kitchen. "Wanna go to Smith's and buy some?"
Looking at the empty pan, my stomach gave a grumble. "Sure, why not?" I said.
"Ok." he grabbed his jacket from the table. "Phil! We're running to Smith's!" he called down the hall.
"Alright." came the muffled reply.
As I cross the threshold outside, I have to stop momentarily, blinking in the bright sunlight.
"Come on." Austin grumbled. "I'm hungry."
I stick my hands into my pockets, leaving the thumbs out, shoved through a belt loop apiece(a habit of mine), and strode off down the street alongside my friend, humming "Free Falling". That's when I saw it. The crane.
There was a girl at the top of it; it had to be a girl, no guy I know walks with that sort of grace.
With a scream, she threw herself off, a fifty-foot drop to the ground.
I yell, something incoherent, and took off around the corner at a dead-on sprint.
I reach the parking lot just in time to see her hanging there: suspended, midair, by a cord.
My heart was still racing as Austin caught up with me. Panting, he asked: "Wh-what happened?"
"They're bungie jumping," I reply, then back to the big, red crane, and a sign proclaiming the recreational deathtrap's prices. "20 bucks a person," I say "let's do it." Niether a question nor a command.
"You crazy?" he asks incredulously.
"No, I'm not," I say, digging in my jeans for my wallet. " I've always wanted to try it, why not now? Come on, it'll be fun!" I turn to face him.
"You can, if you want to break your neck. I'll stay down here where it's nice and safe."
"Suit yourself." I look up at the crane. "I'll go, then."
"Have fun in the hospital!" he calls jokingly at my back.
After paying my $20 to the person at the foot of the crane, I slowly begin mounting the steep staircase to the top of it, where I have to wait in line behind a short, fidgety boy in the very front and a cute girl with auburn hair and beautiful brown eyes right in front of me.
Minutes passed. The boy went, then left, nearly in tears. Poor kid. Then it was the girl's turn. Flashing a smile towards me (I return it, not sure whether I looked ok or not), she dove off the crane, yelling with pure exhilarating joy.
I begin to strap on my harness, and waited for my turn.
They pull the girl back up. She looks a bit dishevelled, but again gave me that perfect, flashing smile before heading back down the stairs. The operator straps the cord to my harness.
Walking towards the edge, I suddenly notice every little detail; the birds circling high above, the people down below, the breeze, gently caressing my hair.
The auburn-haired girl and her perfect smile.
With a sigh, hoping I look as brave as the girl, I throw myself off, into nothing...