Young Southern Student Writer 2012

"Well, I'm afraid of heights and I'm scared of falling off the cliff," she said.

“It’s alright!" I tried to reassure her.

"Whatever you say, " she replied.

The group had sat down on some rocks at the edge to take a break,with our backs facing the edge. Lylia sat beside me. She pulled out her leaking sack and offered me some Hershey’s chocolate. I love chocolate like a monkey loves bananas so I had to say yes. On the other side of me was a student in my class named Rufus. He was smart like a young Einstein.

“Hey Ruf, how ya doing?"

“I’m doing fi…..!”

"Aaaahhhh!" screamed a voice beside me.

It sounded like Lylia's voice. I turned around to look and saw that Lylia was not there! I turned and looked down and no Lylia to be found!

"She must have fallen into the river!" I screamed.

The head guide ordered all the ladies and children to stay at the rocks, and the men to go search for Lylia.

"NO!" I screamed. “I’m going to find my best friend!”

Rufus pulled me back with his strong, sturdy arms, and whispered to me.

"It is too dangerous to go, you must stay!" Rufus told me calmly.

I slowly fainted into his arms. I woke up to a cold ice pack on my head and Rufus by my side.

“Are you okay?” Rufus asked.

I started to mumble. “I…I…I guess I...I .. .I am," I said.

I tried to tweak my eyes open, and when I did, around me were different people in my hiking group, and all of them were women and children. It looked like the men already started their search party. Behind all the ladies, I heard screaming and crying. I sat up and pulled the anxious people out of my way. Sitting there was Mrs. Doyle, crying her heart out. 1 got up and rushed into Mrs. Doyle's arms.

"Oh, you are okay!" she in relief.

“I’m feeling fine," I said.

"My daughter ..... she ... !"

I interrupted. "I know," I said sadly.

Silence shattered everyone as 12 men walked up the steep mountain. The hiking leader started walking up to Lylia's mother and I. He patted her back slowly and gave her a sad look. One of the brave men was carrying a soaked little girl. I gasped! Little miss Lylia Doyle lay in the man's hairy arms. Mrs. Doyle ran over to Lylia and cried. She 148