have　sounded　in　my　head

—furious；　velvet；

perfect　The　burning　in　my　chest　flared　agonizingly。

There　had　to　be　some　way　to　quench　it。　The　pain　was　growing　more　and　more

intolerable　by　the　second。

I　glared　at　the　cliffs　and　the　crashing　waves。

Well；　why　not？　Why　not　quench　it　right　now？

Jacob　had　promised　me　cliff　diving；　hadn't　he？　Just　because　he　was

unavailable；　should　I　have　to　give　up

the　distraction　I　needed　so　badly—needed　even　worse　because　Jacob　was　out

risking　his　life？　Risking　it；

in　essence；　for　me。　If　it　weren't　for　me；　Victoria　would　not　be　killing　people

here　just　somewhere　else；

far　away。　If　anything　happened　to　Jacob；　it　would　be　my　fault。　That

realization　stabbed　deep　and　had　me

jogging　back　up　to　the　road　toward　Billy's　house；　where　my　truck　waited。

I　knew　my　way　to　the　lane　that　passed　closest　to　the　cliffs；　but　I　had　to　hunt

for　the　little　path　that　would

take　me　out　to　the　ledge。　As　I　followed　it；　I　looked　for　turns　or　forks；

knowing　that　Jake　had　planned　to

take　me　off　the　lower　outcropping　rather　than　the　top；　but　the　path　wound　in　a

thin　single　line　toward　the

brink　with　no　options。　I　didn't　have　time　to　find　another　way　down—the　storm

was　moving　in　quickly

now。　The　wind　was　finally　beginning　to　touch　me；　the　clouds　pressing　closer　to

the　ground。　Just　as　I

reached　the　place　where　the　dirt　path　fanned　out　into　the　stone　precipice；　the

first　drops　broke　through

and　splattered　on　my　face。

It　was　not　hard　to　convince　myself　that　I　didn't　have　time　to　search　for

another　way—I　wanted　to　jump

from　the　top。　This　was　the　image　that　had　lingere