Without Hesitation (Open)

[Stare]

Dysis Admea



They rise and laugh and watch me fall,
And then they are foolish and think themselves tall.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I yank on the knot as hard as I can, nodding approvingly at the mess of rope that clings to the tree branch. It took a while for me to learn how to tie a proper knot that would hold my weight- I had to climb the tree that my rope swings is in and study it for quite a while before figuring it out. But now, my hands weave the rough material over and under and around automatically and without hesitation. I tug on it, just to make sure, and smile when the rope straightens with a soft snap. Being sure not step off the branch I'm standing on, I peer down at the ground, about twenty feet below. This was the perfect tree to choose. This branch is high and strong, and there are no others to block my way as I fall. I grin, glad I found this wonderful location. My hnads begin to pull at the rope, dragging the end up to me. The knot at the very bottom is small, and I grip the area just above it, closing my eyes for a moment before leaping.

There's always one moment in the air, where everything seems to be frozen in place, and I think, Well, I guess there's no turning back now. That one moment where time seems to be locked in stone, and the realization kind of hits you in the gut. I love that moment- it's when the sudden pounding of my heart and screaming in my ears starts, because there is only air underneath me. Nothing holding me up, and nothing pulling me down. I am simply there, a place and time without gravity, the very second before the fall begins, and everything is still with the exception of my heart, which pounds against my chest with incredible force.

And then I'm falling.

The speed is the first thing I always notice. How it's like someone is yanking me down from midair, faster and faster, toward the ground. The feeling of freedom is undeniable, and I let out a laugh, gripping the rope tightly and tilting my head back to face the sky, sunlight warming my face and melting away any fear or pain or guilt that remains from the day. The air is crisp and cold, rushing through my clothes and freezing me. My heart beats like a loud drum, and adrenaline races through my veins, giving me energy like nothing else possible could. I grin at the puffy white clouds that are highlighted with silver, watching them stay the same size while everything else seems to shrink.

Pure joy is a wonderful thing. It's like sunlight runs through my blood, warming me on even the coldest of days. And there's absolutely no weight, just simple freedom that seems to lift everything off my shoulders. It's like someone came up to me and said, "Here, I'll take that load for a while." Maybe that's what happiness really is. When you forget everything that hurts because it's just so unimportant conpared to what I'm doing at that very moment. People can stare and make faces and call me a child, but it doesn't matter, because I am a child, whether they want to believe it or not. Just because I'm halfway through my teenage years doesn't mean I have to be constantly held down by all the responsibility I must have. There are times to remember, and times to forget. I don't want to be constantly haunted by a shadow of pain that is hidden in the word 'adulthood'.

I note, oddly calm, at how I seem to be falling straight down. A nearby branch is coming at me quickly, and I lift my foot up slightly. The small impact takes a chunk of bark off the branch, and sends me flying froward, off balance. I grip the rope tighter, my knuckles white, as I try to resist the urge to let go of the rope and steady myself in midair with my arms. That is pointless, of course. When falling, there is no controlling yourself. Nothingness is all that you feel as you fall farther and faster. So I grit my teeth, looking down in concentration. The stop with still be abrupt, but not enough to make me let go.

I feel the rope suddenly tighten, and for a single second, my figers loosen, and my hands slide down. I hiss in as the rope burns my hands, but continue to grip it as I glide to the side in an upsidedown arc, coming to a gentle, swinging stop. I let go of the rope and study my hands, which are bright red. With the back of my finger, I trace over the palm of my right hand, wincing when a little trail of off white follows. I wish I had some water to put on it, but the nearest creek is a while away. So instead, I simply press them against my jeans, which are ice cold from the fall, hoping to at least sooth the burning sensation that makes the delicate skin tingle.

It's hard to believe that everything- jumping, falling, burning my hands- happened in under ten seconds.

[/size][/blockquote][/justify]

[jimmylost]

Milo Piper:
There was never really a definable reason that Milo spent so much time outdoors. there was the obvious stuff like the time he spent working in the woods with most of the others of District seven. There was always that time afterwords though, when most kids like him would head home he just seemed to wander. Sometimes on his own sometimes with others, if it was anyone but Milo you could say he was avoiding home. Though the more accurate reason he would give you would be something like 'just wanting to enjoy this lovely day a little longer' on an ice cold evening, after working for hours.

Though today actually was quite lovely, quite worthy of adoration from a pair of eyes that would look to find every speck of beauty. In looking they would probably notice some things most wouldn't. After all even in district seven people so often forgot to look up, though admittedly those who did probably wouldn't expect to see what Milo did.

It was a rumor; one of those things Milo always tried to avoid, rumors tended to hurt people so often after all. Sometimes, though, rumors are true, like that one of the girl living around these woods who flung herself out of trees with nothing more then a rope to hang onto. It wasn't like the story was entirely unbelievable, anything was possible in the mind of Milo Piper. The forewarning did very little to quell his shock at seeing the the young girl leaping to what should have been her death.

He wanted to yell, or gasp, or project some kind of verbal reaction. There was nothing there though, just the tumbling sight of of of hair and clothing crashing toward the earth in a white blur. Then there was the thought that Milo couldn't quite place, the little bit of his mind that tried to find beauty in every little thing remarking that if the girl died it may be the most beautiful death he had ever seen. A quick observation that was nearly completely lost in absolute worry for this stranger as her decent became hindered by a branch and any control she seemed to hold flew away like the birds she seemed to imitate. He stood completely still, hindered by a fear for this girls life and the shame of his own thoughts.

When the last morsel of hope that the girl would be ok had left him, when even her own attempts to slow her fall seemed to be failing he broke out of his paralysis. He ran forward painfully aware of the fact that he wouldn't reach her in time and if he had reacted immediately he would have. Then she stopped so close to the ground that it took his breath away. He stood mute for a few seconds watching the girls swing, back and forth, seemed to calm his mind enough to allow for speech. "Are- are you ok?" he asked hesitantly taking a few steps closer to the girl and the tree.

[Stare]

Dysis Admea

A dream will always live in your mind,
It's something to work toward, not to find.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Whenever I fall, I try not to look down. The fast approaching ground seems to tie reality back into my moments where dreams come alive. I always focus on the sky, and the endless possibilities. My mom used to say that there was an old saying. The sky is the limit. And my dad would always grin and reply that the sky is not a limit, but a minimum. It took be a while to understand what he meant. Anything's possible- if you aim high, you'll accomplish even greater things. So the sky has always been an inspiration to me. It's always been the symbol for dreams and accomplishment in my mind. And so, when my heart is full and my mind free, I look toward the sky and feel the freedom pumping through my body, and love the way all the stress just isn't there. So I didn't see the boy. Not until he spoke.

People say that I'm probably secretly afraid of the fall, but just won't admit it. I don't argue. How can I explain to them that even after falling without the rope, and hurting myself, I still am not afraid. I still love the thrill. They would never understand. They would stare at me and shake their heads and wonder why I'm not classified as crazy. I know they don't like my falling. Still, I can't help but be surprised when I see the look of horror and disbelief on this boy's face. I can tell he's older than me, although I can't guess how many years. One or two. Not too big of a difference. Still, I always feel young in the presence of an older teenager. They always tell me I have to let go of my childhood. They think playing pretend is for kids. Well, I still am a kid.

I ignore the burning sensation that is eating away at the skin on my palms, and allow my arms to relax at my sides, hoping the cool air will soothe the raw skin. My face breaks into a grin, and I tilt my head to one side, my thoughts of pain and slight annoyance at myself washed away by the new curiosity that stands before me. I'm not used to other people. Of course, I go to school, and have a few friends, but most people avoid me. I'm the crazy girl who leaps out of trees. Somehow, they associated my love of falling with my sanity. They say I think I'm a bird. I've always ignored this rumor- those who are worth knowing will realize it is untrue and won't judge me for it.

Suddenly, just as I'm about to answer, a thought strikes me. I turn around, glances at the rope, which still swings back in force in a solo dance. I squint as I look up, my lashes attempting to keep the bright sun out of my eyes as I try to spot the knot. It's up high. I'll have to climb up to untie it. I turn back and lift my hands, palms up. They are already move bright red, and as I curl them, a tingling pain zips up and down them. I try not to cringe at the thought of climbing back up and untying the rope, and remind myself that this is the consequence of loosening my grip. I've been falling for years now. I know what to do and what not to do. My hands will be fine. I think there's a plant somewhere around the area that cools burns, that I've used in the past.

But I hault my train of thought, reminding myself that I have company. The look of shock on his face makes me want to laugh, but I don't. Instead, I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine, with the exception of some rope burn." I glance up at the tree that I fell from. "I've had a lot of practice. I know what I'm doing."

[/size][/blockquote][/justify]

[jimmylost]

With the knowledge that the girl was for the most part unharmed Milo let himself relax and his usual friendly smile took his face over. He walked over to stand next to the girl and stared up from her point of view to where her rope was tied near the top. "Man that is high!" he exclaimed "you're amazing I can't believe I just saw that, you should have a show or something, It would beat The Hunger Games that;s for sure"

As he spoke he moved his hands to further show his enthusiasm. When he took his next breath he leaned against the trunk of the tree immediately becoming perfectly still against it, like it was the most comfortable thing to rest on in the world. "I just can't believe it, you must not have any sense of fear at all how'd do you do it? I'm Milo Piper By the way wait-" he had held out a hand in greeting but in doing so immediately remembered what the girl had said about rope burn. "Rope burns work like regular burns right? waters supposed to help here I have some water"

He held out a small bottle that he had had attached to his belt "and I think there's a place that sells some kind of ointment for blisters and things, my parents wanted me to get some when I started working, the blisters you can get from those rented axes are ridiculous- but anyway I never got some myself because it was always a tad on the pricey side but you might want to get some if those are really bed..."

"Sorry people say I talk to much what was you're name?"

OOC: sorry a bit short can't get in this kids head right yet...

[Stare]

Dysis Admea

Leap
And I promise, you will fall.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I've never been one to talk a lot. Ever since I starting jumping out of trees, people classified me as insane, and never thought about it again, so I've never had the chance to talk to people. They never try. I got used to being quiet, and hearing conversations, but not joining them. Listening to others speak, but never answering a question that wasn't directed at me. Like a ghost, I drift through the halls of school, stopping by different groups of people and listening in before moving to another. They hardly ever acknowledge my presence, which is probably a good thing. Who knows what they would say if they didn't ignore me? While I may be an outcast at school, I'm happy. I guess I sort of adapted to the way people treated me.

So when this boy- Milo, I think is what he said his name was- just starts pouring out all these words, I am both startled and confused. He asks a few questions, but before I can answer, he's moved on, talking more and more. His hands waves around him in enthusiasm, telling their own sort of story, and eventually, I just do what I do best. I close my mouth, quit trying to respond, and listen, my eyes slightly wider than normal, and eyebrows raised. When he's finally finished, I feel like a should be panting, for the effort of trying to hold onto the words that flew at me like bullets. For a moment, there is nothing but still silence in the woods, and I grasp onto the moment like I grasp onto my rope at the end of a fall, trying to organize my thoughts. A bird calls out, adding on to the serenity of everything, and the shock on my face is washed off, quickly replaced with a warm smile.

"My hands will be fine," I say, shaking my head. Holding up one finger to signify that I will be right back, I walk over to the tree and open my backpack, wincing a little as I grip the zipper between my two hands. Rope burn is not an uncommon injury for me, but it's usually not too severe. However, after I came home with my very first, my parents insisted that I bring the medical supplies to treat it when I went falling. It's the least I can do, really. I turn around, back toward him, carrying a few alcohol swabs, some anti-bacterial cream, and a bandage. While peeling away the shiny, smooth paper, I look up at him with shining turquoise eyes.

"My name's Dysis," I say, applying the anti-bacteria cream with care. I rub my hands together gently to ensure that it's spread all over the burn. "Dysis Admea." I add, remembering that he used both his first and last name. My mother always warned me not to give my full name out to strangers, but this boy seems nice and sincere. I'm sure she's make an exception for him. Besides, I think, if he does end up being some sort of kidnapper or something, I'll just climb a tree as fast as I can. Even with injured hands, that should be fast.

I twist the clean bandage around my right hand, hiding bright pink and slightly torn flesh underneath artificial white. It certainly looks cleaner, although my movements of it are slightly restricted, and the palms still sting and tingle underneath. I switch hands, and look up at him again, the bandage being wrapped around my hand with automatic movements. "I love jumping out of trees. You can say it's dangerous, but just compare jumping out of trees to swimming. A person can drown when they swim if they don't know how. A person can die falling if they don't know how. It's the same basic concept. Of course, the rope could break, but there could always be a sharp current that could slam you into a rock, or a shark if you're swimming in District Four."

I gaze up at the tree tops, my eyes wide with wonder. The higher I fall from, the more wonderful it is. The more beautiful. There's that feeling of freedom that clings onto me as I fall faster and faster, the air lifting my blonde hair up above my shoulders. They can call me crazy, but they'll never know. They'll constantly be help down my gravity, crushed under the weight of they're own worries and desires, while I'm free of it all, as light as air and as unfettered by anything. "It's really worth it. People can say what they want to, but they won't understand what it feels like until they try it for themselves. It's not just beautiful. It's spellbinding. Once you've felt it, all you want is to leap one more time. But it never is." I look up toward the still blue sky again, my smile becoming softer, and my eyes distant. "You're always coming back again."

I blink, and everything seems to crash back down on me again. I throw the supplies and wrappers back behind me, onto my back pack, and grin. "You should try it sometime. It's pretty amazing."

[/blockquote][/justify][/size]

[jimmylost]

It's only as he takes his first breath that Milo realizes that his usual tendency to take complete control of the conversation has somewhat overwhelmed the girl. She regains her footing rather quickly but he makes a mental note not to say quite as much at once from now on. It's always been his first priority to make whoever is sharing his company as comfortable as possible, even if it means adjusting his own personality. It's only ever a slight adjustment, something he often doesn't even notice himself, but it makes him a slightly different person to everyone he meets.

She introduces herself, Dysis, Milo smiles at the name instantly and permanently associating it to her face. She treats her hands in an automatic way that tells Milo that the rumors he's heard are mostly leaning on the true side. He listens intently as she explains her love of falling to him and nods in agreement to comparison of the danger involved. It makes sense and is also something Milo never considered when looking at situations like her own. The light in her eyes and the excitement in her voice quickly infects Milo plastering a smile of his own onto his face. The way she speaks, he can almost feel her love of the fall becoming his own. Then again Milo is always the one to feel the slight echo of strong emotion in his own heart.

It's when she brings him back into the conversation that what he feels comes out in a nervous laugh. "You certainly make it sound amazing, but I think I would have to learn to 'swim' first you know." he sets his gaze to the rope still swinging between them "I don't think I have the courage to attempt either honestly"

He reached out giving the rope a curious push, the feeble reactive motion to his touch illustrating how little he was willing to move it. "It's kinda embarrassing a little girl being braver then me"

Not really, Milo never really cared about how brave people considered him. He knew he was a coward and believed he made up for it by making everyone around him feel better about themselves. He had heard a tinge of shame under everything Dysis had been telling him, possibly imagined, but from the way people spoke of her he thought perhaps her ego could use a bit of boosting. Not to mention he really did believe what she did was something amazing.