The voice most likely came from the stage. It was still set up. That’s probably where Steven had gone to.
It was as if somebody else moved inside Rudi’s body. He got up. Started walking. Like someone lost.
Slowly at first.
Then with more determination.
Behind him the school bell rang out.
He ignored it.
A few of the kids turned back.
But others, like Rudi, didn’t pay any attention to the bell.
It was as if they’d smelled blood.
They wanted to see it.
They wanted to say they were there.
They wanted to say how it was.
Use words like COOL. And GROSS. And AMAZING.
But would they record it too?
Rudi’s head felt like it was at a standstill. Only his feet moved. Only his heart beat.
At the very top of the rigging Steven rose. His hands covering his eyes.
Rudi heard him cry.
‘Are you going to jump this time?’ one of the guys shouted.
‘Shut up!’ exclaimed Rudi. ‘Can’t you see what’s happening? Do you want to encourage it?’
Rudi had reached the stage now. ‘Get the high jump mattresses,’ he quickly ordered one of the guys.
Then he began climbing.
His hands were sweating.
He was afraid.
What if he couldn’t stop Steven?
Never doubt, never dread
Rudi reached the last rung. He pulled his body over the edge of the rig. It had a narrow metal walkway.
No decent place to hold on to.
The top of the rig was high above ground.
It hadn’t seemed that high on Saturday evening. But then again, it had been dark. Now everything lay bright in the morning sun.
Lizz stood amongst the gathering crowd.
She stared up at them. She looked scared.
‘Steven, what’s up, buddy?’ Rudi asked. His voice was trembling.
He moved closer.
But he didn’t want to go too close.
Steven might get frightened.
And then …
Rudi didn’t even want to think about it.
‘I’m done, Rudi … with everything,’ Steven said softly.
‘Come on, bro. It’s not that bad.’
‘Don’t come closer!’
Steven wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve. His face was red. His eyes were desperate.
That had changed too, Rudi realised. Saturday evening had been a dangerous adventure. But today was an all too real nightmare.
‘I’m staying right here. Don’t worry. We … we’re simply going to talk. Don’t you want you take a seat, Steven?’
‘No!’
‘Sit, Steven, please. Let’s talk this thing through.’
‘You don’t know how bad I feel.’
‘I think I know.’
‘Rubbish! Nobody likes me. I had all those fans on YouTube … But I was their clown.’
‘That’s their problem. Not yours.’ Rudi’s mouth felt dry with tension. ‘You’re still the same guy. I know you. I’m your friend.’
‘Rudi, stop the psychology lesson. Leave me alone!’ Steven’s eyes were fixed on the ground. His arms hung loose at his sides.
‘I’m not going to leave you. Come with me. We can chat further on the ground. I’ll buy you a Coke and a pie at the cafeteria.’
‘The cafeteria is still closed,’ Steven said in an emotional voice.
‘I’ll get them to open up. For you. And you’ll see … next week … next month, we’ll be laughing over this. The Vidiots was a stupid idea. We shouldn’t have started it.’
‘Marco …’ The word exploded on Steven’s tongue. Like a fire-cracker.
‘I know … he egged you on. You would never have done all that stuff of your own accord.’
Rudi sighed. He didn’t know what more there was to say.
From the corner of his eye he saw a movement. A high-jump mattress appeared at the pavilion store room. Four guys were carrying it. One at each corner.
Soon after, a second mattress appeared.
Steven mustn’t see it, thought Rudi.
He tried to keep up the conversation. ‘Do you remember …’
Rudi’s voice was thin. He would need to talk about any nonsense now. To divert Steven’s attention.
‘Do you remember when we were in primary school …We said we would never grow up. We were always going to ride our bikes. Magnum ice-cream would always be tops. We’d never fall for girls. To kiss one would be the grossest thing ever.’
The mattresses were approaching quickly now …
Rudi smiled. But the tension remained.
‘You said you would puke … if a girl stuck her tongue in your mouth.’
Steven gave a slight smile. He looked at Rudi. For the first time.
Rudi could see the pain in his friend’s eyes.
‘But things changed, Steven. You and I now both like girls. And we love Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. We’ve grown up some. And it’s not too bad actually.’
Below them the boys were now stacking the high-jump mattresses.
‘But sometimes, Steven … we hit these speed bumps … But we don’t let it get us down. We go on.’
Then something broke in Steven’s eyes. He turned his head away from Rudi.
‘Why did you bring the mattresses?’
Rudi didn’t answer. He kept jabbering on. ‘Do you remember that song from Hot Head? You like it, don’t you?’
Rudi started humming the words. His voice was way off tune.
Steven shifted away.
Away from the mattresses down below …
Rudi stepped closer. Carefully. He sang louder.
Lose your pain!
Lose your fear!
Stand strong
Intentions clear!
Never doubt, never dread
For those secret worries
Are only in your head.
‘Rubbish!’ Steven cried all of a sudden.
He shot a quick sideways glance at Rudi.
Then he tumbled forward.
The fall
Rudi cried out. He couldn’t believe it. Steven was going to miss the mattress!
Rudi didn’t need to think any further. He shot forward.
His hand reached out before him.
He grabbed.
His fingers barely holding on to Steven’s collar.
He shifted his grip. Got a better hold.
Rudi’s other hand was curled around a beam near his feet.
He pulled Steven closer.
Steven hung there, suspended between heaven and earth. Like a marionette.
Rudi gnashed his teeth. Steven was heavier than he thought!
A drop of sweat ran down Rudi’s temple. It dropped to the ground. Made a shiny spot way down there.
He wouldn’t be able to hang onto Steven for much longer.
The guys on the ground again moved the mattresses into place.
For the second time, Rudi tried heaving Steven up.
He needed to get him to the top. It would be the safest. He didn’t know if the mattresses would be thick enough to block a fall from that height.
But suddenly Steven’s shirt tore.
Rudi tried shifting his grip. Grabbing him again.
And he nearly managed too.
But the shirt tore even further. The weight tugged heavily at Rudi’s fingers.
He felt his own grip on the rigging slip.
‘No!’ he cried.
His fingers tore open.
‘No!’
Steven slipped from Rudi’ fingers.
And Rudi lost his own grip.
Both of them plummeted down.
The wind rushed past Rudi’s head. He swung his arms and legs wildly. His eyes scared.
He saw Steven hitting the mattress first.
‘Aargh!’
Rudi crashed down beside him. He fe
lt something snap in his shoulder.
But he was okay.
Steven was too.
The last scene
‘Delete it! Immediately!’ the head boy ordered the guys with the mobile cameras.
They stared at him sheepishly. But then they complied, deleting the videos.
Rudi slowly straightened up. He clasped his shoulder. His collar bone was broken. He knew the feeling. He had broken it before in rugby.
Steven sat with his head lowered.
‘It’s over, Steven,’ said Rudi. ‘Everything will be all right. You’ll see.’
Steven raised his head.
A guilty look in his eyes.
‘Sorry,’ he said softly. ‘I … didn’t want to drag you down as well.’
‘It’s okay. That’s what friends are for.’ Rudi smiled. ‘But don’t try it again. Next time you’re on your own.’
Lizz made her way to them. Lily was right on her heels.
They were both as white as sheets.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Lizz breathlessly.
‘Brother?’ asked Lily. ‘Steven?’
Rudi and Steven both nodded.
‘Oh, thank goodness,’ sighed Lily. ‘You guys!’ She went up to Steven, slipped her hand around him.
‘Wow, I thought we were about to have a funeral,’ said Lizz. There was a shocked silence. ‘Sorry, bad joke …’
Steven just raised his eyebrows. His gaze shifted from Lizz to Lily. ‘It’s okay, I thought so too!’ He gave a guilty laugh.
‘We all probably thought so,’ said Rudi.
His eyes caught Lizz’s. He held her gaze. Moments long. It made his heart tumble.
Then a sudden noise sounded in the street.
It broke the precious moment.
Their heads jerked around. A motorbike roared a few times. The guy in black was watching them. He shook his head. And closed his helmet.
‘Marco!’ said Lizz. Her face hardened. She crossed her arms. ‘Creep!’
With a spinning back wheel, Marco pulled away. Stones flying.
‘That’s the last we’ll see of him,’ said Rudi.
Lizz smiled. ‘You’ll be glad, won’t you?’
Of course! thought Rudi. Now I can try again …
Lizz stepped closer. She gently touched Rudi’s broken shoulder. Then she caressed the cut above his eye.
‘Perhaps it’s time I gave you a chance, Rudi. You know I like rough guys. And with all these new war wounds …Who knows – you might even steal my heart …’
Rudi smiled broadly, despite the pain. ‘Oh, I’m sure I will!’ he answered.
‘But …’ A naughty look played in her eyes.
‘Oh, here comes the kicker,’ teased Steven.
‘You’d better keep up, boy,’ Lizz said wickedly. ‘I might look like a Hollywood princess. But I have a dark side! That’s why I like the rough guys!’
Rudi couldn’t help blushing.
Lizz bent forward, kissing the scar above his eye. Her lips were incredibly soft. Warm.
‘See you after school, Rudi,’ she whispered.
About the Author
Fanie is a well-known South African children’s author, and the winner of a number of literary awards. He writes in both Afrikaans and in English and some of his books have been published in both languages.
The Afrikaans version of Jump was awarded an ATKV children’s book award in 2014.
Fanie currently lives in Bloemfontein in South Africa.
Copyright
Jump
by Fanie Viljoen
Published by Ransom Publishing Ltd.
Radley House, 8 St. Cross Road, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9HX, UK
www.ransom.co.uk
ISBN 978 178127 660 0
First published in Afrikaans in 2014
English edition first published in 2015
This ebook edition published 2015
Copyright © 2015 Ransom Publishing Ltd.
Text copyright © 2015 Fanie Viljoen
Cover photograph copyright © nazka2002
A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.
All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
The right of Fanie Viljoen to be identified as the author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
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