Fiction: Group 4
Jie reached the wall first, her legs longer. For the first time there were no soldiers guarding it, they could
climb over the wall and disappear forever. Live. Leave.
Leave the village forever. Qin saw Jie’s eyes move up the expanse of rock and look for gaps, footholds, small
crevices to lock their fingers into. She saw her throat moving, and Qin was afraid also.
(You thought the darkness would never end, you thought the teeth of grief would never leave your muscles.
This was the colour of a sky lit up with fire: the air thick with noise, the sound of rock splitting living in
your eardrums, the road paved with bones, bones, flesh, the shape of a road that would never again lead you
home.)
So, said Jie. Ready to go?
Qin was quiet.
Jie said, I bet I can climb it faster than you can. I bet you can’t beat me.
... Yes I can.
Really? said Jie. Think you can beat me, baby girl?
I bet I can, said Qin.
Bet you can’t.
Bet I can!
Then show me.
Jie hooked her fingers between the stone and put one foot against it. Show me, Jie repeated. Her eyes shone
in the darkness.
They climbed the wall.
