The Rope That Told the Truth

When we arrived at the park, Chloe rushed to buy four tickets.

We passed through the entrance and walked up along the cliffside path.

The walkway at Eagle's Beak Cliff was built into the face of the cliff. At its narrowest point, only one person could pass sideways.

The railing was iron, already rusted.

Chloe walked at the front, light on her feet.

"Hurry, hurry. While there aren't many people, let's grab that corner."

I knew the corner she meant.

The surveillance blind spot.

She had scouted it in my last life.

When we reached the bend, Chloe stopped, spread her arms, and took a deep breath.

"This is it! Perfect!"

She looked down and deliberately shivered.

"It's so high. My legs are going weak."

Then she took out her phone and started performing for the camera.

"Guys, I'm standing at the most dangerous spot at Eagle's Beak Cliff. Below me is an endless drop!

"Look at the wind. I don't even dare look down."

The comments flew by.

While all of their attention was on the livestream, I placed my cameras where I had planned.

After joking with the viewers for a while, Chloe ended the livestream and turned to Sienna.

"Take out the rope."

Sienna pulled it out.

Chloe took it and began tying it around her waist.

"Chloe," I said, "do you want me to check the rope for you?"

She glanced at me, a little surprised.

"You know how to check?"

"My dad used to work construction. I've seen him tie safety ropes."

She thought for a moment and handed the rope to me.

I took it, made a show of tugging at it, and inspected the ends.

"This knot isn't right," I said, pointing at the slipknot Chloe had tied casually. "This kind of knot can slide under load. I'll tie it again for you."

I tied a double figure-eight knot.

It looked professional.

In reality, I deliberately placed the load-bearing point around the most worn part of the rope.

In other words, the knot looked sturdier.

But once weight hit it, the frayed section would break faster.

As soon as Chloe leaned back, the rope would snap right there.

Chloe didn't know that.

She would only think I was reliable.

"Not bad, Lena. Didn't know you had skills."

She patted my shoulder, satisfied.

Sienna asked from the side, "Why are you being so helpful today?"

I smiled.

"It's our last trip together before graduation. I wanted to help more."

They believed me.

Molly looked at me. Her lips moved, but she said nothing.

She probably felt something was wrong.

But she wouldn't speak up.

Because she was afraid of offending people.

Chloe tugged at the rope and felt that it was tight.

Then she tied the other end to an iron post along the walkway.

"Sienna, stand over there and film with the phone."

Chloe began directing her.

"Remember, you have to capture my face and the drop below."

Sienna raised the phone and backed away a few steps, adjusting the angle.

She backed too close to the edge. Her heel stepped on loose gravel at the side of the path.

Pebbles rolled down, and it took a long time before any sound returned.

"Be careful!" Molly screamed.

"It's fine, it's fine." Sienna didn't even look back. "This angle is amazing. Sunny, come look."

Chloe walked over and bent down to look at the screen.

"No, you're too far away. I can't see my face clearly. Move forward a little."

"If I move forward, I'll fall."

"You haven't fallen, have you? Hurry up."

Sienna shifted forward another half-step.

Her toes were already hanging past the edge of the walkway.

I looked at them and felt nothing.

In my last life, the three of them had been exactly like this.

Each more reckless than the last.

Each more brainless than the last.