Second Chances Falling

PROLOGUE

So long as men can breathe, and eyes can see

so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

The lights whizzed past me, the engine roaring as I pushed the gas pedal to the floor. I could hear the sirens in the background, hoping to catch up to me in time. My hands were numb from gripping the steering wheel so intensely. I shivered once. There were no thoughts in my head, dead and utter silence, it scared me. I was approaching the bridge, it's red paint shining in the bright sun. Families were walking and laughing, taking pictures together. A little girl's hat flew off her head over the edge of the bridge and she stretched her little hand out, trying desperately to grasp it. I had reached my destination and slammed on the brakes. The squeal of the tires made the families jerk, and they realized something was wrong. The police cars were caught off guard and they struggled to stop behind me. With a strange calmness I opened the car door and got out, the wind suddenly biting my cheeks. I heard more car doors slam and an officer called out, "Stop where you are!" Footsteps echoed, revving me back into action. I bolted, people ran away from me, afraid that I was a terrorist or a mad person, but I wasn't running for them.

My palms smacked against the hard railing of the bridge. My heart pounded in my chest as I scrambled up the edge, I tottered,and stood looking down, down, down at the water so far below me, looking down into my death. My tortured mind screamed for release and the water seemed to call out to me. "Step away from the edge slowly."A man's voice yelled to me. I turned around to face him. It was a police officer, tall and well built, young. He held a hand out towards me and began to walk closer. "Don't come any closer." I warned, putting a foot behind me, the emptiness made my head spin and my breathing quicken. His eyes widened and he stopped where he was. "Before I go, tell me...." I asked. The officer waited, both hands held up as if that alone could keep me on the bridge with him. "Why is life so cruel? Why is it so impossible to find one decent person on this Earth with nothing wrong with them, why?" His mouth opened and closed. "There won't ever be another jesus, but I'm sure there's decent people out there, you just have to find them." I shook my head sadly, a weak smile playing at my lips but it failed to reach my eyes. More policemen were here now, slowly getting closer and closer.

"No, but does that mean people can just give up trying to be better? Is there no reason to attempt to be a better person? Why do we turn such a blind eye on all the injustice of the world?!" I cried. I climbed down onto the edge so I wasn't standing on the slick railing, about three inches of conctrete seperated me from the water now. No one answered me and I was furious. "WHY?!" I screamed. A hideous moment passed by, so slowly that I felt time had stopped, my foot slipped. My weight crashed down and my other leg buckled, before I fell I stretched my hand out, I saw the young police man running towards me, his hand held out to me as well. Just a little closer, but the wind tickled my fingertips and I was gone. Free falling, an experience like none other, an experience one should do without. I leaned back spread my arms, the feeling of total nothing making me giddy. The air rushed past me and my hair whipped around my face. I stared wide eyed at the sky, the clouds so white and fluffy, the sky so big and blue. For some reason the sky was more beautiful than I had ever seen it and tears came to my eyes because suddenly, I didn't want my life to end, I could watch the sky forever. My eyes closed for the last time and I ceased to live.