Before The Fall (Suicide Notes Prequel)

The Death

~Published: September 10, 2015~

Victoria London looked down at the water churning and crashing against the abandoned metal of the Cherry Bridge.

She pulled herself up first with her hands and then with her feet as she climbed to the highest point of the bridge, her dark hair whipping in the wind and wrapping around her neck like a vice.

Victoria swallowed thickly in fear as she finally pulled herself up to the last rung and proceeded to cling onto the metal supports, her white dress almost swallowing her as it lifted up Marilyn Monroe style. She shivered as the warm wind of the summer night washed around her tanned legs.

Victoria moved carefully forward and stood on the nearest ledge with one hand still clutching onto the metal behind her as she stared down at the cold, dark water.

I'm really doing this, she thought as she took a deep breath.

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she bit her lip trying to hold back her sobs. She closed her eyes and drank in the warm summer air, allowing herself to feel the wind and hear the fading, in and out reverberation of the city she had left behind.

She allowed herself to remember all the laughter that had ever escaped her and all the warm feelings that enveloped her like a hug before her life had become murky and dreadful.

You don't want to do this, a voice whispered in her mind. Vicki's eyes snapped open and she froze in place at the thought.

I do want to do this right? she asked herself. Yes. No. Maybe?

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

Yes, she thought.

She did want to do this. She hadn't spent all that time planning her death only to back out from cold feet.

She took another deep breath, the smell of trees and dirt filling her nose, tasting the crisp scent of blooming flowers and freesias. She steeled herself once more as she opened her eyes and looked down once again.

This is it, she thought as she slowly let go of the metal bar behind her and spread her arms out to the sides. She felt her body slowly begin to tip forward but before she could go too far a strong and powerful voice suddenly screamed at her from inside her head.

Stop, Victoria!

Startled, Victoria reached behind her and latched onto the metal bar once again. She looked around her, unsuccessfully trying to pinpoint the location of the voice.

Come down to me, said the voice. It belonged to a male Victoria realized.

Be it due to the fact that she just got caught attempting to commit the ultimate sin or because of her previous hesitation, Victoria found herself mindlessly obeying the voice and turning around.

Just as she was climbing down from the highest point onto a smaller ledge her foot slipped and Victoria found herself dangling precariously by her hands.

Victoria yelled in panic as she realized the predicament she was suddenly in, barely holding on by her fingertips. Far in the distance, she heard the voice cursing.

Victoria bit her lip hard, too hard, in fear and blood began trickling out of her mouth. She panted heavily, attempting to pull herself up only to slip again.

Her sweaty hands were beginning to burn and started slipping. Victoria's fingers gave out and she found herself falling backward but, a hand shot out and grabbed hers before gravity could pull her down.

Her head snapped up towards the owner of the hand, but she couldn't see the person's face. The only thing Vicki could tell was that the person was definitely male.

He was leaning over the edge of one of the metal rungs and at the moment was the only thing keeping her up.

Victoria felt her blood pumping through her veins as her breathing quickened to a choking, gasping sound.

The stranger kept her suspended in the air with only one hand clasped around her fingers. How he was able to hold on, Victoria wasn't very sure but her fleeting hopes of being pulled up were dashed when her fingers suddenly slipped through his.

Victoria spiraled down into the deep and her stomach remained with the stranger as a blood-curdling scream tore from her throat.

Victoria's body shot feet first into the water, sinking down into the abyss. Her lungs began to throb as they cried out for air.

All she could see was darkness surrounding her; the cold, salty water biting at her skin as she slowly let go of what was left of her air supply. Salt water filled her mouth and nose, pouring into her aching lungs and smothering her.

Victoria kicked her legs trying to gain enough friction to swim to the surface but to no avail.

Why am I even trying? she asked herself. This is what she wanted. She wanted to die.

Try, Victoria! The voice screamed at her as she pumped her arms and legs harder, her dress twisting around her legs making it almost impossible for her to move.

Why? she thought tiredly, her arms and legs giving out. I want to die, let me die.

No, no! Victoria, you have to try!

I don't want to, she thought stubbornly, groggy from the lack of oxygen.

She didn't want to fight it anymore, and before long her mind shut down and her body became numb as she fell into a darkness that was deeper than the water she was sinking in.

Goodbye...she thought.

Victoria London never gave much thought to how she would die and she certainly didn't think it would be this beautiful. It was quick and easy not slow and painful.

In all honesty, she never gave much thought about anything that involved the words death or suicide. So it came as a surprise when suddenly, she was facing the one thing she never wanted to go through with until now...

...and it was bliss.

Fin...

A/N: This may seem like the end but it is not. This story is merely the prequel to the actual storyline which will begin in another book. Once again THIS IS NOT THE END of Victoria's story. It is only the beginning.

And once again: If you feel you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It is a free, 24-hour hotline, at 1.800.273.TALK (8255). Your call will be connected to the crisis center nearest to you. If you are in an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.