Him
I slid down from the railing onto the floor.
"I'll tell you why," The stranger began. "It's because you don't want to die. Deep down, you had that tiniest tinyest bit of hope in you that someone would come and stop you. That someone would give you an excuse to live."
"That's not true," I replied, immediately.
"Then why did you call?" They challenged. I stayed silent, unable to think of an answer. Suddenly, a question crossed my mind.
"Wait, how old are you? You don't sound like an adult," I asked.
"Old enough to have a phone," They respond. "Why?"
"I dunno. You could be a 60 year old ex-convict."
"Oh fuck," they muttered quietly. "How the fuck did they know?"
"What?" I yelped. "You're actually an ex-convict!" They laughed at my reaction.
"Sorry to disappoint, little boy" they spoke after stopping their laughter. "But I'm not a 60 year old convict."
"I'm not little!" I argue. "I'm 16!"
"Oops."
"How about you? How ol-"
"Miss Burnham, please. It's urgent!... Please Miss. You can give me an infringement or detention and confiscate my phone but please let me have this phone call..." They pleaded. "Thank you Miss Burnham. I'll try to finish it quickly... Alright."
"So you're in secondary school?" I questioned.
"Yeah I am. I'm a 15 year old girl, to answer your previous question," She answered.
"I'm a 16 year old boy," I exchanged.
"What is a 16 year old boy doing at the Golden Gate Bridge on his own?" She says rather to herself than to me.
"I ran away," I whispered, quietly.
"Where are you originally from?" She asked, curious.
"Chelmsford," I responded.
"Ugh, I hate this dump," She comments on the other side of the call.
"You live in Chelmsford too?" I smiled. A proper smile, for the first time in weeks.
"Unfortunately," She grumbled.
"It's not that bad," I defended.
"Well, I'm sorry I don't like this place. I liked London better," She says sarcastically. I laugh.
"Why'd you move if you didn't like it?"
"Because of this stupid grammar school," I could practically hear her roll her eyes.
"CCHS?" I guessed.
"Uh huh."
"All the girls from that school say it's shit."
"Damn right it's shit."
YOU ARE READING
Why?
Short Story"Why did you call me if you think there's no hope for you?" "I-I don't know," The caller whispered.
