Heroic Short Stories

The Ledge

I took a breath as I swayed in the breeze, dangling above the ground. I didn't look down for fear of seeing the thousands of feet to the ground spiral in my vision.

Instead I look up, to my only hope.

I was clutching his hand, probably hurting him more than me. I stared into his hazel eyes for comfort, but I knew he was worried too.

The time had come to make a choice. I could continue to dangle and hope by some miracle that I fly myself to the top again. Or I could save us both the trouble of falling and save him.

How less than a week ago everything was good and normal. I could have been eating pancakes on this wonderful Saturday. But of course I just had to save the day.

I swear my hero complex was gonna be the death of me one day. If it wasn't already.
As I made my choice I turned as far away from the building as I could at the moment. I took a breath and opened my eyes to the great expanse of the city I grew up in. The home that had once kept me so safe was now going to be the death if me. Ironic huh.

If this is the thanks I get for being a hero than maybe I shouldn't be a hero. Well, too late now.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes, commiting the image of the skyscrapers to memory.

I don't have much time left and I'm slipping, losing my grip.

It almost feels like I'm hanging by a thread that's about to snap and I can't do anything to stop it. It's like delaying the inevitable, a pointless effort.

I risk a glance down and immediately wished I hadn't. I didn't want to see the ground that was so far away. Instead I look up again.

I see his face as he realizes what I've decided to do. Funny how at this moment with him lying on his stomach, clutching my hand as I dangle 42 stories up, he still manages to look mad at me.

"Don't even think about it." he says harshly.
But it's too late, there's only one thing left for me to do now.

I have to let him go, to save himself, to save the city, to save everyone.

So I do.