Pause

Chapter 5

I was about to step into the air when there was a cry from an unknown voice saying, "What are you doing?" And someone pulled me, and I fell back to the terrace floor, to someone's arms. But we both fell to the hard terrace floor, painfully.

"Ow..." The other person said.

I had my eyes closed, but I could understand that it was a young man who pulled me down and he was lying with me now. I opened my eyes. My eyes met with a light blue T-shirt. He was breathing in and out very hard. He sat up and I sat up with him. He was looking at me, still shell-shocked, breathing in and out.

I did not know what to do.

It was a guy I did not know. A complete stranger. I kind of felt embarrassed. But kind of empty as well. I wish he had not come. I wish I had jumped. If I get up again and try to jump, he will probably stop me, right?

"Are you okay?" The guy finally asked me a little cautiously. In a caring tone.

I did not know what to tell him, so I stayed silent.

"Listen... whatever it is, don't die." He said. "Like I know things can get really hard sometimes. Like life can get very fucked up sometimes. And people can be really cruel. The world can be a shitty place." He said. "Wait, am I making things worse?" That was a question to himself. He looked genuinely doubtful. Then he seemed to force himself to snap out of it, "Still, don't kill yourself." He said. "Only if you live, only if you are alive, there will be a chance that life will get better someday."

I have heard this. If it was a few months back, I would have said these exact same words to another suicidal person. Now I was not so sure. I did not know what to live for anymore. My life felt finished. Everything felt too painful.

Maybe the guy saw that in my eyes.

"I can understand though," He said. "Like I won't sit here and lecture to you how life is precious and all that crap. I can understand how things can get so shitty sometimes that exiting seems the best way. But... trust me. Things can be better. And life is bad now, I know. And I am not saying it will be easy. But only if you live, there is a chance that life will feel bearable after a few months or years. If you die, everything ends now. There is no chance that you will get to experience this world again. Come on, at least think of the things that you could be doing in the coming few years. I am sure there will be at least one series, which you have not finished and the next season comes next year. Don't you want to live to see that next season?"

This was such a stupid reason to stop a suicide, almost comical. But the truth was that he was right. I had a couple of unfinished TV series whose seasons are yet to come.

"What is your favourite food?" The guy asked me.

I just shifted my eyes to the face of the guy. He was looking at me with concern. He was a clean-shaven guy, around my age or younger. Possibly younger.

"Come on. There will be something." He insisted. "What is your favourite food ever?"

"Ice cream." I decided to answer.

"Okay. Are you fine with never eating ice cream ever? Just imagine... the creamy goodness. Vanilla, Strawberry, Chocolate, Cookies and Cream?" He was describing each flavour in a tone that was mouthwatering. "Wait, what is your favourite flavour?"

"Chocolate? Choco chip."

"Okay. Then, get up. Let's go get a choco-chip ice cream right now." He said.

"Right now?" I asked, confused and bewildered.

"Yeah. My treat." He said. "Total free food."

I considered that.