When I Reach The End

Chapter 2: L'appel du Vide

But tonight was going to be different.

Once Mars had made sure her mom had fallen asleep she grabbed her phone and her headphones and climbed out her bedroom window.

She walked alongside the road only 2 maybe 3 cars passed her which made sense because she lived in a more rural area of town and not many people go out for a drive at 2 in the morning. after walking for a long while mars had finally made it.

She sat on the edge of a short wall on an overlook. It was pretty, she could see mountains off in the distance the city in the middle ground, and a mess of trees and rubble beneath her. She looked up at the stars listening to her music and swingy her legs gently...

Then after a few minutes of thinking she turned off her music, took off her headphones, stood up, and stared into the abyss below her...

And then she-

"Quite a long way down is it not?"

A voice called out from behind her. Mars momentarily lost her balance before turning behind her to see a man with curly orange hair and a sharp smile on his face. he was holding his hands behind his back and was wearing an orange and white striped button-down shirt with maroon slacks. the man relatively was tall and slim and looked to be maybe in his late 20s but it was pretty dark so it was hard to tell. After a moment he walked over and took a seat next to Mars on the ledge and asked "So, what's a kid like you doing here this late?" Mars sat down next to him before saying "Oh uh nothing, just... thinking." The man looked off into the distance and said,

"What were you thinking about?"

Mars didn't respond

"Not the talkative type see," he said. Mars sighed "Yeah it's just .. I'm just... tired, tired of school, of everything really and I'm just sick of living and I just want it to be over! I wish there was some way that I could skip to the good part if there ever is one. I wish that I could just fall asleep and when I wake things will be better ya know?..." Mars said staring at the abyss below "I think that I know just what you mean, and I think that I might be able to help." Once the man said this she took a second to think and realize just how strange this was "Help me? what? I don't even know you! you're a total stranger!" Mars said. The man looked at Mars sorrowfully when she said that

"Well then... why don't we change that?"

"Huh?" mars said looking up at the man confused,

"What is your name?"

He asked holding out his hand for a handshake, grinning "Mars. you?" Mars said shaking his hand "My name is Ajax" the man said

"Like the dish soap?" Mars asked. The man's smile turned into a frown as he let go of Mars's hand "No. Not like the dish soap."

"Okay... so didn't you say you could help me or something? You're not going to like... rape or assault me right?" mars asked putting her hands in her pockets "Heavens no! I would never think to do such a thing!" The man said looking at Mars, a bit concerned that that was the first thing to pop into her head. "But I am here to help!" he continued.

"huh... what exactly do you mean by help" Mars asked looking up to Ajax. "Ahh well, I think you know quite well! you told me that you wished to just skip to when things are better. I think that I could get you there"

Mars thought for a moment "I still don't get what you're saying" She said

"Well... I could show you." The man said reaching out his hand to Mars with a smile.

Mars slapped his hand away from herself and said "What!? no fucking way! You are still a total stranger! Do you not see how weird this is? You came out of nowhere and then told me you could help and then proceeded to tell me how in the most cryptic way possible!"

The man lowered his hand and sighed "Yes well I thought that you might be more... desperate..."

Mars looked at him confused and a bit annoyed at this point

"Desperate?! What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Who cares! you obviously think you don't need any help so continue on with whatever you were doing!..." He said in a nonchalant tone trying to get Mars riled up.

"What?! I-" "You clearly wish to have nothing to do with me and for that, I will leave you be, if you ever wish to reach out to me and take my offer you know where to find me." He says hoping down from the ledge and starting to walk away. "Wait what?! I might actually take your stupid deal if I knew what you were... talking about?" she turned around to face Ajax but when she turned,

he was gone.