Breaking Point

Chapter 13

They arrived at the bridge moments later, the scene eerily quiet despite the flashing police lights reflecting off the water.

Lucy's eyes scanned the area, and then she saw her—Emily, sitting on the edge of the railing, her legs dangling precariously over the side, her back to the world.

Lucy's breath caught in her throat. The scene was too familiar, too terrifyingly real. She had been in this exact place before, not physically, but mentally. She knew what it felt like to sit on the edge, teetering between life and death, weighed down by pain so heavy it seemed impossible to bear.

"I'll talk to her," Lucy said, her voice barely more than a whisper as she stepped toward the bridge.

Tim grabbed her arm gently. "Be careful," he warned, his eyes filled with concern.

"I know," Lucy replied, giving him a small, tight nod. This wasn't just about being careful—it was about saving a life. And in some ways, it was about saving her own.

Lucy approached Emily slowly, her heart pounding in her chest, the sound of the river below echoing in the night air. She could see the tension in Emily's shoulders, the way her hands gripped the railing as if it were the only thing tethering her to this world.

"Emily," Lucy called out softly, careful not to startle her. "It's me. It's Lucy."

Emily didn't turn around. Her body was stiff, her gaze fixed on the dark water below. For a moment, it seemed like she hadn't heard Lucy at all, like she was lost in a world of her own, far beyond reach.

"I know what you're feeling," Lucy continued, taking a cautious step closer. "I know it feels like the weight of everything is too much to carry. Like it would be easier to just...let go."

Emily's shoulders trembled, a soft sob escaping her lips.

"I'm tired, Lucy," Emily whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the water. "I'm so tired. I don't want to fight anymore."

Lucy's heart shattered at the sound of those words—words she had thought herself so many times in the dead of night when the darkness felt too heavy to bear.

She fought back the tears that stung her eyes, forcing herself to stay calm, to stay strong for Emily.

"I know you're tired," Lucy said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "And I know it feels like there's no way out. But this—this isn't the end of your story, Emily. You don't have to do this."

Emily finally turned her head, just enough for Lucy to see the tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with an unbearable sadness.

"Then why does it feel like it is?" Emily asked, her voice breaking.

Lucy swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the question, the weight of the pain behind it.

She didn't have all the answers. She couldn't promise that everything would be okay, because she knew from her own life that the road to healing was long and filled with obstacles. But she could promise one thing.

"Because you're not alone," Lucy said, stepping even closer. "You have people who care about you. I care about you. And I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Emily's grip on the railing tightened, her knuckles white as she stared at Lucy, her eyes filled with both fear and longing. For a moment, it seemed like she might let go, like the pull of the darkness was too strong. But then something shifted—something in the way Lucy looked at her, something in the raw honesty of her words.

Slowly, Emily released her grip on the railing, her body shaking as she stepped back onto solid ground. Lucy was there in an instant, wrapping her arms around the girl, holding her tightly as Emily sobbed into her shoulder.

"I'm here," Lucy whispered, her own tears falling freely now. "I'm here."

They stood like that for what felt like an eternity, the weight of the moment pressing down on them both. But in that moment, there was also relief—relief that Emily had stepped back, that she had chosen to hold on, if only for a little while longer.