(AN: I haven't been putting these on my chapters, but trigger warning for insanity and of course death/murder/suicide. All of those. Yeah, this is dark.)
A gusty wind steered his tears off-track and they blew away.
Nebris wiped his face and stared down at the bustling city beneath the building. Taxi cabs rushed by in a whiz to get the hopeful tip. Businessmen stepped around puddles and hobos rattled cans. He'd miss this place.
Little scraps of memory crawled to the front of his brain. His laughing little sister. Mother's face dimpling with a smile. His brother squeaking in his crib. None of this changed his mind about the world around him, but he knew he'd have to try. For Emery, for Aaron, for his mother Alana. They wouldn't've wanted him to do this.
Fine. If someone picks up this phone call, I won't jump.
Hands shaking, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed a random number.
"Hello?" The cheery voice sounded Canadian. Huh, didn't know that would work. I thought I couldn't make long distance calls.
"Uh, hey. I'm Nebris."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Etho. How's it going?"
Nebris took a deep breath. I said I'd not jump. I stick to my word. "Well, I'm seconds away from ending my own life."
A thud blasted through the receiver. He pulled it away wincing, returning it to his ear when Etho began to speak. "Why? What's wrong?"
With another deep breath, Nebs whispered hoarsely, "There's no one for me, Etho. No friends. No family left. No job. No money. And most importantly, no purpose. My life is so full of the word no."
He bit his lip.
"I've been cutting my wrists since I was 14. Tried to kill myself at 19. I got into drugs when I was 22 and became an alcoholic at 23. This world is so dark to me, and I have no light."
Four whispered words changed his life. "I can help you."
The rest of the conversation blurred as Nebris retreated to the bottom floor and made his way to find a taxi.
•••</3•••
It had been six years since they met. Since then, Nebris had learned that Etho was taking care of his sister's daughter until her cancer was killed. The girl was eleven and her name was Hope; she had pale blonde hair and gray eyes like her uncle.
One thing had been bothering Nebris, though. When Etho would come home in the mornings, he'd go straight to his computer without a word to Nebris. This wouldn't bother him so much because Etho earned part of their living by being on the computer, but he didn't seem the same.
This had been going on for a week. Nebris figured it was simply stress, but then he received a text.
I'm sorry.
And another after that.
Goodbye.
Eyes darkening in confusion, Nebris called Etho's number but no one picked up.
Now he was getting worried.
Nebris went to the front desk of his workplace and clocked out, driving straight home to the house they shared.
It was eerily quiet. Hope wouldn't be home for another ten minutes, but Etho should've been. "Etho?" No answer on the first floor. He climbed the stairs and tried the bathroom door, surprise filling his gaze when the handle wouldn't budge.
