From: Six Feet Under

(◑_◑) <--Matt 

"With everything going on you'd think some one would have called the cops by now." Elly joked with a goofy smile on her face. It was her only way to cope with our insane lives. At times it was great, because everyone needed a pick-me-up every so often, but other times it just got on my nerves, she could never be serious.

That day, I wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to her, my mind was too busy wandering, hoping to find a solution. I just nodded my head, gave a small smile and hoped she wouldn't make any more comments. Not that I was in a bad mood or anything, but I felt bad when I couldn't focus and she was talking, I was the only one that would listen to her babble day in and day out.

"I'm gonna go out, do you want me to drop you off at your friend's?" Getting up from the couch, my eyes dragged across the room before I made my way over to the front door and threw on my shoes. Looking over at my younger sister I waited for a response.

"Nah, I think I'll walk." She smiled at me and then turned to grab her book off the side table. Bookworm.

"Suite yourself." I shrugged and headed out, but I was a little grateful that she decided to walk, I don't know if I would have been able to drive with this mess in my head. Although I hadn't planned to drive anyway, I had hoped that she would turn down the offer. That way I could walk down my street and try not to shiver from the cold, harsh wind.

Throwing on a heavier jacket may have helped keep the cold out, but it would be pointless in the end, I wouldn't be outside for long. No, I just needed time to think about my fucked up life. Maybe I deserved it though, I was never the best kid in school or anything and everyone always seemed to pity me for it.

I turned onto the road that would get me to the bridge in less then ten minutes if I kept walking straight. It was my sweet escape, a place that I had all to myself. Yeah, it is a bridge, but it's one that hasn't been used by a car (or any smart person) in over twenty years. There are claims that the moldy supports can't hold anything anymore, but the city refuses to take the bridge down. Too much time and money wasted for something people avoided because they already believed it to be a danger.

Just as I hit the final crosswalk my phone rang. Pulling it out, I checked the Caller I.D. to have it turn out to be Elly. Having no reason to ignore it--not that I ever would if it was from her--I picked it up with my signature "Yellow?" causing her to laugh on the other end.

"Did you see my hat?" At that I had to sigh, she had this fuzzy zebra hat that she could not leave the house without as soon as fall hit. It was her thing. In the meantime, the crosswalk signal to cross the street was on so I crossed and resumed walking.

"No. I thought you left it at McKenna's?" I heard her sigh on the other end and imagined her shaking her head. It was another one of her things that she did.

"I called and she said that it wasn't--hold on. I'm getting another call." It was my turn to sigh as she put me on hold. Not long afterwards she was back on the line and the bridge was in my sight. "Never mind. She found it. Thanks for nothing!"

"Ain't that what I'm here for?" I gave a small chuckle to our inside joke.

"See ya later!" She said and hung up leaving me and my thoughts to spend some quality time together. Something I was both looking forward to and dreading as I approached the bridge that crossed the harsh, rocky river running below.

With every step I neared the bridge the icy wind sent pleasurable shivers running up and down my spine. It wasn't a feeling that most people would welcome, but it reminded me that I was human, and there were many things we could do that other things couldn't. On the bridge, it was just me and my thoughts.