Get Merlin Down

My post is a sad post. I have been trained to keep people from committing suicide. I work outside at night on the wall. The wall looking out at the entrance of the castle.

Not many people come up there and if they are up there I usually get them to come down. But there is one boy that came up every once and a while.

The ravened haired boy that follows you around. Merlin, I believe his name is. At least once a month he would walk up to the ledge on the wall but never get up. Just look down. Then he would leave.

This would happen every couple of weeks. Then it turned to every couple of days. That went on for a while. Every couple of days he would walk out and stare at the drop. Longing to jump. But something would be keeping him back.

He knew I was there. Because every time he would start to go inside he would turn to me, smile a polite smile, and say 'Have a good night.'

Then there was the week when I was filling in for another Guard near the stocks.

"Looks like Merlins in the stocks again." Said the other guard next to me. I looked confused.

"The Princes manservant. ends up in there every other day. The adults don't really throw things at him anymore because they like him. But the kids love him." I looked over to see him. The boy that came up every couple of nights. A little girl and boy throw a tomato each. Both missing him. Merlin looked up and laughed.

"You're getting better you know. One of these days one of yous gonna hit me." The two children walked up to him and asked what he did this time.

Merlin told a story and got very physical with it. He was throwing his hands about and making sound effects.

As the children ran away a guard came over and took him out. He looked at me and smiled.

That's when I learned his name. A couple of days later I was back at my normal post on the wall. Waiting for my new little friend. He came. Stared and left saying 'Have a good night.'

He started coming every night after that. For a couple for weeks, it was the same routine. Until one day he got on the wall. I panicked. I was just about to run when he sat down. I slowly walked over and sat down with him.

"Hello." He said and looked at me.

"Hello. You know. You've never gotten on the ledge." I said looking out upon the village.

"I know."

"Care to tell me what is wrong?" I asked looking into his blue eyes.

"I would my friend but we do not have that much time." He got up to leave. He opened his mouth but I beat him to it.

"Have a good night." I put my hand on his shoulder. He chuckled and said you too.

Every day he gets closer and closer to the edge. But last night worried me.

Last night he got up on the ledge and just stood there. It wasn't for long. Only a couple of minutes. But I can tell that he is close to jumping and no matter how hard I try I can't make him smile.

I was walking around the castle when I saw him standing outside your room. With a note in his hands. I stood quietly not wanting him to stop. He was about to slide in under your door when he stopped and ripped it up. Threw it on the ground and walked the other direction. I walked over to look at the note.

The note was hard to read for many words on the paper were ripped in half and smudged. But I could make out the words "I'm sorry" and "I just can't anymore."