AU One-Shots

The Border

Written by Hazel
•••••

She stood on the ledge, her toes edging closer and closer to the fall. She was sure to tumble to her death at the slightest move, a swift loss of balance, a vicious sway of the wind, but she meddled with the idea, grabbed it with both hands and toyed with it. There was no end to the fall, the surroundings only cloaked in darkness without a beam of light to bring the drop into proportion. She could still feel the light of her home against her back, feel the arms of her friends around her, hear their voices wafting from ear to ear. In turn, she turned the cold shoulder; it was too late for regret.

She shifted as close to the border of life and death as she could, feeling the hand of the sun on her back push her to fall. She held out her arms and closed her eyes, she was ready to die. But something stopped her.

Another set of footsteps hopped onto the border, their toes inching towards the edge. She opened her eyes, curiosity catching her off-guard, and to her astonishment, another resident prepared themselves to fall with her. They were rather tall, taller than her, a dusting of cat fur on their shirt, a reptile's smell lingering around her. She grew intrigued by her, edging a little closer. She tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," she tempted the girl out of her trance. "Why are you here?"

They scoffed, tears visibly falling down her cheeks. "I could ask you the same question."

She rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I know, but there's no hope for me now. I want to know if there's hope for you."
The girl shifted uncomfortably, and she took it upon herself to keep her talking. "So, who are you?"

She seemed aggravated, as though she wished to fall and be done with the ordeal. But, against her will, she continued to make conversation. "I like animals, I have a lot of animals, weird ones."

"I noticed there's cat hair on your shirt," she pointed out, to which the girl chuckled and brushed it away. "I have a cat too."

She raised an eyebrow. "You do? I have a snake, she's pretty cool."

She attempted to reason with her. "I've never met a snake before, maybe I could meet yours."

She grumbled, a sharp spark of understanding in her eye; an understanding she didn't want her to find. She inched away from her, frowning. "You won't get me to stand down that easily."

"I wasn't trying to," she declared softly. "We're both here for a reason."

"Indeed we are," the taller girl agreed, bowing her head. "I suppose I'd better get on and do it."

"Why the rush?" she questioned her, beginning to panic. "You seem eager to go."

"My friend," she panted, growing flustered, cheeks hottening. "He'll find me."

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, to which she paused, thinking. She could almost hear the cogs working in her head, processing every word as though it was the last she'd ever hear.

"I don't want him to see me like this, it's better if he doesn't see me at all," she protested, shaking her arms to fight the nervousness. She inched closer to the edge, her toes hanging off the ledge. She panicked.

"What's your friend like?" she cried, holding a hand out to stop her. The taller girl scoffed.

"You're trying to stop me!" she wailed, faltering. "I know you are!"

She grew impatient. "Well of course I'm trying to stop you! You're about to take your own life, I can't let you do that!"
Her intensity fell. She folded her arms. "Why not? You don't know me, you don't know anything about me."