The Deadline

~Chapter 1~

She looked down, counting the distance in her head, figuring out if it would be quick and painless or if she would suffer. She preferred the first. The pain she had endured was enough on its own. There was no need for more. All she needed now, was a peaceful, and quick death.

She climbed on the edge of the bridge, eyes glued on the hard concrete beneath her, cars passing by every now and then. Maybe a car would hit her before she hit the floor and she would be gone before feeling any pain. But then she thought about the passengers. They would be horrified. Everyone would if a body just fell in front of their car in the middle of the night.

Maybe this was not a good idea after all. She meant no harm to anyone. And what if there were children in the car, what if the driver lost control and they crashed? She would be responsible for the deaths of innocent people, the deaths of innocent kids. No, she didn't want that.

On the other side, she wouldn't have another chance to end it. He would find her and never let her out of his disgusting house again. She had to do it. Hoping for the best, she took a deep breath and leaned further away from the bridge's railing.

Moments, before she let her hands off of it, a smooth voice coming from her right, made her hold on once more and look that way, searching for the man that spoke.

"Hey there beautiful," he said approaching her calmly. He stood next to her from the inside of the railing, a smile plastered on his face.

He was young, tall, and handsome. His dark brown hair slightly covered his forehead, his deep green eyes glimmering under the blurry light of the street lamp. He was well built, muscles visible under the thin black shirt he wore.

"What do you want?" she asked irritated. He would definitely try and save her, stop her from jumping. She didn't need a hero. She needed to die. And the sooner, the better.

"Nothing in particular. Just saw a beautiful girl and thought I should talk to her" he said shrugging.

"I don't want to talk" she replied and looked back down. She was going to jump no matter what. There was no going back now. This was her chance to find peace.

"Can I ask you a question?" asked the man again. She sighed and ignored him. "How old are you?" he continued.

"Can you please leave me alone?" she asked aggressively. He was annoying her! And she didn't want her last minutes alive to be spent with an unknown guy who wanted to play the hero.

"You look young. Maybe twenty? Definitely not more than twenty-two!" he exclaimed not at all fazed by her outburst seconds ago.

"Look man, I just want to go in quiet. Can you leave me?" she pleaded more politely this time.

"Tell me how old you are" he insisted.

"Will you leave me alone if I do?" she asked getting angrier with every second.

"Maybe," he said smiling at her.

His smile made her think of her life before all that pain reached her. She used to smile like that, she used to laugh. She and her family were very close. Especially her and her little brother, Jacob. He was a little sunshine on his own. Always smiling, full of joy and positivity. She remembers playing with him in their backyard and laughing together. Then her mother would scold them for getting all dirty, but in the end, she would play with them. She would pretend to be some monster, chasing them while they laughed and run away. If he didn't have much work to do, dad would join in the game, as a knight in shining armor that would save them from the monster and force it to return the precious, beautiful queen it stole, their mum.

"I am nineteen," she said eventually, deciding to spare him some of her time. He had brought up a nice memory and she was thankful for that. Though she wouldn't change her mind. She was going to jump sooner or later and nobody was to stop it.

"Didn't guess it for a year" he said biting his lip disappointed by his failed guess. "What about your favorite color?" he continued.

He was strange. He didn't ask about her name or why she wanted to jump. His questions were out of the blue. One more sign he is drunk she thought and leaned further away from the railing.

"I'll guess green" she shot her eyes at him. He actually guessed it right.
"Yes, it's green," she said looking at him questingly.

"Will you step inside the railing and let me buy you diner?" he asked giving her his hand to help her get off the railing.

"Dude, I don't know you! I'm not going anywhere with you!" she said rejecting his hand and he laughed.

"Why? What's the worst thing that could happen? I would kill you? It seems you have no problem with that" he teased but she knew better.

"No that's not the worst you could do. I've seen worse, you have no idea" she whispered and looked back at the road beneath her.

"But have you seen better?" he asked making her hold her breath. Yes. She has seen better. When her family was alive. Before she met... Him.

"There is no better for me. Not anymore" she said letting a tear fall. "Please leave me alone" she pleaded to him looking straight into his eyes.

"I can't do that cupcake, I can't let you end your life that hasn't even begun yet," he said, his eyes holding sadness and pain.

"You are not the one to decide that!" she yelled and taking a step forward, she let herself fall.