Saving Grace

1

On a cool September evening, in the most disgusting city in the world, I made the ill-considered decision to get drunk, climb atop a bridge, and jump off. The aspects of why, how, and all those other trivial questions, I assure you, are completely irrelevant. All that truly mattered was what followed.

Ten minutes before, I'd shuffled along to the middle of the oak stretch, turned away from the greenery on the other side, and focused my eyes outward, over the black, running waters below. Bayton, a city mostly forgotten, twinkled in the night, adorning the vanishing point with a golden skyline. I shuddered, eyes swelling with salt and water, blurring the image of the half empty bottle of Alisa Caol Scotch clutched in my hand. I downed the last of that liquid fire before watching the bottle tumble over the railing and into the roaring black stream.

"Alright," I whispered, the world tipping beneath my feet. "You're next."

Slowly, my young hands curled around the rusted railing of Aloisi Bridge and heaved my trembling body onto the ledge. I stood there, swaying, feeling the warm September breeze play with my hair and kiss my tear-stained cheeks. The exquisite scent of the ocean, salty and sweet, landed upon my flesh, and I closed my eyes to breathe in deep.

Do it, I thought. Let it all go, just like he told you to.

My quivering lips were pulled into the smallest, most fragile smile, and I leaned forward into the wind, preparing myself to hit the current and be swept into the arms of Death himself.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Her voice pierced the sky, hit me like a lightning bolt – sharp, jarring, searing my every nerve. I stumbled, eyes snapped open, muscles tensing so quickly and painfully that I thought I would snap. I turned, regained my balance, squinted my eyes.

"What..."

Her arms were crossed over her chest, rich brown hair flicking in her narrowed blue eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Doesn't matter who I am," she barked. "Real question what the hell are you doing up there, one short burst of wind away from killing yourself?"

"I-I what?"

"You know the world doesn't just revolve around you, right? There are plenty of rundown losers who would love to come down here and check out early, but that doesn't mean you get to. Life ain't that easy."

"What are you talking ab- Nobody asked you, okay? Leave me alone."

I turned away from her, looked back at the roaring water.

"Leave you alone?" She scoffed, shifting her weight and putting her hand on her hip. "I'm sorry, I'm not the one who is about to jump off a bridge. Now stop being so selfish and get the fuck down."

"Yeah? Why should I?" I snapped, turning back to face her. "You don't know me. Maybe I've got good reason for doing this."

"Like what?"

"Like – " I paused, lips coming together, eyes swelling. "Like none of your damn business."

"And what about the people you'll leave behind?" She called as I turned around again. "What about your family?"

"My family's dead. Or gone."

"Someone will miss you."

"How the hell would you know?"

"Because if there really was no one, you would have jumped by now."

I paused, fists clenching and unclenching. My brother's face flickered behind my eyes – him coming home from work, seeing the note I left for him, breaking down...

"Come on," she whispered, her soft, cool hand slipped into mine. "I'll make you deal; come down, let me walk you to pub on Plymouth and buy you a drink, and you can tell me why you're here. I won't judge, bicker, or rant, I'll listen. And if you don't want to tell me," she shrugged, "then we can talk about who won the footy last night."

When she looked at me, it was as if I had the attention of the entire universe. Every star, planet, and galaxy focused its energy onto me alone, making my insides fumble and my hands shake.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

She smiled ever so slightly, the dimples in her cheeks sinking in.

"My name is Grace," she said tenderly, "and I'd like to know you."

A single tear spilled out over my cheek and my knees, buckling from the trembling nerves, began to bend down to lower me onto the bridge. Grace squeezed my hand, smiling, steadying me as I stepped down.

"Come on," she said, "it's time to start again."

© A.G. Travers 2018