Drew

.7.

"Drew!" My name sounds tortured coming from whoever belts it as I rock myself forward.

My weight starts to shift and this, I realize, is the moment when I have to commit. Once I'm past this, it'll all be over.

And I'm committed.

I haven't wanted something more than this in a really long time.

Just as I bend my knees to launch myself, the material of my shirt grows tight around my body and I'm jerked back. Away from my pending death. Away from my relief.

"Let me go!" I scream the words, frantic and pained as I scramble to my feet, back toward the ledge. "Let me go!"

"You're okay! It's me!"

I throw my body toward the ledge, clawing at the air like some deranged animal.

"I've got you kid." Coach Mo continually hauls me farther away.

I swing a fist in his general direction, a weak attempt at trying to free myself but I'm drunk and I'm desperate.

"Just let me go."

Arms wrap around me, a memory of Coach Mo hugging me in a snowy parking lot fills my mind and a strangled sob breaks free.

"I can't do that Drew." He pulls me into him even though I'm still struggling.

"Please Mo." I beg. "Please let me."

"I've got you." His hand finds my head, pushing my chin over his shoulder as he squeezes out any remaining space between us.

All I can see is the ledge. My relief. The only way I know how to stop feeling so empty.

I keep begging for him to let go. But he's too big for me to push off and I'm too worn out to fight. And soon my pleas for him to stop turn into full out sobs and he holds me as the rest of the fight drains from my body and all that's left is this empty bottomless pit.

"I don't want to feel like this anymore." I sob.

"I know son. I don't want you to either." He kisses my head, supporting most of my weight because everything is too heavy. "We're going to figure this out, okay. I've got you."

Siren's grow near in the distance. I wonder if they're coming for me. If Mo called them.

"It's okay." Coach Mo keeps murmuring. "I'm right here."

I cling to him, he's the only thing that's keeping me alive at this point.

"You're okay."

A door slams, lights flashing, noise erupting as people start to fill in the space around me. I can't focus on what all the voices are saying but I feel like they're about to pull me off of Coach Mo and I swear as soon as they do I'm running. I'm already planning my route through the people that swarm us so I can throw myself over the railing.

"I've got him." Coach Mo tells someone. "I'm staying with him."

But neither of us move.

"I don't want to be alive anymore Coach." I sob.  "Please just let me go."

"I'm not giving up on you Drew."

He grips me tighter like he knows if I think I have the slightest chance of slipping from his grasp that I'm gone.

"I care, you hear me." He says, my shoulders shake, tears falling relentlessly down my face. "I care about you and I'm not letting you go."

                                   -The End-
                              ————————

Phew. That was heavy.

Stick around for an author's note like normal, if you want.