The Drowned Man

Drowning

Reid Gibson was a man with great potential that he always felt was squandered. He dropped out of college after two semesters, lived with an abusive woman for a time, and lead an overall mediocre life full of struggles he never should have had. Now, his life overall was going well. He had a steady job with a decent side gig to supplement his income. He had friends who cared for him and loved him. He even began following his passion for painting.

By all accounts, his life was finally coming together and at a young age, still having six years till thirty. This was not the case, however. Every day was a slog of forcing himself to wake up and live his life. His head was clouded and he was deeply unaware of everything around him. His memory was shaky and unreliable, his mood low more often than not. It never stopped him from keeping face, however.

Everyone knew Reid as this man who was upbeat and generally cheerful. Someone you would look forward to seeing. His foolish jokes, along with his goofy smile, were something that gave people a boost. A pep in their step if you will. He had goals, dreams, and desires, now faded into mere memories that would also soon fade into nothing.

He loved a woman. He loved several. None of it mattered anymore. They didn't understand his plight, they couldn't. Reid knew that even he himself wouldn't have truly understood if he wasn't experiencing the pain and emptiness this very moment. He had a rough time, living with his abusive ex. Back then he felt there was only one way out, he was depressed and defeated. Eventually, he escaped that hell and was able to rebuild his life, but this was different.

For months Reid gradually fell into a deep depression. It felt as if he was being suffocated. He lost his best friend because of it and soon the rest followed. He loved his friend more than anything. They stuck together through thick and thin, but this time was different. She couldn't understand, she wouldn't, and before he knew it she was gone.

Now Reid stood at the edge of the world's most infamous bridge, ready to jump. Cars zoomed by, the drivers paying him no mind. It did not surprise him. People jumped from this bridge so often it could be considered a sick and twisted tourist attraction. People coming from all around the world to see who would be the next to take the plunge.

"A truly sick world," Reid said, his voice hollow. "Too sick"

Normally Reid was terrified of heights, but knowing what he was about to do, it did not phase him. A few moments of falling. A moment of pain, and then there would be nothing. Just another corpse to sink to the depths and feed the sharks. The sun was falling, its orange light bathing the world around him. Once it fell completely, Reid had decided he too would fall.

"Excuse me, sir," a woman's voice said from behind him.

Reid turned to face his visitor, expecting it to be an officer. To his surprise it wasn't, but instead a woman in a blue dress, wearing a summer hat. She looked somewhat distraught, yet so at peace as her brunette hair swayed lightly in the breeze. Her makeup was smeared and dried down her face, giving her a ghastly look.

"What?" Reid responded blankly.

"Are you going to jump?" she asked just as blankly.

He could hear it now, her voice was nearly as hollow as his own.

"Don't worry about it. You should leave."

For a time no words were spoken, leaving the sound of passing cars in the air. The woman took a step forward, causing Reid to step back.

"Don't try to stop me," he said with what little aggression he could muster.

"I won't," she said weakly. "I wanted to ask..."

Silence again.

"You want to jump with me, don't you?"

"Yes."