How To Save A Life [A Robert Downey Jr. Fan-Fic]

Chapter 33: Unarmed

There's this moment in your life when the last breath of air escapes your lungs. You try to hold on to it, not leaving the last bit of oxygen out of your body because you know it'd be your end.
The moment, you still feel your heart beating but at the same time you know this moment won't last forever.
The moment, every living entity has to go through.

Death.

When I was still alive, I used to think about what it was like to die.

Would I be old and grey when my time was expired?

Would it be painful?

Would it take a lot of time?

Well, as far as I was concerned, everything happened really quick and easy.
As soon as the other car had crashed into my side of the vehicle, I got unconscious and died within a heartbeat, my last heartbeat.
Everything happened so fast, I didn't even feel any pain at all.
Dying itself is not the bad part.

The moment, the last second, before you know you're going to die- that's the worst part.
Because you know it's the end. You know, there's nothing left to prevent what's going to happen anyway.
And the only thing that comes to your mind is: What next?

What's going to happen when I'm gone?

People say, the moment before you die, your whole life seems to appear in front of your eyes. But the truth is, only the things you love will be seen.
And in my case, all I've seen was Robert.

I've seen him standing in front of me, holding my face with his hands as his caramel eyes looked right into mine, a roguish smile on his lips. His eyes crinkled in this cute way I adored so much while his hair was blown by a light summer breeze.

And within a heartbeat, everything changed.

Within a heartbeat, Robert disappeared and darkness had welcomed me.

Within a heartbeat, I was gone.

Quick and easy.

And now, that I saw Robert standing there, feet draped over the railing, still holding on to it as he looked down at the cold pavement, my eyes filled with tears immediately. I wanted to stop him but how should I do that?

I couldn't touch him.

I wasn't real.

Although, I still sensed him... But he couldn't hear or see me.

"Robert, please", I sobbed and reached out for his hand, "Just stop and think about it for a second. This wouldn't change anything..."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his hair blown by a light breeze.

"I'll see you in another life", he whispered almost inaudibly before everything happened too fast.

It felt like my heart stopped for a second as he let go of the railing.

Immediately, I tried to grab his hand or his shirt. Anything, just to hold him back.

But it wasn't me who stopped him. There was someone else who had grabbed his shirt and tried to pull him back on the roof terrace.

I turned around and saw Liz standing behind, trying to hold Robert as best as she could.

She smiled weakly at me before both of them fell backwards and landed on the cold wooden ground of the roof terrace.

"Thank you", I whispered with tears in my eyes as she tried to catch her breath.

"What the hell did you think of?", Robert shouted at her, his eyes wide open as he stared at her, "Why didn't you just let go of me?"