Short Stories

Falling

"Stop! Just stop it!"

She kept backing up. And like the idiot I am, I kept moving forward..

"Briana wait! Just stop running away for one second!"

"I can't take it anymore! Why can't it just leave me?"

She's screaming now, shaking her head and trying to cover her ears. Who's it?

If I'm being honest, I have no idea what she's so boiled over about. I've seen her at some bad points, but never like this. Never have I seen her run away. Never have I seen her shake with so much fear. Why this place? Was she going to..

I shake my head, "Briana please.."

"No stop it Jason! Just sto-"

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. I couldn't hear a thing, and she didn't even scream. It was too hard to believe. Did she do it on purpose? No, by the gape of her mouth and fear in her eyes, she didn't intend to.. she didn't intend to fall.

I ran. I ran as fast as I could. It's too overwhelming. Please, please make it stop.

I could hear the footsteps behind me. No please leave. Leave me be.

"Briana!"

I turned around closing my eyes and balling my fists. Make it stop!

"Stop! Just stop it!"

I backed up. Just leave!

"Briana wait! Just stop running away for one second!"

"I can't take it anymore! Why can't it just leave me?"

I covered my ears with my hands. As if that would help..

"Briana please.."

I wish I didn't close my eyes. I wish I could've stopped it. Stopped me.

"No stop it Jason! Just sto-"

I could hear the sudden thump of my heart. The crackling of the ground sounded like an earthquake. I could sense every angle I was falling, and I wasn't falling forward. I'm going to die.

Then something else comes over the cliff. He's falling faster than I am and catches up. He grabs my hand pulls me into his arms. Suddenly my face feels wet, but there's no rain. And he's not.. It's me.

"Why?"

He just smiles, but it's a sad smile, "If you're going to die, we're going to die together."

He kicks his leg around and suddenly I see how far we are from the ground. My heartbeat speeds up and it's like my breathing stops. The wind whips around my hair even more. You fool.

I almost slip charging forward, but not once did I hesitate. She's in shock when her face first appears. I reach for her hand and finally grab it. I pull her right into my arms, that sweet scent of her hair feels my lungs. I'll miss it so much. I wrap my arms around her and hold her as close as I can get her.

"Why," her voice cracks.

I try to not to cry as I smile, "If you're going to die, we're going to die together."

I spin us around just enough so I'm looking past her into the sky. It's funny because it doesn't even look dark. I guess not all tragic moments are surrounded in darkness.

He did it. He did it all for me. I could hear the crackling of ground and snaps of his ribs. Then I heard what broke my heart the most. The sound I knew was going to come but didn't want it to happen. The sound I knew was going to be mine next. Another tear rolled down my cheek before my heartbeat stopped too.