"Won't You Step Back From That Ledge My Friend"

You stand upon the edge of a ravine, looking down, you know how easy it would be; just one jump, one step, a slight movement of the muscles before their ultimate end. You move your hand a little. Just a twitch. A test to see if you're still alive.

You are, but now you're nervous. The blood is rushing in your ears and you notice a faint tingling in your stomach. Four images come to mind: A yellow house obscured by pine trees; a girl, pale and alone, fighting off a terrible disease; two children entombed forever in stone; a stairwell leading to a high place among the vines of a forgotten jungle. You sigh. You know it's worth it. It's what she told you to do, isn't it? "Come with me when the time comes." she had said. And here you were fulfilling her wish. Are. But can you do it? Sure, she's gone. And sure, the children are gone. But do YOU have to be gone...? Could you live without her..? No. But you could try.

 

Yet, why try? Why dare it? It's just your fear of death stopping you.

 

So, you do it. You leap. No, not step or jump. LEAP. Leap into the abyss headfirst.

 

She's there. At the bottom. A star among the darkened trees. The kids are there too.

 

But you fall farther than them. Lower. Lower into the dark and finally there's a light.

 

 

The light of fire.