The Fall Guy

The butterflies in his stomach were a sign. A sign of very bad things were soon to come. His heart raced and his legs became jelly from just the thought of what he had to do. What he had gotten himself into. Everyone knew what to expect and the danger involved, but he had to put it all out of his head. “It’s all for her” he tried to convince himself. He repeatedly recited it over and over again in an attempted to silence the fear. It didn’t seem to work. With a forehead drenched in sweat he marched forward to his mark. Peaking over the edge, the wind whistled a familiar tune as vertigo set in. The butterflies started to make their way north, but somehow he managed to choke them back. He knew it was a sign. A sign of very bad things were soon to come.

His heart throbbed in his chest. A feeling of dread washed over him and for a second he thought long and hard of his current situation. Why was this so important to him? How had he gotten to this point again? He couldn’t understand why a “normal” life wasn’t good enough. A 9 to 5 couldn’t seem to satisfy his undying thirst for her. The one love he could never seem to rid himself of. Every time the ordinary seemed to drain she would call out to him. She would appeal to his free spirit and his heart would follow her sweet voice. She was an addiction. One so dangerous that he’d do anything and give anything just to be with her even if that moment was just for awhile.

The low hum of the spotlights was enough to bring his out of his daze. It was time and he knew it. He felt as if the world was watching. Some wanted him to succeed but most just got off on witnessing failures firsthand. It didn’t make a difference to him. He needed to taste her and nothing would stop him this time. The risk was greater than it had been before. It was always more dangerous each time he went to see her. But, he didn’t care. It was what he had to do. He couldn’t live without the feeling she gave him. The anticipation for that moment of Zen only made the butterflies more unruly. It was time and he was ready.

As the countdown began, his breathing slowed and the world seemed to come to a stop. The crowd’s screams became a ghostly chant. He had entered his zone. The wind whistled as his vision became tunneled only being able to see her face. She called out to him and he longed to be with her. He swore the last time would be their last time together, but he was already strung out. He took a short breath and waited for a hush. The world around him went black. The only light he could see was the one that radiated from his one true love. With arms wide open he let himself go and prayed the butterflies were enough to guide him into the loving embrace of his long time forbidden affair.

In a flash it was over. His ecstasy cut short by the unforgiving thud of a safety airbag. The peaceful silence was broken by a monstrous roar. As a safety crew and medical personnel rushed to his side, his heart became heavy. The fall wasn’t high enough. There weren’t enough flaming hoops. The danger wasn’t real and the there was no fear. Not enough for her to stay as long as she used to, as she promised. He was disappointed in their last tryst and swore he would never see her again. But, as his crew helped him to his feet to show his appreciation to the crowd, she stared lovingly at him. She knew he was lying. She knew that her love was everything he ever dreamed. She knew he belonged to her. All she had to do was call and he’d fall for her every time.   

Reviews

[April Vickery]

I do so love when you choose story over poem, although both are fantastic! I personally, am a "skimmer" and most things need to be read and read again for me to truly "FEEL" them. Your words flow so smoothly to me that I can't help but be drawn in from the begining to the end. The only times I read anything of yours over is because I want to, not because I have to. Bravo.