The Fall

Coming back home

He was asleep when she got home. She didn’t turn on any of the lights. Not because she didn’t want to disturb him; she just didn’t want them on. She took off her shoes and dropped her purse on the floor. She quickly went into the bathroom and splashed her face with water. She stood at the sink, hands on the counter, leaning on her arms. She shook her head and dried her face off with a towel. She looked at her silhouette in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. She got in bed. He breathed steadily. She let herself be entranced by his rhythmic intakes once again.

"Surprise," Aren said.

"You?" The girl said.

"Me." Aren clapped.

"What do you want from me?" she screamed.

"Well, if I can’t sleep again, why should you be able to?"

"NO! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Aren chuckled. “Now where is the fun in that?”

"OUT! OUT! OUT!" She woke up and jumped out off bed. He tiredly rolled in bed and asked, "Everything okay?"

"Ya, I just have to…" she wiped the sweat off her forehead, before finishing with, "Get out. I have to get some air."

The girl walked out onto the balcony and looked at the moon. Aren’s voice rang through her head. You’ve got to be kidding me? I can’t escape it. She looked at the night sky, while Aren’s laughing resonated inside of her. I can’t live like this. She clasped the balcony’s railing and looked over the edge. I just can’t. She took a deep breath and let herself fall.

The girl stared up at the balcony three floors above her. “Hello? Anyone there?” Eddy said. He stood mid-stride, tapping the ground around him.

"Oh. Hey," she said, laying on the pavement.

"Did you hear that? Sounded like a bag of cement hitting the ground."

"Huh. Weird." She sat up and looked at her limbs.

"I’ll say. You see anything?"

"Nope." She dusted herself off and fixed her hair.

"So, do you always sit on the sidewalk at this time of night?"

"No, no. Just tonight." She stood up.

"Interesting. You alright?"

"I am fine. Just fine. Have a good night." She went back upstairs and got into bed.

"Did you get some air, dear?" he said.

"Ya. Ya, I did."

"Well, good." He yawned and turned to face her. She faced away from him. He put an arm around her and fell asleep. She stared into the darkness all night.