Keep the Faith

He stood on the green bridge, looking down at his future. If you could call it a future. More like a death, a moment, a nothing. That’s what he thought when he looked at the murky green water, with the waves that tumbled and crashed each other much like his own wants and needs. His wants to save everyone, he needs to be free from the chains that bound him to this career- to this stone block in the middle of a forest, where everyone and anyone could feast on his worn, broken, flesh without a second thought. He closed his muddy hazel orbs that had dulled over time, and felt the fierce cold wind whip his black clothing against his body- as if trying to pull him off the bridge, and away from the danger. He couldn’t though; he couldn’t bring himself to take that one step back and show them all he was strong.

He opened his eyes, staring at the blue moon that smiled on him- as if trying to say “it will all be okay.” But the raven-haired singer couldn’t believe that hunk of frozen rock that danced in the sky. No one blamed the moon for anything, did they? They always blamed the sun, the star, for all the troubles in the world- global warming, cancer, the end of human civilization. No one blamed the moon. The moon could just chill in the sky, without a care, while the sun had to be cursed at by the people below- as if they didn’t know the sun was their reason for living, and it was their own human ignorance that was the cause of the horrors.

He moved his eyes to the right of him, down the empty street where city lights added an elegant glow to the darkened streets. The sound of people, too far away to see, reached his ears. Cars honking, men cursing, women moaning. What a world to live in anyway- a world were people are degraded. He turned to his left, where the town was so dark he could only make out the outlines of small houses. There wasn’t a sound. No cars, no people. No life. That wasn’t much of a life, was it? Just empty air. He wasn’t happy anywhere, was he? Not in the city, not in the town. Just on that bridge, with the water begging for his body. He smirked…

He took a breath and let his body fall. Fall. Fall. Fall. The wind pushing against his face, forcing his eyes to snap shut. He could hear the calm waves get closer. Closer. Closer. Like a pleasant song that beckoned him closer. And when he hit the water, hard, he could feel his bones crush…his mouth open to unleash a river of blood. His mouth open like mid song- cut out too soon. Floating dead in the water…

His eyes snapped opened; swallowing back the fear. He found himself back on that bridge, over the water, still in the empty night. He breathed again for the first time in seconds. Sweat beaded off his forehead; was it all worth it? He shook his fear away, and began to take another step…

“Don’t do it,” a sad voice called out. His eyes went wide, and he slowly turned to meet the warm gaze of a girl; her long dark brown hair flying in the wind. “You’ll be okay. I promise.” Her beautiful dark eyes shined against the moon, and she smiled at him. He never seen this girl in his life; but something about her comforted him…

“Don’t do it.” Another voice, to his right, said to him…a tad more sternly. He swallowed back whatever choked him up- tears?- and turned to face the other girl. She was taller; her eyes slightly dulled from seeing too many sins. Her hair was dark like the other girls, with red streaks that resembled the blood she shed. “If you jump, I jump.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing- this girl he never met before. These girls who never met him; like the knew him, like the knew his plight, his pain, his fear. But that was impossible, right? No way could these innocent girls know the pain that surged through him every single day, after every single performance where he spilled his guts for the uncaring. For those who lost faith.

“If you go we go.”

He turned around to see a small cluster of kids- of many different ages, gender, and race- all looking at him with hope in their eyes. With love and admiration. They held out their hands for him…so that for the first time they could capture him in their protective arms; hear their sweet voices of concern and hope. He didn’t realize how many people still had faith in him…

Then he remembered his family, his friends, his band, his wife, all waiting for him somewhere…for him to step off that bridge and return home. They were somewhere amongst the hundreds of faces that stood behind him, waiting to catch him when he fell.

The two girls next to him clutched his hand. He smiled and closed his eyes- taking a step back to the hard ground. The wind had stopped its attack on his body- now satisfied that he was back on solid ground. Back alive. Where he belong. He opened his eyes, focusing on the moon that smiled down upon him. Everything felt at ease; not perfect…no there were still too many troubles to return home to for this moment to be perfect, but he was calm now. He was sane. He realized the two girls were gone from his side- swinging around he found the entire group was gone…except for one single person…

“I’ve been waiting for you…”

He smiled, “I know…I am sorry.”

This person walked to him, wrapping their arms around his neck, “You’re going to be okay now?”

He smiled; the image of those kids flashed in his head. Though he didn’t know any of them, he could see them listening to his music- the songs he created with every thread of his body- the smiles on their faces when they hear his voice. He could feel them all in him, warming his body and soul with the faith they still had- for him, the band, the message. He was free; he could live for them, not matter how little their numbers shrunk.

“I am. I’m going to be okay now- I know I am not alone anymore.”