A Saving Grace
Don't Let Go.
The wind was blowing gently, playing with a stray lock of hair that had freed itself from the ponytail holder at the base of his neck. There wasn't too many cars passing him on the bridge, it was too late at night for that. He stopped at the peak of the bridge and leaned against the railing, his hands propping him up. No tears dared his cheeks.. His parents had never been there for him, and when he needed his sister most, she pushed him away. All his life, people tore him down, betrayed him, even Evelyn, the girl who said she loved him. His family didn't care about him, they degraded him every chance they got. Why should he go on? There was nothing for him to live for, not really.
He carefully sat on the railing and swung his legs over, his toes just barely touching the narrow strip overhanging.
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She wasn't in much of a good mood, and the scattered raindrops didn't help. Her Saturday plans were screwed, and she couldn't go home. She decided to go walk the bridge across the Seven. As she walked, she saw a silhouette, sitting on the rails of the bridge, legs swinging over the outer trim. As she neared him, she saw details. His hair was dark, black, maybe, and long, in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His face was one she didn't know, though she felt that she should recognize it, but the look on it, that was one she knew all too well. She stopped, when she reached him.
"You'll fall if you stay there too long. Your hands will freeze." She said, using a light, happy voice to try and change his mood.
"That's okay." He replied, no emotion in his voice at all.
"If you say so, though I must admit, it is a lovely night." She said, a drop of sarcasm in her tone. He finally looked back at her, mouth open to say something. He paused, and then after a moment, continued.
"I'm in some trouble at home, if you don't mind, I don't feel like any company right now."
They stare at each other in silence for a few moments, and she suddenly understands everything, more than what she'd thought was going on. She gracefully climbed up and over the railing and stood on the trim. She reached out and gripped his hand, not saying anything.
The rain fell harder, putting a tear in his eye as she finally spoke.
"Don't let go." She squeezed his hand. "Never give up. It's such a wonderful life."
He takes in a deep breath an nods. "I'm... I'm Alex."
"Alice. Alice Grace."
They both climb back over the railing and start walking down the bridge to the other side, still holding hands as he begins his story.
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They were walking near Temple Station when he finished speaking and fell to his knees, still feeling as if he didn't matter.
But the world has got him down on his knees.
So she wrapped her arms around him and let him cry for a moment until she did something Alice would normally never do. She shoved him against the wall and pressed her lips to his.
Alex took her in his arms, and he didn't know why, but he started to see, he started to believe.
"Don't give up, Alex." She reminded him, her words a whisper against his lips.
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He carefully sat on the railing and swung his legs over, his toes just barely touching the narrow strip overhanging.
_____________________
She wasn't in much of a good mood, and the scattered raindrops didn't help. Her Saturday plans were screwed, and she couldn't go home. She decided to go walk the bridge across the Seven. As she walked, she saw a silhouette, sitting on the rails of the bridge, legs swinging over the outer trim. As she neared him, she saw details. His hair was dark, black, maybe, and long, in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His face was one she didn't know, though she felt that she should recognize it, but the look on it, that was one she knew all too well. She stopped, when she reached him.
"You'll fall if you stay there too long. Your hands will freeze." She said, using a light, happy voice to try and change his mood.
"That's okay." He replied, no emotion in his voice at all.
"If you say so, though I must admit, it is a lovely night." She said, a drop of sarcasm in her tone. He finally looked back at her, mouth open to say something. He paused, and then after a moment, continued.
"I'm in some trouble at home, if you don't mind, I don't feel like any company right now."
They stare at each other in silence for a few moments, and she suddenly understands everything, more than what she'd thought was going on. She gracefully climbed up and over the railing and stood on the trim. She reached out and gripped his hand, not saying anything.
The rain fell harder, putting a tear in his eye as she finally spoke.
"Don't let go." She squeezed his hand. "Never give up. It's such a wonderful life."
He takes in a deep breath an nods. "I'm... I'm Alex."
"Alice. Alice Grace."
They both climb back over the railing and start walking down the bridge to the other side, still holding hands as he begins his story.
________________
They were walking near Temple Station when he finished speaking and fell to his knees, still feeling as if he didn't matter.
But the world has got him down on his knees.
So she wrapped her arms around him and let him cry for a moment until she did something Alice would normally never do. She shoved him against the wall and pressed her lips to his.
Alex took her in his arms, and he didn't know why, but he started to see, he started to believe.
"Don't give up, Alex." She reminded him, her words a whisper against his lips.
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