24 Floors

He stood on the balcony, the wind catching on the tears that were silently seeping out of his eyes. He felt a lump rise in his throat and he swore under his breath. He could do this, he thought, he had planned for this. He turned his eyes up towards the sky, connecting the stars together to form shapes in his mind. His eyes closed for a second and he turned them downwards, following the cars that sped past, blind to what was going on above them.

He stepped forward and felt anxiety fill his body. He was so close.

He took another step. He was right on the edge now. He could do this.

He lifted up his foot, ready to step off into the unknown, and then something stopped him. Memories surfaced themselves in his mind, pictures flashing like a slideshow.

You don’t want to die tonight, a voice made itself known in his mind. He felt his foot plant itself back on the ledge below him. Tears were streaming faster now. He was having doubts.

His shaky hands reached for his cheek, creating a dam, not letting the salt water drip through. He felt himself back up, step by step, until he was safely by the door. He pressed his back against the cold glass and felt a sob escape his throat as he slowly slid down, frozen in the chill of the night.