Reeve

The dark sky of my last night on earth is lit by the pale moonlight that struggles to be seen through the misty clouds. The haze hides the stars that are light years away, unaware of what is going on below them.

I slowly stand up, holding out my arms to regain my balance as I try not to concentrate on the world below me. I ignore the rushing city beneath my feet and focus mainly on the cool, black night far above.

I look further up, my head spinning and eyes squinting as I try to make out the constellations in the sky. I've always wondered what life would be like if I were a star, gazing down on the earth and watching over the people I love—always there to lead the way and to shed a little light on this otherwise harsh, daunting, and unforgiving world.

Finally gathering up the courage, I tear my gaze away from the stars and glance at the shadowed street below me.

Silhouetted figures hunch over from the chill of the night, pulling their coats closer to their bodies to block out the crisp wind. They walk briskly to their destinations, probably in a hurry to get out of the cold. A chilled breeze ruffles my hair, as if the wind is comforting me by patting my head with an icy hand.

My body is rigid and numb, and my mind is reeling, running through a million thoughts per second.

Why?

I imagine Haven asking. That single, one-worded question would convey a tone that's choked up with a mixture of anger and sadness.

Reeve, why?

She would ask again, trying desperately to understand what I was thinking. I turn around slightly, not enough to lose my balance, but enough to see her slumped, imaginary figure. I remain silent as I stare into the black space, where I imagine Haven would stand if she were here with me tonight.

Reeve... You don't have to do this. Please...

She would plead, begging for me to back away from the ledge and to jump into her safe, open arms.

"Be happy..." I say out loud, not to myself, but to Haven's imaginary figure.

Don't, Reeve. Don't. I love you, she would cry out while holding out her hand, desperately wishing I'd take it.

"Goodbye, Haven... I love you," I say aloud again, my words getting twisted and lost into the winds of the night.

I take my last breath, a deep breath of cold air that surges all throughout my body, but surprisingly, makes me feel warm inside. I close my eyes and step over the edge as I imagine her rushing towards me, grasping the air for my hand that is no longer there.

No, Reeve, no!

I hang there for a split second, and everything is surreal. Then I fall, like a puppet whose strings are cut. My arms and legs flail instinctively as I try to catch myself, and my heart pounds so loudly that I'm sure the people below me would hear and wonder where it was coming from. The darkness envelops me and swallows me whole before I have a chance to comprehend what is happening.

I imagine Haven's scream would echo in the air, getting tangled up with my words that were also lost, as I fall the eighteen floors to the awaiting concrete.

I was approaching death; I was going, going, and gone.