A Meeting With A Stranger

Another silly thing I wrote for my English class.

I'm actually kinda proud of this, the teacher read it out to everyone 
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A Meeting With A Stranger

It was late in the afternoon, the winter sky was darkening. An orange streak of fading sunlight was punctuated by grey, gloomy clouds. The wind blew against me, numbing my skin and displacing my hair.

I shuffled my feet around a little, the soles of my shoes slipping slightly on the icy concrete. Holding onto metal barrier as best as my frozen fingers would allow, I looked over the edge of the bridge.

Water rushed below me at a terrifying speed; the recent snow and rain contributing to the volume of the river. If I fell, I certainly wouldn't survive. I heard a voice behind me speaking. "Sir? Excuse me sir, you're on the wrong side of the railing..."

Surviving wasn't something I had planned on doing anyway.

I turned to face the speaker. His uniform belonged to a local school, and at a guess I would say he looked around thirteen. Maybe a little older. The teenager stared back at me, his arms wrapped around his torso for a little more warmth. Opening my mouth, I tried to come up with an excuse.

"I know." My mind was blank. What could possibly justify something like this this? His brow furrowed as he glanced over the edge, adjusting the strap of his satchel as he looked back up at me. "Were... Were you going to jump, sir?"

I sighed. "It's not important. Should you be going? It's late." He blinked. Then shook his head. "No, I don't want you to jump." He sounded so innocent. Or just plain stupid. "You don't know me." I grumbled in reply.
"Yes I do, I met you five minutes ago. I don't know much, but I know that you shouldn't jump. You seem like a nice person. Don't you have a family?"
"They don't care."
"Of course they would! ...Sir? Why do you want to jump? You'll die..."
"I don't have any reason to live." I began to grow irritated at the boy. Why should I explain myself to him?

"Sure you do! I'm the stupidest person in the year, everyone says it. Even the teachers. I'm never gonna be anything when I grow up. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna go and kill myself. I'm gonna try anyway and see where I end up."

I stared at him. How could someone so put down by everyone around them be so happy? How could he possibly still have so much self-belief and motivation?

"Every day my mum tells me that happiness comes from within. Nobody deserves to take happiness away from you, and if you make yourself happy, no matter what, nobody can make you upset!"

He grinned at me. I thought for a moment. Happiness from within... Maybe I could give it a shot. I smiled weakly at the boy, turning myself around properly to face him. "Your mother makes a good point. Keep listening to her. Now, could you help me back onto the right side of this railing?"

He nodded, eagerly holding out a hand. I lifted a leg and reached out, about to take it.

A gust of wind blew against me.

I slipped.

 

Is that a good comment or a bad one? 0.0

 

I'm glad you liked it.

 

Lol bump