Chapter 2

Theodore “Ash” Thompson had officially given up on life. He had no friends, his parents didn’t love him, and his girlfriend had ditched him for another Goth. He didn’t exactly look like a Goth (he didn‘t wear any makeup and his hair hadn‘t been poorly died black, as was the custom), but he was one at heart; he truly believed that life held no meaning, that the world had completely gone to shit, and that no matter what he did, that non-existent God would find constant ways to screw him over. His smoky-gray hair (hence the nickname) fluttered in the breeze as he stood on the tenth story ledge of the office building where his father worked, preparing for the jump.

Damnit. This always looked so easy in the movies, so why is it so hard now?

His eyes flicked to the carnival in the towns’ square.

Lucky bastards. At least they have something to live for.

He shut his eyes, trying to clear his head.

You can do this Ash. You can do it. Just one little fall, maybe a bit of pain, and then it’s eternal sleep.

He opened his eyes, his mind now set on his goal, and saw something. It was a person. He could barely make out a young woman with caramel-colored hair running straight for the building. He’d been spotted.

Shit.

But, in a small part of the back of his mind, he was almost…relieved.

***************************

El shoved her cell phone into the boys’ hands.

“Here. Call the police. I’ll be back.”

“Where ya-?” But she was already out of earshot, pushing through the crowds.

She dashed across the streets, her arms and legs pumping furiously. She reached the main doors, the locks already broken, most likely by Ash. She ignored the elevators and headed for the stairs.

El was not a physical person. She did okay in P.E and her body was the perfect average of fat and muscle, but she was not one for stamina. And yet as she reached the tenth floor of the office building, she barely needed to catch her breath; those stairs had felt like nothing.

She found an open window and stuck her head out.

“Don’t come any closer.”

She looked to her right and found Ash on the verge of tears.

“Ash, please don’t do this.” He stared at her in confusion.

“Do I know you?”

“My name’s Eleanor Law. I go to the same school as you. We have L.A. and World History together. I was your Biology partner last year.” Ash vaguely remembered her now. A quiet girl with decent looks; her short hair with the bangs that just barely touched her eyebrows and a pair of light brown eyes that corresponded well with her hair and skin. She sometimes let him copy her homework. “Ash, please. Come inside.”

“Fuck off!” He edged away from her.

“I’m begging you! Don’t throw your life away! There’s so much more you can still do!” She looked like she was about to cry herself.

“Don’t feed me that ‘It gets better’ bullshit!”

“But it’s true!”

“No it’s not! Besides, you have no idea what it’s like! Knowing that this world’s going to Hell and that there’s nothing you can do to stop it! Knowing that you’ve got nothing to live for!”

Sirens echoed in the distance, but they paid little attention.

“Maybe you’re right Ash. Maybe Earth is turning to shit. But that doesn’t mean you should kill yourself! The least you can do is have a little fun before the world ends!” Ash seemed to give it thought. It looked like he was reconsidering. El reached out to take his hand. “Ash…please.”

They had barely noticed the crowd gathering beneath them along with the arriving firemen and police officers entering the building. And as Ash’s hand moved just a fraction of an inch, a spotlight blinded them and a cop with a megaphone tried to talk him down.

“SON LISTEN TO ME! YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THIS! YOU’VE GOT YOUR WHOLE LIFE AHEAD OF YOU!”

Ash’s face turned to stone and he glared at El, his eyes filling with hate.

“You know what? Fuck you. You don’t care about me.”

“Yes, I do!” But Ash ignored her, edging farther away.

El swore many different curses under her breath. There was only one way to get his attention now…

The crowd gasped as she swung her leg over the windowsill and onto the ledge. Ash’s jaw dropped.

“Are you crazy!? You’ll get yourself killed!”

“Look who’s talking!”

“YOUNG LADY PLEASE GO BACK INSIDE! LEAVE THIS TO THE PROFFESSIONALS!”

“Oh shut up.” El mumbled to herself. She swung her other leg out and stood up straight. She grasped the window-frame for balance as she carefully stepped towards the trembling boy. “Ash, I’ll say it one last time: please don’t do it.”

“Why? Why are you doing this?”

El blinked.

She’d never really thought about it. She just thought it was only natural for someone to help another. She’d always believed that life was a gift, and that to give it up was the worst thing imaginable. But she couldn’t really explain that to Ash…

“Because…” She blushed. “Because…I’ve kinda got a crush on you.” This wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t entirely untrue either. Ash was a handsome young man with a slender, strong build; he seemed like a decent guy with a good head on his shoulders, it just needed some help. El hadn’t really noticed him until now, but their was a certain…allure to him. She had never been interested in boys, but she wouldn’t mind getting to know Ash…maybe even dating him.

“You…have a crush on me?”

El nodded. She could have sworn that she saw Ash blush.

“Umm…thanks. I think.” Their was an awkward silence before El spoke.

“I was…I was thinking that maybe, if you weren’t going to kill yourself, we could…I don’t know…go out some time?” Ash nearly smiled as she spoke in an embarrassed rush. “There’s this horror movie I’ve been wanting to see and I really like the director, but my folks won’t take me, and I don’t want to go alone, so I was wondering if you wanted to…”

If it wasn’t for the fact that they were standing on a tenth story ledge and were a footstep away from knocking on Deaths’ door, this might have been an average conversation between high school students. Even the crowd seemed to have sensed the tension between them as they shared in the awkward silence.

“Actually, forget I said anything. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“Sure.” El’s eyes widened.

“Wait…what?”

“Sure. I mean…I’d like that. To go out…with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“So…you’re not gonna jump?” Ash looked down at the crowd in thought.

“I guess not.” And for the first time, El saw Ash smile. It was a small smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. She reached out her hand and the crowd cheered as he took it. El then did something that she hadn’t planned on doing: she hugged him. He stiffened a little in surprise, then carefully hugged her back. It was one of the happiest moments of her life. Not only had she saved a life, but she had also scored her first date. And as she looked up at Ash, she thought that it couldn’t possibly get any bet-

And then he kissed her.

Ash kissed her.

And she kissed him back.

Her first kiss.

Best…night…ever.

***************************

The crowd was roaring in applause as El and Ash carefully headed for the window where a group of cops and firemen were waiting. El could faintly hear Alice and her friends whooping and hollering “Way to go El!”, “All right El!”, and so on.

“Nicely done, miss.” An officer said as they helped Ash inside. They had insisted that he go in first since he was the one now on Suicide Watch.

“Thank you.” El slowly leaned back so as to swing her leg in, and that was when a loose bit of cement crumbled under her foot. She gasped as she tumbled backward, her hands frantically searching for something to grab on to. The cop blanched and tried to take her hand, but his fingers just barely missed her own, curling around thin air. She heard Ash scream her name, followed by Alice shrieking in horror, and then she was falling.

Falling, falling, falling.

She was too shocked to cry out. Her mind too numb to flash her life before her eyes. It wasn’t until she was a few feet from the ground that she realized what was about to happen.

I’m going to-

THWUMP.