Fallen

Her feet at the edge, she looked back to safety. She looked back to where her feet had been resting on stable ground. She had the chance to turn back. Oh but she wouldn't turn back. Not now. Her steps had already taken her this far; the stubbornness that was deep and inherent in her genetic makeup kept her going. She could turn around and step down but she would not.

Her toes grazed the ledge that was barely there. She kicked off her slippers and let them fall first. A long, breathtaking deadly fall. She raised her arms, balancing against the wind that whipped her hair in furious wisps around her square face. She felt the gust pushing at her back. She bent forward, head slowly facing upward toward the sky. She would allow herself to enjoy this without knowing when the end would hit her. Not knowing if her feet would hit the ground first or if her whole body would smash onto the sidewalk as a whole, all at once. 

Like a Michael Jackson dance move, she let her ankles propel her body forward while her feet were still planted on the edge, arms still raised like she had grown wings and would dare to fly. It felt as though the wind buoyed her and lifted her just a little as if to say, "Are you sure you will do this?" 

She shouted, "YES!" And with a small kick of her toes, she felt herself free falling, plummeting. And for the longest, brief  span of just a few seconds, she was flying. Floating through the night air effortlessly, shirt rippling, face stinging with the howling gale. She was surprised at how exhilarating it felt. To let go of it all. Let go of the need to control everything in a world that could not be controlled in the least bit. Let go of regret. Let go of pain and years of abuse and hurt. 

"Free...I am free now..." those words echoed perpetually, allowing her a sense of peace. Finally, peace. Blissful, rare, rejuvenating peace. 

"Don't fall in love," he said. 

"Too late..." she whispered, sadly. Her body smashed onto the sidewalk and everything turned red. She chose love and love painted the sidewalk with her bright, red blood.