Salvaging Family (SBI Angst)

18: Phil

I was just coming downstairs for a quick drink of water when I noticed something unusual on the counter. Letters? Who even writes letters anymore? Upon closer inspection, I realized they were addressed to myself, Wilbur, and Tommy, and were written in... Techno's handwriting.

I didn't even have to open the letter to know what was inside. No, no, no, this can't be happening. My heart was racing. I needed to stop him, but had no idea where he could be. I knew he'd left the house, seeing as I heard the front door open and close earlier. I hadn't paid much attention then. I really  wished I had. Now it might he too late!

No, I can't think like that. He's still alive. He must be. I just have to find him, or I really will lose him. So if I were to want to kill myself, where would I go?

Of course.

The bridge.

I ran out of the house, listening solely to the pounding of my feet on the pavement. Nothing mattered except getting to Techno before he could do anything regrettable. There was still time. He could still be saved.

Slowly, but surely, the bridge came into view. And with it, just as I expected, so did Techno. He was standing behind the rails, gazing into the water below. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"Techno!" I screamed, desperate to save him. His head whipped up, and upon noticing who was calling him, ducked and tried to get behind the railing.

"Please stop!" I cried. "Don't do it!" He paused, and looked back at me. I was now right next to him. I grabbed his arm.

"Please." I begged. "I need you here." His eyes watered, and his lips moved to form words I could only barely hear.

"I didn't think you'd care..."

"Of course I care! I love you, Techno. You let yourself forget that."

For a moment, I thought he was considering stepping back from the ledge, but instead he ripped himself from my grip, and pulled the rest of his body through the small opening at the bottom of the railing.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do it anymore!"

"NO! NO PLEASE! STOP, TECHNO! STOP IT!" My voice was growing hoarse from all the screaming.

He moved closer to the edge. I lunged forward, grabbing onto his waist and pulling him back towards to ledge so that he couldn't move.

"Let go of me!" He yelled, trying to wiggle out of my grasp. But there was no way in hell that I was going to let him go. Not now. He had to live. I wasn't going to give him a choice.

"I need you to stay." My voice was quiet and scratchy now.

"I don't want to." He was sobbing at this point. "I'm so tired! Just let me go already!"

"No. I'll stay here all night if I have to. You're not going anywhere."

"Oh yes I am!"

It was as if the world was moving in slow motion. Techno somehow slipped from my grasp and off the edge.

"NO!" I screamed. "NO!" I collapsed on the other side of the bridge, barely processing what had just happened.

"COME BACK! C-CO... me back..." My voiced died off into a whisper. "Tell me I'm dreaming..."

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't stay here forever. If there was any chance of still saving him, it needed to happen now. My first action was to call 911 and explain everything. Then I just stood back and watched everything.

"Come back... come back." I repeated to myself. I knew he wasn't going to, but this was the only solace I had. A paramedic was ushering me inside an ambulance and asking me questions, but I couldn't respond, or even listen, really. What if he  didn't make it? What then? What would I say to Tommy? To Wilbur? They'd be devastated! How didn't Techno see how much he was loved? So many people genuinely cared about him. So many would be affected by this.

I couldn't fathom the pain his death would bring. That was why I had to believe that he would be okay. He had to be. He was Techno blade, for fucks sake! He couldn't die!

There was absolutely no way!

Right...?