Adam - A Novella

8

Old Soldier bridge was a beautiful spot to be at dusk. The small trickle of water among the shiny, large rocks miles below the rickety wood rope bridge glimmered in the evening sun, which set behind the mountains and short yet modern buildings far behind me. It took a while to get out here, but every time I do, it's a treat. The history of the rope bridge was intriguing; it was built ugly and unstable looking as a scare tactic for the British soldiers in the war for independence, when the creek water was a river, and would wash a soldier who did fall straight out to ocean, if he didn't die by the force of the water smacking his head on a rock first. Once the war was won, the bridge remained, but the river has shrunk due to irrelevant dams being built on farther ends, and the amount of sun our state got hit with out of seemingly nowhere. It was nicknamed Old Soldier Bridge and has since deteriorated and been abandoned.

A thick white-cardboard sign displaying the suicide prevention hotline's number was almost invisible, hidden by weeds and dirt that had been kicked onto it, most likely intentionally. I kicked dirt onto it too, like a tradition for the ones who lose their lives here. Some soil I sent flying stuck to some sap over the C-shaped phone on the sign.

The board they put to block off the bridge was sad. One side was resting on the ground, the other hanging two inches above ground by a rusty nail. I'm more likely to trip over it than anything. I stepped over it lightly, and the rope bridge instantly wobbled under my foot, throwing my balance off. I didn't care more than my instinct made me, and I fearlessly sat down on the side near the middle solemnly. I laid back, letting my phone blast whatever music was in my liked songs, because who was around to hear?

I watched the sun change from light orange to neon orange, to copper, to dark yellow, to pink, to purple, to navy blue. It wasn't too long of a transition, either, which kept my attention span from wandering. It was peaceful but didn't calm my heart ache. My fingertips tingled as they dangled through the boards below me, trying to tell me they weren't receiving enough oxygen in the blood flow, or not enough blood in the first place. But that was going to be the least of their problems soon. When the only remaining color was completely behind me and only a few stars speckled the sky, I sat up, thought through and ready. I tucked my heels under my thighs vertically and rested my chin on my knees, reaching to play one more song, and checking to make sure there weren't some saving grace messages. Just some push notifications and my mother telling me I was going to be in trouble when I got home for missing dinner. I played my loudest, most thought muting song I had in my playlist, and for a moment I wondered if the nearest few houses could actually hear it. I rocked back and forth on the bridge, enjoying the motion sensation. The song began to fade, and I sighed my final sigh.

"I like that kind of music, although it was kind of loud. I like it more in the background." I almost flipped myself off the bridge with my quick movement, my legs flying out in front of me and my arms instinctively reaching for the weak rope railing. To my left, from the completely blocked-out side, was a figure who was tall, but not quite as tall as me, with silky brown hair that fell perfectly into place as their hoodie slid off, revealing a few cow licks that accented their almond-shaped face which was encrusted with what looks like weeks of lack of sleep, shown with their dark eye bags and slight tear trough wrinkles. Wait a damn second.

"Caleb?!" I yelped, standing immediately, rocking the bridge like a boat. He smiled, and slowly sat down next to me, where I had slid back into my spot. I paused the song that had begun to play, and without thinking, wrapped my arms around him. He flinched, but soon realized I was not going to hurt him and gave me the biggest hug I've ever felt. Tighter than a bear hug, warmer than my mom's family recipe apple pie. I tightened my grip around him until he made an inward gasp, demonstrating he couldn't breathe. "What are you doing here? I thought you moved."