Redemption [h.s]

prologue

It was just a normal day like others. Or at least, that's what I thought it would've been.

I had just finished working, and I was about to go home. I worked as a waitress at a restaurant at the seventh floor of a fancy building near the centre of London. I liked that place, but my favourite part about it was its really big balcony. In summer we often moved some of the tables out there so that the people who went there could see the lovely sight of London underneath.

I was the last one in the restaurant that night, and I had to close the place, since it was time to go home. I shivered at the thought of having to go out in the cold. It was a freezing night of early January, you could still see the city flickering at the remembrance of the just ended holidays.

I was about to go away, but then I remembered to check the balcony door. Nobody could've actually got in from there of course, but there was still the risk it could've rained inside. The sky was heavily clouded and no stars could be seen, everything made me presume that a thunderstorm was on its way. If it had actually rained on the floor, it would've been a mess to clean up the next day.

I checked it. It was open. I frowned, confused. We never opened it in winter. Even though it was a bit weird, I shrugged it off. It was locked with a little lock on the door, everybody could've opened it at some point during the evening. I decided to check outside, just in case.

There was someone sitting on the edge of the balcony, legs towards the side of the landscape.

"Hey" I called out softly, not wanting to scare them. They were in a really dangerous position, they could have fallen.

The person didn't reply, but stood up. Feet on the small edge, the hands gripping the railing behind them being the only thing keeping them from falling.

"I'm coming closer" I told them, starting to realise what was about to happen. I walked slowly towards them, until I was standing next to them. My heart dropped when I realised who it was.

He looked up, towards the sky. "Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I just let go" he said.

I moved my hand behind him, ready to catch him if he had done something stupid.

"Then you wouldn't know what life has in store for you" I replied, watching him carefully.

He turned his head towards me, and his green eyes looked straight into mine. They looked so dark in the dim light coming from the restaurant.

I moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body almost touching mine.

"What if I don't want to?" He asked softly.

And then, he let go.