Chapter 5: Strangest Stranger

The rope was cut off in a blink of an eye, and it took me seconds to fall meters away from the ground. It hurt like hell. The moment I landed, I groaned in pain and thought it was enough reason for me to let my tears rush down again.

"I didn't know you used violence now. Is this the payment for a year worth of free rent?" I was ridiculed at the thought. Not that talking to a tree isn't funny enough.

I had no choice but to stand up again and leave my shelter at last to reach my final destination. Wiping my tears, I bitterly smiled at the tree I freely called home for a year and more.

"Thank you," I murmured as the wind blew on my face, making it seem a consolation, for now, a homeless girl with nowhere to run. A small part of me had me wondering if non-breathing beings were better than humans at some point. 

I continued to walk straight on the open path with dull street lights guiding me. To the place where it all started and where I plan to end what they deemed to be a blessing and miracle – a second life. 

As I reached the familiar view my eyes first laid upon unknowingly returning to this world, I stopped in my tracks. The clear blue water still flowed beneath the large rocks it passed through. The low sound of the current still gave the kind of warning to the people who dared to see the beauty of the violent monster below the bridge.

In this river, I died once. It wouldn't hurt to do it twice, right?

I stood on top of the railings, aiming to jump, and closed my eyes as I felt the moment of my existence, of living. 

I let out a deep breath. "Think of all the good memories you would carry and share with the dead soon," a low whisper to myself.

The cold breeze of the wind touched my skin. Harsh.

A minute has passed. 

Two. 

Five. 

Until I couldn't track time anymore.

"Think harder, Lyria. There must be something worth remembering," I pushed myself as I recalled everything that had happened to me.

And then there it was. A tear flowed down my cheek as a dagger of realization hit me.

"N-nothing. There is absolutely... nothing."

My knees were shaking as I continued to sob, fully aware that I was inches apart from death. Or maybe I didn't care at all, just when a voice emerged behind me.

"Do you want to die?" a soft, deep voice was enough to make me stop crying and gather my senses together.

"I do. And if you don't want your name to appear in newspapers by morning, I suggest you mind your own business."

I was surprised how I still had the voice of authority even when my entire system was falling apart with all the drama. 

The sound of shoes clicking on the floor was getting louder, implying he was out of his mind to come closer. "I think it would be nice to put my name beside yours."

I ignored him, even when we were now side by side to each other, inches apart from brushing my skin on his. And no, I did not give him the satisfaction of curiosity for his character and peculiarity. Who the hell is he, none of my business.

With the silence, he spoke again. "Wanna jump together?"

I would have asked him if he was insane, but I am in no position to, given the circumstances for both of us. 

Instead, I blurted out, "You wouldn't stop me?"

I could feel his stare at me as the words came out of my mouth. Like I asked a genuinely stupid question. 

"I am not really a concerned citizen, for one, but I wouldn't let a beautiful woman like you die alone."

"Tss," I rolled my eyes at his empty words.

For once, I was tongue-tied at how twisted his mind was. How could someone be more crazy than I am? This is not happening. I silently thanked the night for the darkness that enveloped us because I might have punched him straight into his face.

"I would take that as a yes." 

Panic reigned over me before he could establish a sense of attachment to me. 

"Wait! M-maybe..." 

"Maybe what?" His voice was impatient, like this was some game, and he was not thrilled anymore.

I felt his eyes intensely staring at me as if trying to dive into the abyss of my thoughts. And for the first time, I felt something else other than wanting to not exist. 

"Maybe I-I... didn't want to die at a-all." I bit my lip at the weight of the words I said. Hands shaking and knees wobbling, I continued.

"M-maybe... death is not the answer for being lost and stupid for not knowing anything. Maybe... I just, uh, how do I say this..." 

The truth was, I didn't know what to say. I just gathered the courage to live a while ago, and put it into words was out of the picture - too fast.

Silence reigned, and I could imagine the sound of crickets beneath the woods around us. But the silence... it spoke a lot. At least to me.

I expected him to stay still for a little while to absorb my words. Just as he immediately replied, "Eh?"

How serious could that reaction be for a life-and-death situation?

I was about to open my mouth to say how unbelievable his entire existence was when he cut me off and continued what I was contemplating to say. 

"You just want to be found and hope that in the hands of who finds you, you will never be lost again."

Lost and... found. I hadn't thought of that. 

I sensed he was now looking at the river flowing ahead of us, staring at the nothingness of the dark sky and how everything seemed to go on even with our about-to-be incident.

"Well, if you don't want to die now," he slowly said as he moved away from me. 

I figured he would jump back to the safe spot, continue to be the stranger he was, and leave me alone. I would appreciate that.

But I was wrong.

"I think I still do."

It was just that, and he threw himself into the running water below, meters away from death. If the height wouldn't kill you, I'm certain the water will.

And with that certainty, I jumped back at him to save a life I'm not sure why.