Creative Writing Prompt - May 15, 2014: Saving a Life

Setup: You’re walking to grab lunch when you see a crowd gathered around a building. You look up and see that someone is standing on the ledge, looking to jump. You hear a police officer close to you mention that the person is about to commit suicide. He also mentions the person’s name: and it’s someone you know! Write a scene where you attempt to stop the jumper from jumping.

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“Look up there!” a woman bellows from ground. As I walk by, I see a crowd gathering around a tall hotel building. I don’t try to pay much mind because I don’t want to get involved. I’m already fifteen minutes late getting back to work and I still haven’t grabbed lunch. As I was passing by an officer, I heard him say,

“The name is Simon Gordon. He is standing on the roof and about to jump.” I immediately stopped and looked up at the guy. Indeed it was my Simon Gordon. My husband…well…soon to be ex-husband.

“Officer! I rushed. That’s my husband. Please! Let me to speak to try to get him to come down!” I said in a panic.

“The wife is here,” he told another officer and they moved me up through the crowd to the front of the line. Another officer gave me a speaker phone and I said.

“Simon! What’s wrong?”

“Krystal? What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” I replied back. “Please get down so we can talk about this.”

“No. No, I want to end this. I don’t want to be a burden to you or anyone else. I’m done!”

“You are not a burden. You are never, ever a burden. You’re a blessing. A beautiful blessing that has been sprinkled on my life and everyone around you.”

“Then why are you divorcing me? I’ve done everything to try to make you happy and you want to leave me!” he cried. I paused as tears began to flow.

“Because I don’t deserve someone as wonderful as you Simon. You have done everything to try to make me happy but I…I can’t cause you to suffer because I’m unhappy Simon. You shouldn't kill yourself because I can’t be happy. I have to make myself happy first. I have to love myself first Simon. I can never be happy with you until I’m happy with myself. I have tried baby, honestly, but it is nothing that you have done to me or didn't do for me love. Please…come down.” I looked away, feeling low as the officer took the mega phone away from me.

Moments later, I felt Simon’s hand against my face. I wept.