[Sian Chen]

A long, abandoned hallway unfurled before me, the rich emerald silk of my gown cascading elegantly to the ground, creating a delicate puddle at my feet. “Where on earth is Ari?” I whispered, my heart pounding like a drum as I anxiously paced in a tight circle. She had promised to meet me here three hours ago, and the unsettling absence of her presence gnawed at my insides. Each sharp click of my stiletto heels resonated against the cold, stark tiles, reverberating through the dimly lit corridor. The heavy silence of the old school enveloped me like a thick, suffocating fog, amplifying the mounting anxiety thrumming in my chest. Flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows along the walls, and every creak of the wooden beams above seemed to echo my growing dread as I strained to hear the slightest sound that could signal her arrival. I glanced out the window; I was so far up that it made my stomach churn. I could only imagine what would happen if someone fell, it was also gently raining, slightly cold and bitter.

Then, a whisper, as thin as smoke, drifted from the far end of the corridor. A shiver danced down my spine; it was well past 8 pm—long after the last bell had rung—and the eerie, barely audible voice seemed to weave itself into the stillness, creating a haunting melody that beckoned me. Intrigued yet cautious, I placed my foot forward, my heart pounding in my ears, drawn towards the source of the sound. My senses heightened, I moved closer, the anticipation mingling with a growing dread as the shadows seeped around me.

I reached for the school’s old, weathered ladder, its once-bright paint now worn and faded, a testament to years of rough play from boisterous younger students. The surface was rough against my fingers, scratched and scarred from countless climbs. With a moment of anticipation, I gripped the ladder firmly as I placed my foot on the first small rung. The ladder creaked ominously beneath me, a groan of protest that sent a chill through my spine. “I guess it’s too late to turn back now.” My thoughts came through loud and clear. I clenched my jaw and pulled myself up to the first step, feeling the cool metal beneath my hands as I steadied myself and began my ascent.

One careful crosspiece after another, I climbed, determination fueling my every movement until I finally reached the gleaming hatchet waiting at the pinnacle. My fingers tingled with excitement as I gently twisted the small wheel, turning it clockwise 160 degrees. With a satisfying clank, I watched as it slowly lifted, revealing a breathtaking cascade of moonlight that flooded in with a vibrant glow, wrapping around me like a warm embrace. The soft, playful breeze danced around me, whispering secrets of freedom and adventure. There was the soft pitter-patter of the rain, it slowly drenched the top of my head, until it was fully soaked, and water droplets was dripping down onto the roof that surrounded me.

Cautiously, I maneuvered my arms through the opening, feeling the anxiousness of the height beneath me, and then my legs followed suit. In that exhilarating moment, I found myself sitting on the cool, concrete roof of the school. The world sprawled out below me, the moon glinting off distant rooftops and illuminating the playground with a silver hue, the reflection of the light bouncing off of the water droplets, it was immaculate, truly breathtaking. A rush of adrenaline surged through me—up here, I was untouchable, surveying the kingdom of my childhood. As I turned, a chilling sight caught my eye: a figure teetering at the edge of the rooftop, swaying like a cradle in the wind. My heart raced, adrenaline surging as I quickly made my way over. It was Ari, a girl from my class, my best friend since kindergarten, and I saw her perched precariously with her legs dangling over the edge. Her hair was a chaotic mess, a wild tangle that looked like it had braved a storm and lost. I saw her go closer to the edge, almost falling, but not quite. I feared for her life. Her short, jet-black hair swayed in the wind.

The moment stretched painfully as I watched her, each second dragging on in agonizing clarity. She descended slowly, her hands trembling as they clung desperately to the edge of the roof. My breath caught in my throat, eyes wide with horror, paralyzed by the thought of what might happen next. The world around us faded, and I was overwhelmed by a surge of fear. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, my best friend, my one anchor in a world that felt so cruel and unforgiving.

With my heart hammering in my chest, I lay flat on my stomach, reaching out, terrified that any sudden movement would cause her to slip away. I reached my arm down, just enough for her to grab. The weight of her body tugged at my resolve, but I gritted my teeth and held on, determined to pull her back from the brink of death. I cared too deeply to let her fall into the abyss that lay below, a dark chasm that brought nothing but sorrow.

With every ounce of strength I could muster, I clasped her hand tightly, feeling the warmth fade from her fingers. Inch by inch, she began to ascend, her knees finally hitting the cold, hard cement. When she looked up, my heart shattered at the sight of her bloodshot eyes, swollen and stained with tears. She appeared as if she had crawled out of a nightmare, the remnants of despair etched across her face.

I pulled her close, emotions crashing over me like waves. “Don’t ever do that again. I could never replace you if you left me alone,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Do you not know how much it would hurt to lose you? My best friend?” As she rested her head against my shoulder, I could feel her tears soaking into my dress, each drop a silent testament to her pain. In that moment, nothing else mattered. All I wanted was for her to be safe, yet the gnawing fear of losing her lingered in the air between us, a reminder of how fragile life is.

We stayed there for what felt like an eternity, her sobs shaking her frail frame as I held her close, trying to anchor her in the storm of emotions swirling around us. Eventually, her cries softened, and she pulled away, though the remnants of her tears glistened on her cheeks like shattered glass catching the light. I helped her stand, our eyes locking in a moment that felt both fragile and profound.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, her voice barely breaking through the thick silence, as if the air had conspired to smother her words. “I just… I-I just c-can’t deal with all the bullying and pressure. No one understands me.”

Her confession hung there like a spectral fog, saturating the room with a palpable heaviness that pressed against my chest. Each quivering word struck me like a jagged blade, the pain in her voice echoing through my bones, resonating with a desperate truth that chilled me to the core.

The dim light flickered above us, casting long shadows that danced along the walls, seemingly drawn to the darkness within her. I could almost feel the weight of those shadows seeping into the air, wrapping around us both, tightening like an embrace that felt anything but comforting.

As her gaze dropped to the ground, I couldn’t help but notice the tremor racing through her hands, her fingers curling into anxious fists like leaves in a sudden gale. It was as if she were waging a fierce battle against an unseen adversary, her spirit unravelling delicately under the unforgiving weight of her invisible burdens. The silence between us stretched, suffocating and electric with tension, as I sensed the tempest brewing beneath her calm façade—a swirling maelstrom of despair and fervor threatening to engulf her.

I leaned closer, urgency surging in my veins. Every instinct screamed that if she collapsed into that dark abyss, there would be no return. I couldn’t let her slip away, not when there was still a flicker of hope buried within her. No, I would fight against the shadows with every ounce of strength, determined to pull her back from the edge, to remind her that she was not alone in this battle.

I stared at her, feeling my tears begin to well up, blurring my vision and mingling with the ache in my chest. I reached out, gently brushing a tear from her cheek, my fingers trembling as I whispered, “It’s all fine, I promise. I’ll keep you safe.” But even as I spoke, I wondered if those words were enough to shield her from the hurt that seemed so insurmountable. In that moment, I felt like the world around us faded, and all that remained was the two of us—lost in our shared vulnerability, yearning for hope amid despair.

Out of the blue, Ari propelled herself into me, hitting me right in the abdomen, the abyss that yawned beneath us—a chasm filled with darkness and despair. My heart raced as I reached out, fingers grazing the frigid edge as if I could summon her back from the brink. I prayed for a miracle, for her to grasp my hand and pull me into safety. Time stretched painfully, each second becoming a torturous eternity, as the world around me faded into shades of gray. The air grew heavy, thick with unspoken words and regrets that hung between us like a dense fog.

As the clock ticked 10, cloaking the world in an oppressive darkness, I finally caught a fleeting glimpse of her silhouette against the starlit sky. My heart soared momentarily, only to plummet again as I saw her expression—an expression devoid of warmth, a mask of indifference shadowed by betrayal. She stepped onto my trembling fingers, her presence both electric and chilling. “You never understood me; you deceived me,” she spat, each word laced with a bitterness that cut deeper than any knife. I could feel the weight of her disdain, a crushing force that echoed the emptiness inside me, amplifying the sorrow I had long buried. In that fleeting moment, the abyss between us felt insurmountable, and I realized that the rescue I so desperately sought might never come—because in her eyes, I was already lost.

With a swift kick, she sent one of my hands tumbling away, and I clung on by a thread, desperately searching for her gaze. I peered into her eyes one last time, aching for the girl I once knew—the one who filled my childhood with laughter on the playground, the one who stood by me through the awkward maze of junior high, my partner in crime for nearly twelve cherished years. But as I searched her eyes, what I found shattered me: a hollow shell, a girl worn down by a world that had shown her nothing but cruelty and despair.

Her once-vibrant spirit was now extinguished, replaced by a darkness that wrapped around her like a thick fog. The memories of all our shared secrets and dreams felt like distant echoes in a vast space. Tears welled up in my eyes; I felt my grip slipping as if with each passing moment, I was being pulled further not just from her, but from all the innocence we once held. Death beckoned me closer, winding its cold fingers around my heart, urging me to let go of the girl who was lost to the shadows. I wanted to scream, to shake her and demand to know where she had gone, but all I could do was watch helplessly as the girl I treasured faded into nothingness.

Her voice shattered the silence, fragile and trembling, one last time, “I never regretted our friendship, you know? I’m sorry it had to end this way.” Each word was like a dagger, carving deep into my heart, twisting mercilessly as it tore through the remnants of what we once shared. A slow, agonizing death unfolded within me, the very essence of my being unravelling as the reality of our rift settled in like a heavy fog, suffocating and inescapable.

My heart sank, each beat growing weaker, as I felt our bond’s gentle, familiar warmth slip through my fingers like sand. As I tightened my hold, I could almost hear the whisper of all our memories, woven together with laughter and dreams, falling away into an unfathomable abyss. I took one last, lingering look at Ari, standing there on the edge of the school roof, her silhouette stark against the fading sky. Her expression twisted into one of disdain, a painful reminder that the affection I once cherished was now replaced by an impenetrable wall of hurt and disappointment.

In that moment, the world around me blurred, fading into a tapestry of sorrow. The wind whipped through my hair, carrying the remnants of my hollow voice along with it, but all that lingered was the echo of a love lost, an unbearable weight pressing down on my chest. As the void beckoned me into its depths, I felt myself teetering, caught between the agony of the past and the emptiness of the future, longing for a bridge back to the warmth we once shared. But at last, I knew it was too late to save me and too late to save our years of built-up trust. I wanted this all to end. I chuckled, under my breath. “Were all those nights we spent sneaking out of our houses and wandering the streets useless? Is that all it takes to turn your back on someone you’ve known your whole life?” My thoughts were distracting me from reality, but I knew I had to face it. “From this life to the next,” I whispered, “I promise that I will always find you.” So, with those being my last words, I unfurled my fingers from the ledge and let myself be dragged into the unforgiving depths. One small tear dropped down from my left eye. No matter how much it hurt to let our friendship go, I knew it was necessary. I could almost feel as if the heavenly principles were laughing at me, judging me, and slowly waiting for my ascension to the heavens. Nonetheless, it was my time, and so at last, I finally reached my final destination and landed with a sickening crunch.

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