A soft pitter-patter drummed through the city. Pedestrians hurried indoors, clutching hats, umbrellas, and anything light enough to fly away.
One such pedestrian was a man named Mason. In spite of the rain, he walked without a care, almost aimlessly, letting the drizzle soak him as the city blurred around him.
His faded plaid long sleeve clung to his chest, drenched by the rain, only accentuating the carelessly worn tie around his neck.
A frown had long settled on his face, a garment that revealed only a fraction of the frustration he carried.
The reason for his chagrin, was quite simple, Mason had Just been laid off.
And so, Mason's steps led him to the edge of the city,
where the streets gave way to a bridge stretching over dark, churning water.
The rain drummed heavier here, echoing against the steel beams. Mason paused at the railing, letting his gaze wander over the river below, His reflection gazing right back at him.
The bridge was empty, save for the occasional drip from a loose pipe or a gust of wind carrying the storm's chill. Mason tightened his coat, shoulders hunched, and leaned slightly against the cold metal. For a moment, it felt like the world had narrowed to just him, the rain, and the river rushing beneath.
He leaned just a little more. He could hear the water call.
He leaned just a little more. He could feel the cold spray on his face, the wind tugging at his coat, the restless pull of the river beneath.
He leaned just a little more. He fell.
Mason found himself surrounded by darkness. He was immobile, suspended in the quiet. Nothing moved but his thoughts, the only company offering him any solace.
He remained that way for a very long time. That was until he heard something.
A murmur, then a wail. Panicked shouting, then sudden calm. And finally—a bright flash of light that cut through the darkness
Mason's eyes widened, heart hammering in his chest. The world seemed to tilt, the rain and shadows folding into something unreal.
And then, without thinking. He stepped forward. I, stepped forward. The noise—the shouting, the wails—echoed inside my head, louder than anything outside. My hands trembled as I reached toward the source of the light, drawn by something I couldn't name. I couldn't tell if I was afraid or desperate, only that I had to move.
And so I tried, but my body would not move.
I could only lie there, wrapped in soft blankets, feeling the sharp, clean air and hearing the steady beeping of machines above me.
Lights glowed bright overhead, casting the room in a pale, unfamiliar glow, and every sound and smell struck me as entirely new. I did not know this place, nor why I was here; all I could do was exist and take in the world around me.
Which I couldn't do much of either.