hapter One – 'On the Edge'
The rain was falling heavily, as if trying to drown out the sound of the city... or perhaps to hide something.
Ren stood on the bridge: Motionless.
His bag lay beside him, completely soaked, while raindrops slid from his hair onto his face without him wiping them away. His eyes remained fixed on the depths below... where the water flowed slowly, dark.
He wasn't looking at anything in particular. He was simply staring down. His legs trembled slightly, but his body did not move. It was as if he had forgotten how to walk.
A moment passed... then another.
The cold air hit his face hard, but even that was not enough to rouse him. His breaths came out heavy and ragged... as if every inhalation required an effort. He clenched his fists unconsciously until his knuckles turned white.
"I'm tired."
The words came out in a faint voice; he could barely hear them. He closed his eyes for a second. And in that moment—a fleeting image flashed by (black and white). A laugh. A voice. Someone who was close...
Then it vanished.
He opened his eyes quickly. His breathing faltered.
"Even the memories are starting to fade," he said bitterly, in a raspy whisper.
He lifted his foot slowly... and placed it closer to the edge. He stopped. His body froze, as if a part of him was still resisting.
"Why?" The question slipped out without him thinking. But there was no answer.
He clenched his teeth. Another step. Now, there wasn't much left between him and the fall. The wind grew stronger. Raindrops lashed his face harshly. But all of that was far from him... as if it were happening to someone else.
On the other side of the street...
Hina was walking. Her bag slung over her shoulder, her steps light despite the rain. She raised her hand, trying to shield her face from the raindrops, and quickened her pace slightly.
"If the rain keeps up like this..." She was looking at her phone to see which station was nearest to her. She muttered, looking around.
Then—she stopped. Something caught her attention. She looked up towards the bridge.
Someone... standing on the edge?
Her brow furrowed. "Why?" She didn't finish her question, but her heart suddenly clenched. Something was wrong. It was as if the scene was speaking.
The scene returned to Ren.
His stance hadn't changed. But inside him... he was slowly crumbling. His breathing quickened. His heart began to beat hard, painfully. It wasn't fear of falling... but of continuing.
He clenched his fists tighter until the pain began to show. But he didn't stop.
"It's all over," he said clearly this time, as if he'd made up his mind.
He lifted his foot—just one step.
But something hesitated for a moment; his foot moved forward and he slipped off the bridge, his body slamming against the edge of the bridge as he fell. In an instant, everything vanished. He lost his balance. His body leaned forward, and the void beneath him opened its mouth in silence.
For a single second... he felt nothing. No fear, no pain, nothing. It was as if everything inside him... had vanished.
Then—his eyes widened suddenly. His breath hitched. His body reacted too late. His hands moved frantically, trying to grab hold of anything... but there was nothing.
Below, the water rushed up to meet him.
Above the bridge...
Two eyes widened in shock.
"Wait!" Hina's voice cut through the rain.
She ran with all her might. Her footsteps pounded the wet ground, erratic, and raindrops splashed with the movement of her shoes. Her heart was pounding violently.
"No!" she screamed with all her might.
Ren didn't turn around. Or perhaps… he was no longer able to. The air tore through his voice, and the fall continued.
The sound of hurried footsteps drew nearer—and a scream cut through everything
Translation
الفصل الاول ـــ "على الحافة "
المطر كان ينزل بقوة،
كأنه يحاول اخفاء صوت المدينة..... او ربما اخفاء شيء ما
فوق الجسر وقف رين:
بلا حراك
حقيبته سقطت بجانبة، مبللة بالكامل، بينما قطرات الماء تنزلق من شعره على وجهه دون ان يمسحها.
عيناه بقيتا معلقتين في الاسفل....
حيث كان الماء يتدفق ببطء مظلم.
لم يكن يرى شيئا محددا.
فقط ينظر للاسفل.
قدماه ارتجفتا قليلا، لكن جسدة لم يتحرك.
كانه نسي كيف يمشي.
مرت لحظه من الوقت..... ثم أخرى.
الهواء البارد ضرب وجهه بقوة، لكن حتى ذلك لم يكن كافيا ليوقظه.
أنفاسه خرجت متقطعه ثقيله...
وكأن كل شهيق يحتاج جهدأ.
شد على قبضتيه دون وعي.
حتى ابيضت مفاصلة.
"تعبت"
خرجت الكلمة بصوت خافت، بالكاد سمعها.
اغمض عينيه لثانية.
وفي تلك اللحظة ــ مرت صورة سريعة (سوداء الون)
ضحكة.
صوت.
شخص كان قريبأ...
ثم اختفت.
فتح عينيه بسرعة.
تنفسه اختل.
"حتى الذكريات بدأت تختفي"
قالها بمرارة (صوت باحت)
رفع قدمه ببطء...
وضعها اقرب الى الحافة.
توقف.
جسده تجمد.
وكأن جزءا منه ما زال يقاوم.
"لماذا؟ "
سؤال خرج منه بدون تفكير.
لكن لم يكن هناك جواب.
شد على اسنانه.
خطوة اخرى.
الان، لم يعد هناك الكثير بينه وبين السقوط.
الهواء ازداد قوة.
قطرات المطر ضربت وجهه بقسوة.
لكن كل ذلك بعيد عنه.....
كأنه يحدث لشخص آخر.
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في الجهة الاخرى من الشارع...
كانت هينا تمشي.
حقيبتها على كتفها، وخطواتها خفيفة رغم المطر.
رفعت يدها تحاول حجب بعض القطرات عن وجهها، وهي تسرع قليلا.
"لو استمر المطر بهاذا الشكل....."
كانت تنظر الى هاتفها لترى اقرب محطه منها.
تمتمت، وهي تنظر حولها.
ثم ــــــــــــــــ
توقفت.
شيء ما لفت انتباهها.
رفعت نظرها.
نحو الجسر.
شخص..... واقف على الحافة؟
حاجباها انعقدا.
"لماذا؟ "
لم تكمل سؤالها.
لكن قلبها انقبض فجأة.
هناك شيء خاطئ.
وكأن المنظر يتكلم.
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عاد المشهد الى رين
وقفته لم تتغير.
لكن داخله.....
كان ينهار ببطء.
انفاسه تسارعت.
قلبه بدأ يدق بقوة، مؤلمة.
ليس خوفأ من السقوط....
بل من الاستمرار.
شد على قبضتيه أكثر.
حتى بدأ الالم يظهر.
لكنه لم يتوقف.
"انتهى كل شيء"
قالها هذه المرة بوضوح.
وكأنه اتخذ القرار.
رفع قدمه ـــــــــ
خطوة واحدة فقط.
ـــ ولكن شيء تردد لحظه،
تحركة قدمه الى الامام و انزلق من على الجسر جسدة ضرب بحافة الجسر.
في لحظة، اختفى كل شيء.
فقد التوازن.
جسده مال للامام.
والفراغ تحته فتح فمه بصمت.
لثانية واحدة....
لم يشعر بشيء.
لا خوف، لا ألم، ولا شيء.
وكأن كل ما بي داخله.... اختفى.
ــــ
ثم ــــــ
اتسعت عيناه فجأة.
انفاسه انقطعت.
جسدة استجاب متاخرا
يداه تحركتا بعنف، ومحاولة الامساك بأي شيءــــــــــ
لكن لم يكن هناك شيء.
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في الاسفل الماء اقترب بسرعة.
ـــــــــ
فوق الجسر ـــــ
عينان اتسعتا بصدمة.
"انتبه! "
صوت هينا اخترق المطر.
ركضت.
بكل ما عندها.
خطوات تضرب الارض المبتلة، غير منتظمه، ورشقات المطر تتناثر مع حركة الحذاء.
قلبها يدق بعنف.
"لا ـــــ"
صرخت بقوة.
ـــ
رين لم يلتفت.
أو ربما... لم يعد قادرأ.
ــــــــــ
الهواء مزق صوته.
والسقوط استمر.
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صوت خطوات سريعة اقترب ـــ
وصراخ قطع كل شيء
انتهى الفصل انا كاتب جديد
قيمو لي الفصل رجأء س