The pearlescent shine of the moonlight bouncing off the river has a unique beauty to it. From this height the moon floats right above the river, making the world seem like a painting. However, with that thought, I remember why I’m at this height.

I stand on the brink of a concrete bridge roughly 70 feet above a flowing river, with plans to do the unthinkable. Living is a chore that I no longer feel like performing. I cannot keep dancing, I cannot keep getting up just to get knocked right back down. I’m giving up.

“This is it.” I blurt out to a crowd of no one. I don’t know why I said it out loud. Maybe in a last-ditch effort, I try to siphon sympathy from anyone like the parasite I am. It’s downright pathetic but it won’t last much longer.

I can hardly move, my breath is thickening as everything sinks in. Why can’t I complete this simple task? I have to do this.

I stand there surrounded by the cold atmosphere of the midnight sky for what feels like hours. I don’t move, I don’t talk, hell I barely even breathe. 

As the sky turns a different hue, the light chatter of a bell takes me from my trance. It reminds me of a bell you’d hear on an old-timey carriage in a movie. Its chimes are distant from each other. It sounds far away but with each chime, it grows just a bit louder.

It doesn’t frighten me, at this stage little would. But such a strange event is curious. Curious enough for me to see it through. What's the worst that can happen right? I stand there gazing at the moonlight and enjoying the rhythmic chime of the bell till its origin makes itself known. It seems to have a long journey so I wait as long as I need to.

As the moon starts to descend past the horizon, to my left the bell chimes close by. As I focus on the direction I see a dark cloud of smoke move into view. It's darker than the night sky around it. Its silhouette is reminiscent of a human, but much larger and draped in a long flowing robe. No face of human-like features or visible though, Just a void of colour. The only other recognizable details I can make out are a lantern and a bell hanging from its frame.

Its presence is weirdly calming, I think even if I wasn’t in this position its company would be welcomed. It glides from the shadows right next to me, I don’t budge or quiver. I simply wait.

It just floats next to me with a memorizing sway. The bell has stopped chiming, it just dangles and makes a tiny noise every so often when the figure moves.

Time now feels as if it's not moving. Instead of basking in the darkness, I’m now thinking of my life. Everything I’ve done, everything I haven’t done. For the first time in what feels like ages, a wave of pure, unadulterated emotion passes through my body. I feel a stream of tears pour out of my eyes unprompted.

I fall to my knees crying, actually thinking about my actions. The memories I would have left behind, the people I would have hurt. It isn’t fair to anyone.

I don’t know what to do anymore. As everything sinks in I’m left dazed and remorseful.

I’m so, so scared.

With all this, the figure turns and glides right back from where it came. The bell chiming once more, as it disappears into the night.

I’m left confused, frightened,

and maybe even a bit thankful.