UNDETERRED BY HER RESISTANCE(Debbie brooks-Langford) It never occurred to Becca to run away. Her eyes halted on the down-bent fair head of his.
A gangling male in his mid-forty’s, who was listening to her as he propped himself up against the bridge, starring at her in no uncertain terms; who was he? What did he want?
“Can I help you?” She yelled over the roaring water.
He just shook his head and handed her his hand. “Here take my hand,” As He reached for her.
“No, leave me alone. I just want to be alone.” She turned back to the water wishing he would just go away.
She was wondering why he was there, all she wanted was life to go away. She looked back and he was still there. “I said go away. I want to be alone. Please!”
He smiled and reached for her hand again. “Look I need your help, I need to talk. Will you talk with me?”
“No, please go away. You are disturbing me and I do not know you anyway!” Again she looked back at the inviting roaring river.
“Is life too hard right now?” He yelled.
“What?” She couldn’t believe he asked that, “Why would you ask that?”
“You are standing on a bridge and it looks like you are ready to jump.”
“Go away. I need to be alone.”
“No you do not. Plus I need someone to talk to. Please?”
She sat down on the bridge and turned her head to look at him. She couldn’t believe he wouldn’t go away. “What do you want?”
He came over and sat beside of her. “I want your friendship.”
“I have none to give. Please just go away.” She said in a weak voice a voice that was ready to cry.
“You have lots to give, and so do I.” He reached for her hand and she pulled away.
“Don’t touch me. I am not worth touching.”
“You have so much to give to the world why would you say that?”
“Please I don’t want to talk, leave me alone.” Her head was hurting her. She just wanted to lie down. She just wanted the world to go away.
This man wouldn’t leave her alone. “Come on I will buy you a sandwich and coffee. I need to talk, and it looks like you could stand to talk to.”
The tears started and wouldn’t stop. She lay down and just cried. “Please leave me alone."
The night sky was so black with a few occasional stars, In between the tears she tried to look at him.
He remained silent for a full minute and then his fingers reached across her body to hers and twined with hers and gripped. When he spoke his voice was low and steady and even. “I want to be your friend if you will let me. Please!”
Drawing breath she looked at him, “I just want to die.”
“I know, and I want you to come down and talk to me please.”
Becca looked at him ‘Gee was he an Angel? Did God send me an Angel?’ She couldn’t help but wonder.
The next hours went in sorting out her thoughts. He took her to the local diner and fed her like he said he would do. She sat there looking at this handsome man in a rugged sort of way, but she just didn’t care. She felt the bridge drawing her. She wanted to hear the soothing rushing waters. Feel the cold emptiness on her body.
He asked her if she was all right. She reassured him she was, as she walked into the night, to the bridge to the rushing cold river as she felt the freezing emptiness pull her into the blackness of the night.

©Copyright 2012 by POET DEBORAH BROOKS-LANGFORD

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