The Fallen
What would you do when the bitch from Uni is suddenly perched on a ledge and threatening to jump? For Katherine, there was only one choice. Join her. The Fallen is a delightfully humerous short story that throws away the Hollywood-style drama and shows what it would be really like out on that ledge. And there's no superheroes in sight!
THE FALLEN
'Superheroes don't wear onesies.'
'What's that got to do with it?'
'You're wearing a onesie.'
'Stevie, I don't think we should-.'
'With ears.'
'What?'
'It has ears.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Your onesie has ears.'
'For God's sake Stevie, don't you think we have better things to be doing than debating my choice of evening wear? Look, all I said was that superheroes don’t think about themselves. They just help. That's what makes them super.'
Katherine watched Stevie's head drop like a child who had been told off for doing something they believed innocent.
'It's actually their powers that make them super,' he muttered under his breath.
'I could do without your sarcasm, Stevie. It took me enough courage to climb out onto this ledge in the first place. I need to do something.'
Katherine turned her head away from the open window and looked towards the young woman, balancing precariously on the ledge with her back pressed against the wall. Her blonde hair was flapping unceremoniously over her face, intermittently hiding the redness in her eyes, the wobble of her lips.
'I can help her.'
'Oh. Because you study psychology you think you know everything about suicidal maniacs?' Stevie called behind her.
Katherine whipped her head around again, unsure if she was angry for the interruption or glad to have the opportunity to delay her next move.
'Who says she's a maniac?'
'Duh! She's standing on a ledge four stories up and shouting "I'm going to jump" for starters.'
'I'm going to jump,' came her cry right on cue.
'See?'
'Sod it,' Katherine said gruffly, turning to face the woman again before inching along the narrow ledge towards her.
'Hey. Do you want to talk?' she said softly.
'You're offering her therapy? Here?'
'Stevie! If you're not going to do anything useful, get away from the window and leave me to it.'
'But who's going to look out for you?'
'Look out for me? As if you could help me out here. You're the least manly person I know.'
'Oh, so because I'm gay I can't be manly?'
'I never said that,' Katherine growled, spinning her head once more to see Stevie leaning out of the window like a dog in a speeding car. 'It's got nothing to do with being gay. It's just you. You're more of a princess than Cinderella.'
Katherine shook her head in disbelief as Stevie smirked like he had been flattered by her last comment.
'But why do you want to help her anyway. You know she bad mouths you all around the campus, don't you?'
It was true. Sadie Willows was a complete bitch. The most popular girl at university with a trail of drooling followers; she knew she could get whatever she wanted. And what she seemed to want, more than anything, was to crush anyone that didn't idolise the ground she walked on.
Katherine was an obvious target; short, a little plump in the middle, wearing thick glasses because contact lenses made her eyes too sore, few friends to defend her and a work ethic that made the lecturers feel there was still hope in the world. But it was an unexpected meeting during fresher's week last year that gave birth to Sadie's hostility towards her. Katherine had been visiting the society fayre and had met a fellow fresher by the name of Kent. He was handsome, very handsome, and his smile could have melted stone, never mind hearts. Kent had come to a stop beside her at the debating society desk and they had got talking when a soft voice called out behind.
'Excuse me, may I have one of those?'
It was Sadie. Without another word being exchanged, she shuffled between Kent and Katherine and picked up a leaflet.
'Do you run the society?' Katherine heard Sadie say sweetly.
'No, I'm just a fresher.'
'Really?' Sadie purred in reply. 'Well then you must come to our party later. We're in the City Halls, fourth floor.'
Katherine craned her neck to look over Sadie's shoulder. Kent's cheeks were blushed pink and he looked pleadingly into Katherine's eyes.
'I'm, er. No. Thank you. Katherine and I have already made plans. Isn't that right, Katherine?'
The look Sadie gave as she whipped around to see the plain girl grinning back at Kent would have been enough to sink the Titanic.
That was the last they saw of her until a month later, when the vicious back talking had already taken hold.
*
'Sadie, you don't have to do this.'
'Yeah, right,' Sadie scorned. 'I bet this is what you've always wanted. Come for a better look have you?'
Katherine was startled by the accusation. Sadie didn't know her at all, not one bit. Yes, it was clear they would never be friends, but she pitied her, not hated her. In fact she had always seen right through Sadie's bravado. It was text book stuff. The louder they are on the outside the more they have to hide on the inside. But this situation was way beyond anything she could have imagined. Not least her own impromptu rescue attempt when she'd heard Sadie calling out while she was settled in her room reading the latest John Grisham.
'Look. You may not like me. I get that. But I'm only here to help you. Please come back inside and we can talk.'
Sadie turned towards Katherine for the first time. Her eyes were black with makeup and her tears had left dirty trails down her cheeks.
'I'm sorry,' she whispered. 'I'm so sorry.'
'You don't have to be. I understand. I do. Really.'
Katherine reached out a hand. It was enough to send Sadie into a helpless cry, her inner pain pouring from her like a melting candle.
'Please. Let me help you.'
Sadie's sobbing slowly eased and she looked deep into Katherine's eyes. For the first time ever, they connected. For the first time ever, there was no hostility. Just the two of them. On the ledge.
Sadie held out her hand and Katherine gripped it tight in hers.
'It'll be alright now,' she said. 'It'll be alright.'