 |
| Short Stories : One Step Further |
"It is gross carelessness what you are doing here", she said to him and went to the fence. 'Don't you see the warning signs everywhere? "
" Go on! '' He replied irritably. 'Don't worry about me! "
"Last year a young climber broke his neck at this point," she warned him again.
" Please leave me alone! "
Only now did she see the sweat on his forehead. A peculiar tremor accompanied each of his words.
It was past midnight. Usually the long way from the neighboring village to the main road was shortened here along the gorge - but only during the day. Seldom did anyone end up in this forest at night, which is why the young man had hoped to be able to carry out his plan undisturbed.
But now suddenly this beautiful girl stood in front of him and put his decision to a severe test. Should he just jump in and put a quick end to the drama?
Why did she interfere here at all?
"Don't do that, please don't do that!" She said eagerly. He, determined: " Just one small step. Save yourself the sight and disappear before you are asked a lot of questions afterwards! "
" What are questions against human life? "
" What life? No cock crows after me when I step down, " he said and began to sway dangerously.
" Come back and give me at least one chance to help you! '' She pleaded urgently.
"Stay where you are!" He hissed and stared back into the abyss. The girl let go of the barbed wire and took a few steps back as a precaution. "What do you hope to change by your death?" She asked him.
" He ends a senselessness. ''
" I can only guess your motives. But I know one thing - you will not find the meaning where you are going now."
" Who tells you that I want to find meaning? Maybe I just want my peace. ""
" Did someone give you a guarantee to find him there? "
The young man was silent, but it seemed as if he had suddenly lost the courage to take that last small step. "Why do you care so much about my salvation?" He wanted to know. The girl stroked her long hair. From the right the unreal light of a street lamp penetrated faintly through the rows of trees towards them. It was enough to show all the features of her elf-like face.
"You make it really hard for me, you know? "
"If you were really determined to jump, you would have done it long ago."
Annoyed, he sat down on the grass and was ashamed of his own weakness, a weakness to which he had been unconscious for years. And now this girl came, as if it were a stroke of fate, and wanted to artificially prolong her torments! He was too weak to resist her, too weak to do a deed that required much strength. But if he had had strength, he wouldn't be here at all. Was he doomed to go on with his pointless life forever?
A vicious circle was closed. She appeared as a devil in angel disguise. Instead of leaving, she smiled at him. Did he remember ever receiving such looks?
" Get over the fence! I'll help you. "" She was already with him and touched his ice-cold hand. `` You're freezing. Should I lend you my jacket? "
" Thank you, it's okay. ''
How naturally she took his hand! It seemed as if she wanted to give his body back the feeling of security. "I'm so glad you turned back," she whispered, relieved. `` Imagine if I hadn’t stopped by here by accident! Imagine breaking your neck and everything would have been over! Are you so grieved that it robs you of all courage to live? "
Was he allowed to spread his soul to this strange girl? Should he reveal things that never left his heart? Was he too naked? But how could he ever change anything in his situation when he was constantly closing himself off - to everyone, to everything, even to himself?
"You don't have to speak if it hurts," said the girl, squeezing his hand tighter. She was so good to him. That alone increased his confidence.
"What's your name?" She asked after he sat down with her on the dry moss. He told her his name.
" I'm still very scared, sorry! But when I saw you like that and understood what you ... "
"Let's not talk about it anymore," he interrupted her.
'Are you going to try again? "
" That depends. ''
'From what? "
" From many factors. ''
'If only I could understand you! "
Again he closed himself up and knew that he could spoil everything in this situation. The girl next to him was perhaps the greatest chance he ever had - the last one.
Was it a godly act of fate? But an angel who appeared to him to change everything? He wanted to laugh and live again, be happy, love. But for that he needed her hold.
He felt that unlikely power emanating from her tender touch. A stream of energy and yet only a brief feeling. She was still holding his hand and looking deep into his eyes.
" Why do you shy away from my gaze? Am I a ghost? ´´ she wondered. "Shall we go somewhere else, away from this place?" "But he just shook his head in embarrassment:" It's all like a dream. ""
" I am real. Tomorrow you'll laugh about it. ""
"I've never seen you here before."
" I come from the dance school in the village. I actually go this way every day. You are the first I met here - and in such an unusual way."
'The world is crazy."
"You see, now you are laughing!" She called and took him in her arms. " I'm so happy! "
That one, completely confused by so much cordiality, still looked a bit awkward, but slowly he thawed.
" If you want, you can come with me from time to time. At midnight in the forest, I often get quite uncomfortable - especially now that autumn is approaching and the fog is coming."
What offer! `` Of course, of course! '' He stuttered, `` as often as you want! '' He lived four kilometers away in the neighboring town.
`` And if you want, '' she continued, " we can talk about anything in due course. ''
'If you don't mind burdening yourself with my problems."
She started giggling happily. " It must be possible to save someone like you! I would be happy if I succeed in giving you something like ... meaning again. ""
" Unbelievable! '' He thought to himself, " When I imagine that she will be my girlfriend ... no, too often I've been disappointed, too often to still believe in miracles. ''
"You know, it's a very strange experience for me today," she continued.
"How beautiful she is!" He thought again. `` A little younger than me, and so fun-loving! Oh, if she would only give me a piece of this joy! ´´
He was still quarreling with himself whether he should ask her the crucial question, a question on which everything depended. But wasn't what she had promised him enough? Could he expect more from a stranger? He hoped for her. He was allowed to.
"Why are you silent?" The girl asked him after he hadn't said anything for a long time.
" I have to digest all of this first. ''
" Then I'd better leave you alone now. ''
'Is time running out? "
She looked at her watch. " It's getting late. He will come soon
'Who? "
At the same moment two bright car headlights approached the parking bay at the edge of the forest. The girl immediately jumped up.
`` My friend. He picks me up here for once. I have to go, otherwise he'll think I'm already gone. Take care! ´´ she said and ran away.
The young man heard two car doors slam. Wheels squeaked. The engine roared. The red taillights got smaller and smaller and finally disappeared around a bend.
It was quiet around him again, quiet and dark.
Author : Franz Gilg
