"The height for a distance is tempting, don't you agree?" the man started, with a grin playing on his lips as he neared the banister across from where I was, his long coat flowing as he strode with grace and elegance.
My brow raised at his remark, as I assessed his words that resembled offense. For I could only think of one possibility from what he said, but the grin that shone as he set his eyes below got me thinking otherwise.
He was tall, between five foot eleven and six, with a slender but strong build. The banister could barely reach his abdomen, that he later frowned upon.
"Why don't you come see, star?" once again he spoke. And this time, he turned his face to me, so that I now got the perfect view of his face.
But then I frowned. Not because he was unattractive, but because of the fact that such a gorgeous man was attempting to commit to taking his own life.
The man was fair, and he had sharp features. His perfectly thick, slightly arched eyebrows matched his slender and straight nose. His almond-shaped russet eyes, like the rest, were sharp, making his stare dreadful, yet it carried a hint of mischief behind it. His lashes, despite the distance, were long and curved that brushed his cheek every time he closed his eyes. Then there were his lips, subtly full, reddish, and inviting. He had high cheekbones, and his jaw was well-structured that added to his mysterious charm.
He was rugged looking, but that only highlighted his charismatic look that he possessed.
Thus, I took a step forward as interest gnawed at me. Only that each step forward that I took was equivalent to his counter-play.
One step forward, and the man arched his brows. It was as if he was anticipating it but the fact still shook him.
My eyes then narrowed, suspicion catching up on me as I closed the distance between the man and me.
Another step, and that earned a smirk from the man before me. His lips curved knowingly, as his eyes glinted in delight.
Have I made a mistake?
For the next step had only made it heavier to continue.
Third step, and he leaned on the banister as he crossed his hands.
This made me halt, as I finally locked gazes with him.
Truly, his eyes were sharp and consuming. And the smirk on his lips opposed his darkened gaze. It only made it difficult to take my sight off him.
"Why'd you stop, star?" He asked, as the ambiance finally felt heavy.
I could close the distance any second now, but that seemed out of the option as he laid his statement.
"Should I?" I retorted, finally getting the man to chuckle.
I stiffened at the sound however, as the man continued on with his delight. His husky voice vibrated as he did so, pulling me further in awe.
"Dare try. And we shall see what happens then." He taunted, having me take on the bait he laid for his trap.
I could only wish to step back.
But, I found myself taking another step closer to him.
Then—a sound.
Not a laughter, nor a mockery, but a sound that made me freeze dead in my tracks.
I blinked once, twice, but I was only stupefied. For the man was no longer before me.
The man had jumped from the building.
...
I jolted awake as such memory played in my mind. It was a bitter reminder of the exact scenario that had taken place earlier.
My breathing was labored, as my thoughts were in a haze, finding it difficult to calm myself and return from the solitude I previously had.
My head ached, the memory was deeply engraved in my mind. The man was gone, he had jumped off the building. He could've died.
He could've, until I intervened.
A few seconds later, I glanced around the expanse of my room until it settled on the clock that laid atop my desk. The clock read four minutes past three in the morning, but my thoughts were already wide awake.
I got out of bed, wanting desperately for the memory to be buried deep and to be forgotten.
It shouldn't have played on my mind. It shouldn't have haunted me from my deep sleep.
Thus, I padded on the coolness of my floor, and proceeded to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water.
As I walked myself in the darkness and stillness of the night, I held my breath and thoughts for a while.
My mind was basically frozen, unrelentless in the blankness it generously shared with me.
But maybe, I preferred it that way. As through it, I could save myself from the horror of the buried memory just moments ago.
When my hands finally shot above to reach for a cup in the cupboards, my brows furrowed as another flash of the incident had managed to break into my disheveled thoughts.
I immediately closed my eyes as I held the cup in my right hand. Such thoughts could only worsen things, and it was getting out of hand.
Not wasting another second, I rushed to get water from the pitcher I had put inside my fridge, so then the chillness of it could calm my nerves.
True as I had thought, the storm raging from inside me had calmed down, and I was finally able to comprehend the previous event without getting too much affected.
Soon, I found myself sitting on one of the couches in the living room, my eyes locked on the lighting that had pierced through my windows from the moon that shone brightly.
Finding myself in a comfortable space, I then closed my eyes to finally take the chance to let in the messy thoughts from earlier to make a conclusion for the betterment of my mentality.
February 12, 2025. The exact date today, the exact scenario of a scene I am all too familiar with, when the alleged death of a man I've seen for the nth time has finally been avoided.
It was earlier today when I first encountered the scenario, only with a different ending from what had occurred today.
For the man, who had fated himself to disappear, was given another day to continue on.
The first time I had met him, was exactly how I could still picture the events that bugged me for this time.
He had jumped off the building, without even the chance of getting to know him, nor a chance to save him from the tragedy he had laid for himself.
It had me unsettled. I couldn't just witness someone committing to end their own life in front of me.
It made me tremble from the gut. And so, I did something I would do again and again just to save my frantic heart from the unwanted scenario.
I rewinded time.
Yes, I rewinded it. Just a few hours, just a few moments, just so I could observe everything from what caused that day for such an event to take place.
I rewinded again and again, until I could perfect the alternative ending that would grant me the piece of mind.
Each syllable, each movement, each step cost a life.
His life.
Which was why when I had finally constructed the plan to deviate from the first scenario, not only did I change the course of his life, but I also earned a name I have engraved deep within me.
Odysseus Dimitrius.
The notorious suicidal maniac. A man of charisma, but also, a man of deceit.
I am quite uncertain for the latter however, as it was merely an intuition that I have used for a conclusion.
But, I knew something amiss from the very curve of that smile he wore. It may only have been a slight crack, however I was provided a sight that could most probably save my life.
It isn't that keeping a secret is detestable. For I could say that everyone has rights to keep one, especially if it involved themselves.
I myself, keep a secret. And I am unwilling to share it with others too.
In a world where humans were given a fair share of their own flair and talent, I was given an ability too much for a mere human, but at a cost of a great exchange.
Odysseus could have his own share of reasons for the deception, for there are more than what meets the eye.
"Seek around a little tonight. Maybe then you'll find something interesting."
My eyes immediately opened as I recalled the last statement Odysseus had told me before we parted ways.
How could I have forgotten that? And firstly, what could he probably mean by that?
I was too preoccupied with our first encounter that I had left my mind derail from what I should have been focusing on!
Thus, I stood up, now with the purpose of seeking 'something' I am quite unaware of.
Now that I have finally cleared my mind, I am now quite more focused on this goal rather than with an unsettled heart.
Truly, Mr. Dimitrius is quite something. How is it that this very same man who now invaded my space with unexpected things, could be the very same man I had encountered to be committing suicide?
Could it have been a decoy?
But before I could even ponder on that yet again, my sight locked onto a piece of folded paper that was placed near the edge of a coffee table.
Ever so slowly, I neared it, curious as to why the piece was placed there.
The moment I had finally reached it, I took the paper that laid atop the coffee table and opened it.
Only that the moment I did so, my jaw dropped at what was written inside.
"Look behind you. Is it welcome to lurk in that space of yours?" - O.D.