Rain pattered across the windshield of Grant's fairly new Ford Explorer. There was no radio on and the auxiliaries were disconnected. His phone was off. He didn't see or feel the need for enlightenment on his drive from work today, he had already decided that home was not his destination. He was forty miles off track from his normal route, driving north towards Honey Run Road.
Nearing a fork in the road near the West Branch Feather River bridge, Grant pulled to a slow stop and cut the engine. There was another vehicle here, a mint green Geo Tracker that was God know's how old. Grant laughed in his head as he muttered under his breath about how it could still be worse. He did not lock the Ford as he turned to walk, leaving the keys on top of the front left tire for anyone to discover.
The only sound that could be heard was the misty rain, it's soft and cold presence helped to numb Grant as he prepared himself for the plans he's made. He walked slowly at first, until he heard a voice that is.
"Don't come any closer!" Grant heard from the dark mist in front of him. He thought for a moment that a worker was out, checking the railway, but the time didn't make any sense to him. "Hello?" Granted yelled in response. "I don't want your help, I don't know who called you, just leave me alone. I'm going to jump" The disembodied voice stated. "Alright, hey hey hey." Granted quickly sputtered out, continuing "I am here to jump also, lets talk. Let me come closer."
It was silent for a few moments, and Grant decided to proceed out onto the bridge's middle section. After fifteen paces he could begin to see the shape of another person. A man was present, soaking wet with the rain, he looked rattled to the core. His manor was slumped, he stared down towards the water, he looked depressed. Grant stopped ten or so feet from the ghostly figure.
"Why?" Grant asked curiously, "I'm here because the shareholders of my company have realized my fraud, I'm facing a class action for all that we're worth. I'll be bankrupt, imprisoned within a year. My daughters have grown and long since wanted to spend time together, my relationships are dead ends. It's too late to reconcile my lifestyle. I decided on this place, I've known it since childhood."
He didn't need to mention any of this, but Grant felt it was in his best interest to offer his honesty. His motivation was a lifetime worth of letting people down, less than a week before the announcement of his impending investigation, he wouldn't have cared one bit who decided to jump. Something had changed, maybe only slightly. Grant took his step out onto the edge of the railroad ties, nothing between him and the shallow rocks below.
"It doesn't matter" the voice said in a haunting echo. "You ought to deal with prison, at least you'll have the decency of food, shelter. I was recently evicted from my piece of shit apartment, can't find work, have no family or friends, insurance. I spent it all on dope man. My record is dirty. I couldn't even qualify for handouts at this point. I owe money to the wrong people"
"Do you have any now?" Grant asked seriously.
"What? Dope? Are you fucking serious guy?"
"Yeah I'm serious, I'm standing out here in the rain with you aren't I? I just want to forget it all man, maybe I do still want to live, even if the future looks pretty bleak. I'd try drugs at this point, I'd be okay. I'll pay you for it, but I don't think you're in a position to give a rat's ass"
"My name is Chris," The voice spoke in response "...and the shit is in my car, under the passenger seat, take my keys, do whatever you'd like."
He took his keys from his jean pocket and tossed them to Grant, and in doing so he lost his balance. Chris hinged forward after releasing the keys and in a short conflict and one fatal slip, found himself falling backwards. He reached out to grab the railing behind him but couldn't find it. With a series of grunts and a loud smack as his body hit the railroad tie he recently stood on, he disappeared into the rainy mist below.
Grant only stood. Completely horrified at what he had just witnessed, his adrenaline began to force its way through his body and his grip tightened around the rail behind him he was holding for support. The keys landed on the body of bridge, behind Grant, in a location where he would ultimately be safer. He didn't hesitate, he raised himself back up and over the railing, and grabbed the dead man's car keys. He nearly ran to the car. In his adrenaline he opened the Geo Tracker's driver side door and began to sift through the cluttered mess until he located a back of hardened black tar under the seat where Chris had indicated to look. He held the substance in his hands and staring at it, he began to shriek and cry. His body leaned forward until he was hugging the steering wheel, the tears fell more heavy that the rain above, and he stayed here all night, he held the wheel until he was in deep sleep.
Four loud knocks woke Grant up the next morning. In his dazed state he first looked down, he still was holding what appeared to be a large amount of heroin, then looked out the drivers window and saw a police officer there. "Good morning sir, you mind rolling down the window?" The officer asked Grant.
Rolling down the window he raised up the package and told the man, "He jumped, I was going to jump, I was going to try and bring him back here.. he jumped."
Grant began to tear up again as he remembered the previous night. Now he wanted to cry because he couldn't do it, even if he wanted to.
His mind wasn't racing nearly as bad as the night before. He knew at this point he would have to make the decision another day if he didn't have one last option to execute. The police officer took the package from, and told Grant to remain inside the Geo while he called for a back up unit to investigate his claims.
Grant turned on the car while the officer was in his patrol car at the edge of the parking lot. Slamming the Geo into gear he pressed the accelerator down with his full weight, crushing the bumper as he flew over the parking barricade. He steered the car towards the train tracks and found his way onto the mouth of the bridge.
He knew it was unfortunate but this was his last chance to avoid the consequences of living now. He reached fifty-five miles per hour and grossly jerked the wheel to the left. The vehicle barged through the thin railing and the car was now in mid air, plummeting towards the shallow water underneath. The car landed with horrifying force, from the officers perspective no signs of life could be observed below.