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The Promise

As he looked over from the twentieth floor, all the lights in the city went out. They had planned everything very carefully. Nobody was supposed to find out about her. Their secret was meant to be kept safe in the cold dark of the night.

The smell of sawdust and freshly poured concrete invaded his nostrils as he started climbing the ladder that led to the roof. In spite of his sweaty palms, shaking knees and a terrible headache, he managed to make it to the top, panting and shivering. He turned around and started heading towards the edge with small but sure steps. It was a long way down but he stood there, fearless… was there really something to be afraid of? Suddenly, his watch lit up "23:59 1 new message and 5 missed calls from Dad". Only when he felt the salty taste of his tears on his lips did he realise he was crying. "Come..." a soft voice whispered behind him. He didn't need to look to know who it was. She had been persuading him to join her and this was the night he gave up. "Come..." she said again like so many, too many, times before.

So he did. He jumped. The wind whipping across his face, his clothes sticking to his skin because of the cold sweat as his eyes were trying to take in as much of his surroundings as possible. No matter how hard he tried, the only thing he was seeing was the moonlight reflecting in the black windows. Windows behind which children were sleeping next to their parents, loved and taken care of... by both... and his phone vibrating in the pocket of his jeans, in rhythm with the specific ringtone. The sixth call.

He didn't feel anything after that, until the warmth under his body brought him back to his senses. Silky soft strands of hair were brushing against his face and he could hear a light humming coming from the air around him. Reaching his hands out, he realised that a big pair of feathered wings was carrying him away. And then he felt it, the smell, the one reminding him too much of her to pass unnoticed... his mum, his childhood... it truly was her... she kept her promise... she came to save him.