Miss Taken Identity: The Fatal Step

Leaping up onto the barrier, he stretches his arms towards the precariously balanced figure, roaring, “No!  Come back!” as loud as he’s able over the cacophony of planes, traffic, wind and approaching sirens.

Tammi’s head snaps around, squinting into the blinding beam of torchlight.  He can see she’s already loosened her grip on the first rail, and her weight is shifting, her reaching hand grabbing persistently for the second barrier.  Desperate, Fishmandatu screams again, “No, don’t do it!  You’ll fall!  Come this way!  To me!” bracing his feet and leaning as far as he dares over the barrier, its cold steel pressing painfully against his pelvis, extending both arms into the void, towards the agitated, fleeing woman.

Still clutching at fruitless handfuls of thin air inches from the security of the second steel rail, she suddenly seems to register the sound of his voice, and a surprising expression of recognition and relief suffuses her tense, frightened features.  Head turning back towards the beam of his light, she smiles unexpectedly, angelically, mouths something he’s too distressed to interpret and, to his absolute horror, distractedly takes a step towards him, off the concrete ledge of Car Park 2 and into the 5ft of nothingness between the two structures.

www.annieholder.com/Miss-Taken-Identity/