Gamer was on a date with his girlfriend, Jasmine. They were walking along when they saw a cliff leading into the ocean.
Jasmine said, "Look Gamer. Isn't it beautiful?"
Gamer smiled and replied, "Sure." But he quietly sighed. Not quietly enough, since Jasmine heard him.
She asked, "Gamer, what's wrong?"
Gamer, knowing that it was useless to try to get out of telling her, sighed again. He told her of that dreadful day.
(Memory Flashback)
(Gamer's POV)
I woke up one ordinary day, several months after my parents had died and I was separated from my sister. I got up, got dressed, and brushed my teeth. I made myself some breakfast. While I was eating, I looked at a photo of me standing there with my sister and my parents. Suddenly, I thought of them. I thought of all the fun things they said that we were going to do, but couldn't now that they're gone. I started crying. The tears jarred something lose inside me, and I thought of how lonely I felt without friends or family, as far as I knew. I just had to escape the loneliness. There was only one way to do that. Suicide. I decided, right then and there, that I was going to die that day. So I ran to this very cliff.
Just before I reached the edge I thought I heard my mom shout, "Son, DON'T!" I thought it was just from my mind, so I ignored it.
I jumped off and imediately thought, "Mom, dad, I'll be with you soon." On the way down, time seemed to slow down and I thought of my entire life. Suddenly, I thought of the happier times I had with my parents, and the whole way down, I cried. When I hit the water, the last thing I saw before I lost all conciousness was a golden hand reach out to me.
A few hours later, I woke up in on a hospital bed. The doctor came in and said, "Well, you're finally awake."
I asked in confusion, "How did I survive?"
The doctor replied, "Well, a hedgehog that seemed to be surrounded in gold picked you right out of the water and ran you here. Miraculously, you didn't have even a single bruise. You're just here because you need some rest. So stay there, and in a little bit, you'll be free to go."
As I layed there, I thought about who might have saved me. But really, there were only two candidates. Suddenly, the air shimmered in front of me and I saw my parents standing there. I asked, "Mom, dad? Is that you guys?" They nodded.
Mom said gently, "Son, don't try to commit suicide again."
I replied with tears in my eyes, "I just want to be with you so much. I'm so lonely. I miss you."
Dad said, "We know, son. We miss you too. But please, don't give up yet. For all you know, there could be a group of friends just waiting for you."
Mom added, "And if you ever get lonely just remember, we'll always be with you, in your heart. We've got to go. We love you."
As they vanished I said, "I love you too."
(End Flashback)
(End Gamer's POV)
Gamer finished the story with, "An hour later, I was free to go. From that point on, whenever I got lonely, I thought of what they said. And when I got sad, I took comfort in the knowledge that it would pass. And I'll always remember that day. Not as 'the day that I almost died', or as 'the worst day of my life'. But instead as 'the day I survived' and 'the day I turned my life around'."
Jasmine smiled and replied, "I'm just glad you survived."
Gamer smiled back and said, "Me too." They hugged. While they were hugging, Gamer saw his parents looking at him with smiles on their faces. As they disappeared, he thought, "Thanks mom. Thanks dad. For everything."