Standing by myself, everyone left, called me a failure. Bro died. I continued to keep my mask, a straight face, no matter how much my heart breaks, my chest squeezes, even when I feel as if I can't breathe. I'm a fucking Strider, suppose to be strong, calm, cool, and collective, but even the strongest man has to break. Maybe I already did, when I said I didn't care, when I didn't cry, why didn't I cry? I was taught not too, say what you want, but Bro taught me how to be the way I am, say anything about and I'll rip your fucking face off.

My eyes scan the ground beneath me, people walking by, don't even see the broken guy, the one who lost it all, the one who wants to die, but doesn't show it. But then again, I'm standing on the roof of my apartment, 20 stories up, alone, how I was meant to be. Forgotten by my friends, left by my family.

I close my eyes and take off my aviators and put them on the ground. They were a gift from John and even though he told me to fuck off, doesn't mean I don't care for the gift. Scanning through my thoughts, I find nothing, but: "Jump, no one cares, they want you to die, you good for nothing piece of shit." Must be right, since everyone's gone. I take a breath and watch it come out, everything seems calm.

"John... Rose... Jade... Bro..."

For once I let the tears fall.

"Dave!"

I look down and see people gathering around, when did I get so close to the edge? Why'd I open my eyes again? When did it start snowing? When did I lose myself? I just want this to end.

"Dave! What are you doing?!"

John..? I don't know how long he's been there, how long has anyone been there? How long have I been up here? A light is put on me, I wince and block my eyes.

'Follow the light,'

But the light is down there, with everyone. I cough and start to lose focus again, I can't think of anything, except, "Jump, don't jump, jump, JUMP, JUMP!"

"DAVE PLEASE!"

I stand right on the balls of my feet, half leaning over the edge. People are gasping and pointing, police enter the building, they're coming for me.

"Bro..."

'Be strong little man, don't do this...'

I gasp and shake my head, no, I have to do this. I look back down and see Rose holding Jade, John still screaming, I can't hear him anymore. More tears fall, more pain gathers in my chest.

"If you didn't want me to do this... Why'd you leave?"

I whisper.

'Go back, Dave.'

I ignore the familar voice and lean forward more. Tick tock, tick tock, a clock goes, somewhere far away. A baby is crying, people are dying, my time is nearly up. Don't cry for me, it wasn't meant to be, this is it, close your eyes and go to sleep.

When did I become so weak? When did it come down to this? The last few months are nothing but a blur, nothing feels right. I scream out in pain.

"I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY'D YOU LEAVE ME?!"

'Oh, Dave...'

This is the end, tick tock, tick tock. I won't see you around Bro, people who die this way don't go to heaven, we go to hell. Where we belong.

'I love you, Dave, I'm so sorry that I wasn't a good big brother...'

Oh, but you were, I was the bad brother. I smile sadly.

"Sorry, Jade, Rose, John..."

"DAVE!"

I hear the three scream as I let myself fall and close my eyes.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tic-...