Chapter 1

It's Christmas Eve. The whole city is bright and jolly. Surroundings are filled with noises of laughter, and I am going to die soon. It's not because I am terminally ill or something, it's out of my own will. In this season of joy my heart is filled with despair. I don't care about anything anymore. There is no meaning to my life. I am extremely exhausted and drained out. So I am going to do something I used to hate with my whole being - running away from responsibilities. There's so much on my shoulders, so many things pending, and I know very well how disastrous everything is going to be if those are left hanging. But at this point of my life I am oblivious. I am tired of caring too much about every single thing. I am knackered, trying to meet people's transcendent expectations. This time I am going to be selfish. I am going to escape this harrowing tapestry of life. This is going to be my gift to myself for this Christmas. I feel it's a good day to do something productive like ending a life. I am on the terrace of my apartment, a fifty-story skyscraper. Furthermore, I am not going into any gamble, I want a guaranteed death and accordance to my knowledge there is no way to survive after falling from such height other than any Christmas miracle which I believe is a myth. So as soon as I jump I will be emancipated from this bondage.

I can see to great lengths from this height. The city is brimming with joy. Each and every house is shimmering with lights, the entirety is alluring and glamorous. But it doesn't affect me at all. All I can feel is black. It's time to let go, as if I ever had anything to hold on to. I jumped. I am facing the sky filled with stars. I am in a state of free fall. For the first time in my life I feel that I have achieved freedom. I closed my eyes but nothing flashed by. I opened my eyes to find a man in black above me. He is facing downwards, toward me. He has mesmerizing hazel eyes and a perfect face. His golden brown hair is perfectly set. He wouldn't be any more than thirty. I have never seen a man with such beautiful features. I didn't see him at the terrace. I wonder what might have led him to make this decision but it seems I am not alone. He is staring directly in my eyes. His face is expressionless. He is coming closer and closer to me. His hands touched mine and then my waist. He held me and straightened himself up in the air. Wait, what is he doing? He is supposed to die right? I can't believe what's happening. How is this even possible? He landed slowly with me in his arms. He put me down carefully. I was in a trance. When I completed processing the series of events which occurred in past five seconds I didn't know what to feel anymore. I am not dead. I am alive, perfectly unscathed. Why? How? It's not fair. It was not supposed to be like this. I was furious. I held the man or whoever he is by his collar.

"Who are you?", he said before I could utter a word. The audacity of him! How dare he!

"Don't you think I should be the one asking you this?" I replied.

"Why did my power not work on you?" he continued without paying any heed to my words. I wanted to kill him! He ruined everything and now is getting on my nerves.

"What do you mean? Are you crazy or what? Who told you to save me? Couldn't you stick to your own business instead of interfering in mine?"

"First look around you."

My patience was wearing thin. What does he even want?

"No I won't! You answer me first." I shouted.

He sighed and came forward. He was tall like a giraffe, atleast 6'4". I didn't back off. So what if he is tall, he can't scare me off like this. He held me by my shoulders and turned me round. I was shocked to see the sight before me. Everyone was frozen like a statue. It felt as if the time stood still.

"I stopped the time." he whispered in my ears. His face was so close that I could feel his breath on my neck. "But you are still moving. Why are you able to resist my power?"

I was baffled. But I didn't have time for all this. If it happened at some other time I might have been interested but not now.

"I don't care! Why did you even save me? I was so close...so close to..."

Tears started rolling down my cheeks. Why am I crying? I don't want to cry and specially not in front of this weird stranger. I couldn't stop myself. Through the blur of my eyes I could see his expression change. It was not look of pity or sympathy, it was something else which I couldn't figure out. He embraced me and was caressing my hair. Strangely enough, I didn't push him away. I don't know for how long I was standing there like that, crying, in his broad shoulders, his big arms around me. He didn't move an inch or say a word. He was just standing there in complete silence. Maybe that's what I needed. Slowly I removed my head from his chest and tried to look at him with blurry eyes. I couldn't see anything clearly. I wonder what he is like right now. Does he think I am being overdramatic or if I am some kind of psycho? Why am I even thinking all these things now? No, now is not the time. I need so many explanations. Shit! Why is my head spinning now! It can't be the consequence for not eating anything the whole day. I can't faint now! No, please no. I feel myself falling down. Why is anything not going my way today...

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