40 Days (Movement II - The Ledge)

Four hundred feet and the valley won't show its floor. Josephus said a man grows dizzy looking down. Past three strides out, the eyes stop finding anchor my knees keep arguing with the ground. The ledge. Just the ledge. Nothing catches you—so what. Prove it, then no. Wait if something does, was that ever You, or just the wind agreeing with the fall? Down there the crowd's gone to smear and color, one long sound with no words left inside it. I don't need the fall to prove You're here. I need somebody to see me standing here. Every ledge repeats the same question: who am I when nobody's looking? Somewhere under me the plaza's holding its breath or that's just blood, loud in both my ears. Every face is a possibility I can't confirm from here. One clean drop could answer them all at once, and I could stop counting who's still watching. The ledge. Still just the ledge. Fall, and it's proof—of what, that gravity still works? Three hundred faces already deciding the ending. My mouth's gone dry rehearsing both. I just get to fall, or stay. Don't need the fall. No... Need somebody.. No... Need somebody.. To see me standing here Every ledge repeating the question, quieter, like it already knows Silence easy. No one's counting silence. But this held breath, waiting for eyes that aren't mine weighs different. Knees still bent. Eyes still finding the rail. Staying. The ledge... was never the point. Didn't need the fall. Didn't need proof The Ledge never asked me to jump It only asked whether I wanted to I turn away I turn away Four hundred feet, still ringing in my ears. One step back— My knees still don't trust the ground Still don't trust The ground. This one isn't a test. No ledge. No proving. Just take it.