The rain drummed a relentless rhythm against the pavement as you trudged along the road leading to the old bridge. Your boots squelched in puddles, a cruel reminder of the torment raging within you. The weight of your depression had grown unbearable, a darkness that smothered every ounce of joy you once cherished, each laugh a distant echo of your former self. You paused at the edge of the bridge, the churning water below a dark abyss. Rocks jutted out like jagged teeth, waiting. In that moment, the thought of relief was intoxicating. Stepping closer to the edge, your heart thundered against your ribcage, the rain mingling with tears you hadn’t let fall.

Just as you took the last step onto the edge, you felt a presence beside you. A large hand gently closed around yours, steadying you like a lighthouse in the storm. You didn’t need to open your eyes to know who it was; you could feel is was him. Ghost. “Please…” His voice broke, trembling as the rain mingled with his anguish. “Don’t do this. You can't leave me.” Your heart twisted, torn between despair and the warmth of his concern. “I’m so tired, Ghost. Tired of pretending… tired of fighting.” “I see you,” he insisted, his grip tightening slightly. “You’re not alone. You never were. I need you here, with me. You bring light to the darkness.” “But the darkness is all I feel now,” you replied, tears mingling with the rain. “I can’t keep it up anymore.” Ghost inhaled sharply, a choked sound that tore through the storm. “No, you can’t mean that. We’re a team. You’re… you’re my anchor.” Your resolve wavered, his words tugging at the frayed edges of your heart. “How can I be an anchor when I’m drowning?”

His eyes held a fierce determination, cutting through the shadows that cloaked your soul. “Then let me pull you back. Lean on me. I promise you—together, we can fight the tide.” In that moment, amidst the torrential rain and the looming abyss, your storm felt a little less fierce. You looked at him, and for the first time in a long time, you saw a flicker of hope.