Before the Leap by Bogdan Dragos

so this is it then

He stood by the margin of the ravine

looked down

took a deep breath

looked behind him

no shadowy figure reaching

out

no pale silhouette making stop motions

no apparition telling him to

not jump

Of course,

what the hell was he thinking? These

things don’t happen outside

of stories

Stories like the one he was reviewing

on his phone

while driving

with his pregnant wife in the passenger

seat

the crash happened at

the moment he tapped send

and just yesterday he got a response

from the editor

saying it was a great story and they will

definitely publish it

There was no “Thank you” reply from him

just an “I’m sorry” and “I love you” on

his wife’s social media

before taking the leap

-BOGDAN DRAGOS

Bogdan Dragos supervises casinos for a gambling company, working twelve-hour shifts locked in a…