• I stand, the world falling away to nothing before me.
    Smoke billows around me as the flames try to lick my back.
    Down below they wait for me, a flimsy sheet is all that protects me
    from becoming a human pizza.
    Eight storeys high and no way out but straight down.
    Even from here I see the faces of the firemen,
    Begging me, pleading me to jump.
    It’s a choice, stay here and certainly die or jump and possibly die.
    Either way I’m dead at the end.
    How can I trust these men, who are total strangers, to save me.
    Why would they want to?
    The rough grit bites into the bottom of my bare feet.
    It doesn’t want me to jump.
    I can see the faces behind the masks, they’re scared too.
    Scared for me?
    For a moment the wind blows the smoke and flames back.
    Time to go.
    I step forward on to nothing and try to fly away.
    Leap of faith.
    As I sail down I look them each in the eye.
    I trust you.
    Catch me.
    Please.