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"Come on Jason, just jump!"
I stared down at the rushing water below, hearing the cries of my friends coming up at me. They'd all jumped already, just like we all have a million times from this spot. But I needed to try something new. I needed to go further, take a more daring way. I needed to feel a rush, one that would get me away from my mind and let me get rid of all the guilt and pain I've got pent up inside. I needed a release.
I climbed up further on the bridge, higher than any of us had ever gone. I moved over to the right a bit more, thinking it looked somewhat deeper than where we've been jumping. I stood and took a deep breath and as I released the breath, I let myself tumble forward.
I could feel the adrenaline pump through my veins as I picked up speed and got closer to the river. My mind cleared and a smile came on my face; this was therapeutic. I was in my own personal tranquil state, falling through the sky to the water below.
My feet crashed against the water first and I loved the feel of cool water rushing over me. But then something went wrong.
Pain. Lots of pain, shooting up my leg.
I reached my hands out, searching for what I hit. I couldn't feel a thing. And then my fingers brushed against something smooth and hard. It felt like metal. Grabbing hold of it, I tugged, but not hard enough. Getting a better grip, I pulled it with me out of the river as best I could as my friends jumped back in the water to help me. Damien and Brad wrapped their arms around me, dragging me to shore as Marshall pulled it that massive thing. When I was finally on the shoreline, I flopped on a rock and didn't look back. At least, not until all three called my name for different reasons.
"Jason, I think you better get a look at this. You might be in some trouble." That was Marshall.
"Jason, your leg. I think we need to call an ambulance, man."
I turned to Marshall first and gasped.
A shopping cart, mangled and rusted, sat on the shoreline five feet away from me. I took a quick glance at my leg, remember what Brad had said and my breath caught again. I could see muscle. I could see so much red as it flowed into the river and as the gears in my head began to work, shock started to take over. My breathing became shallow, my eyes began to blur. And before I knew it, the pain overwhelmed me and I was out cold.