Whitney inched closer to the edge and looked down at the crowd gathering below her. The wind lifted her hair as she watched the ambulance pull into the parking lot, the red light on its roof flashing.
“What’s your name?” the police officer asked her. He leaned out of the window only a few feet from her. His angular face draped in false calm.
“It doesn’t matter,” Whitney said. She’d climbed out on the ledge an hour ago and managed to creep along the rough brick wall without losing her balance one. She was proud of that because people had always told her she was clumsy. She had the balance and grace of a tightrope walker now.
“Of course it matters,” the officer said. “You matter and I’m sure there is someone who will be heartbroken if you don’t climb back into the window where it’s safe.”
“You can’t be sure of that.”
“But I think it’s a pretty safe guess. I know I’ll be heartbroken.”
Whitney let out a sputtering laugh. “You don’t know me.”
“I don’t need to to know that no one’s life should end like this.”
Whitney looked over at him. Strands of her hair caught on the rough brick. “If you knew me you wouldn’t say that.”
“Why wouldn’t I say that, Whitney?”
Whitney shook her head and pursed her lips. Often she didn’t have the words to express what she felt. Speech seemed to get caught like a barb in her throat. She swallowed hard and looked down. A firetruck had parked below her now. The firefighters were maneuvering a giant round piece of fabric that looked like a trampoline through the crowd. The sight reminded her of cartoons she’d seen as a child. “I thought they only did that in movies,” she said to the officer.
He looked down at the firefighters jostling into position. “It happens in real life too. We’re just trying to keep you safe.”
Whitney nodded. She liked to see so many people interested in something she was doing. She often felt invisible. She wondered through the world unnoticed. She was changing that though. All of the people looking up at her were proof. “Nobody has to keep me safe.”
The officer leaned out the window and reached his hand along the wall. “Why don’t you take my hand and come inside where we can talk?”
Whitney looked over at him. The calm had melted from his face as he strained to reach her. His arm was too short. She remained a few inches out of reach. “I don’t need to talk,” Whitney said. “I’ve figured it all out.”
“Come inside and tell me.”
“I’m not going to tell you. I’m going to show you.” Whitney raised herself up on her toes and fell forward. The crowd gasped. The firefighters braced themselves for the impact of her body tumbling to the earth. The officer let out a yelp and tried to reach for her, but couldn’t.
Whitney was unafraid. The wings burst from her back and caught the breeze. She glided over the crowd and up into the clouds. For too long she had been afraid to use her wings, but she wasn’t going to let fear stop her any longer.