A Journey in the Dark

The darkness tells us it’s late night and we are looking down at a teenage boy, asleep, spread out on his back across his bed. Is he alive? In the background we hear, what sounds like laughter, coming from the downstairs kitchen.

The boy begins to open his eyes. He sits up and stares for a moment. Looks very troubled. Suddenly, he hears two voices in his head.

“You hear that?” the bad voice says. “Sounds like your family is having a good time. They would be better off without you.”

“That’s not true,” the good voice replies. Don’t listen to him. Why don’t you go down and join them?”

“Maybe he’s right,” the boy says. “Maybe they would be better off without me here. Nobody understands me.”

“So, let’s finish this tonight,” the bad voice says.

“What about your friends and all those you’ll be leaving behind? “the good voice replies.

“Why does life have to be so hard?” the boy asked.

“What’s so hard about life?” the good voice asks.

"Everything!” the boy replies. “I don’t know what to do after high school. My friends have all these awesome plans and I have nothing. I am nothing!”

Suddenly, the boy’s mom yells, “Ethan! What are you doing up there? Come down!”

“Now’s your chance,” the bad voice shouts. “Sneak out of the window before your mom comes up. Don’t you want to finally be at peace?”

The sound of footsteps can be heard, coming up the stairs; It’s Ethan’s mom, Samantha, Sam for short. She reaches his room and begins to knock on the door.

"Ethan? Come on down," the boy's mom says. "Dinner is almost ready. Ethan?" Still, no answer. Then his mom proceeds to open the door, noticing that the room is empty, and the window is open.

“Eric, call your father!” Samantha screams as she’s rushing downstairs. “Your brother is gone.”

Ethan’s father, Doug Hughes, is a cop and heads the mental health division. The scene changes to the police department, where there are at least 15 officers and detectives packed in a tiny room. The phone begins to ring on the desk of Deputy Steven Hicks, who is considered an outsider, being that he recently transferred from another department.

“Hello, Pimmit Hills Police Department, this is Deputy Hicks,” Deputy Hicks answers.

Samantha takes the phone.

“Hi, it’s Samantha, Officer Hughes’ wife. Is he there?” Samantha asks.

“Oh, Hi, Mrs. Hughes,” Deputy Hicks replied.” Is there something I can do? Officer Hughes is pretty tied up at the moment.”

“No, it’s about our son, Ethan” she replied. “It’s an emergency. Can you please get him on the phone?”

“Let me see if I can get a hold of him,” Deputy Hicks replied.

The scene changes to Officer Hughes’ office, where he is seen flirting with the secretary. Deputy Hicks walks in and lets Officer Hughes know that his wife is calling.

“Hey Doug, your wife is on the line,” Deputy Hicks says. It’s about Ethan. She says it’s an emergency.”

Doug quickly takes the call.

“Sam? What’s wrong?” Doug asks.

“It’s Ethan, he’s gone!” she replies, frantically.

“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” Doug asks.

“He’s not in his room and I found the window open,” she replies.

“He’s a teenager, Sam," Doug replies. “He’s probably out with some friends.”

“You don’t think I called his friend’s parents?” she asks in anger. “I can’t believe you’re not concerned! No one knows where Ethan could have gone.”

“OK, I’m leaving now,” Doug replies. “Hicks and I will drive around to see if we find him. Call me if he comes back home.”

“OK,” she replies. “Call me when you find him.”

Doug hangs up and suggests that they head over to Pimmit Bridge.

“Hicks, I will check over by the bridge,” Doug says. “He and his friends would hang out there after school. Meanwhile, you can drive near the school.”

The screen changes to Ethan, where he begins to walk as if he is moving through extremely, intense air. Nearby, you can hear an owl in an old, abandoned barn; "hoot...hoot...hoot...hoot." He then ascends several flights of stairs onto Pimmit Bridge. Ethan walks past an individual, who passes without acknowledging him. He approaches the edge of the bridge and the voice in his head tries to stop him from jumping.

“Ethan, please stop and think about this,” the good voice pleads. “You have so much to live for and you have a family you’ll be leaving behind.”

"Don’t listen to him," the bad voice replies. “Now’s your chance to be free. Isn’t that what you want?”

“Yes,” Ethan replies.

Ethan begins to walk closer to the edge of the bridge. Officer Hughes makes it to the bridge. He sees Ethan.

"ETHAN!” Doug shouts. “What are you doing? Get away from the edge.”

Ethan looks in Doug’s direction and waves goodbye and without any hesitation, He suddenly...

TIME REVERSES BACK TO Ethan’s Bedroom -

The darkness tells us it’s late night and we are looking down at a teenage boy, asleep, spread out on his back across his bed. Is he alive? In the background we hear, what sounds like laughter, coming from the downstairs kitchen.

The boy begins to open his eyes. He sits up and stares for a moment. Looks very troubled. Suddenly, he hears two voices in his head.

“You hear that?” the bad voice says. “Sounds like your family is having a good time. They would be better off without you.”

“That’s not true,” the good voice replies. "Don’t listen to him. Why don’t you go down and join them?”

“Maybe he’s right,” the boy says. “Maybe they would be better off without me here. Nobody understands me.”

“So, let’s finish this tonight,” the bad voice says.

“What about your friends and all those you’ll be leaving behind?" the good voice replies.

“You’re Right!” Ethan replied.

“He’s wrong!” the bad voice insisted. “Nobody cares about you! Don’t you want to be free of all the pain?”

“That’s not true!” Ethan shouted. “I know that I am loved! I am not giving up.”

Suddenly, the sound of music can be heard from downstairs. Ethan’s mom, Samantha, calls him down for dinner.

“Ethan!,” Samantha yells. “What are you doing up there? Come down!”

“Now’s your chance,” the bad voice shouts. “Sneak out of the window before your mom comes up. Don’t you want to finally be at peace?”

The sound of footsteps can be heard, coming up the stairs; It’s Ethan’s mom, Samantha, Sam for short. She reaches his room and begins to knock on the door.

Ethan? Come on down; dinner is almost ready. Ethan? Still, no answer. Then the boy's mom proceeds to open the door...

“Hey,” mom says. “Dinner’s ready! Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” the boy replies. “I am.”

Ethan closes the bedroom door and joins the family downstairs.

THE END

What we think in our minds, eventually becomes what we believe. Most people who consider suicide, don’t want to die. They just don’t know how to deal with the pain they are experiencing. Life is never going to be easy, but if you leave the world by taking your own life, you are not only taking your life but the gift that you were meant to share with the world. Always remember, you are unique and have something to offer to the world. You are not alone.

For parents, don’t assume that your child is having a bad day. Sit them down and talk to them. Showing that you care and understand, can make a huge difference.

Almost everyone who tries to commit suicide gave a warning. Don’t ignore that warning, even if the reference of self-harm is indirect.

Suicide can be prevented. We can get the help we need. Talking about things that bother us can open the door to healing, but we can’t do it alone. Together, we can prevent suicide from happening. Together, we can erase this ugly mark on humanity. Together, we can raise awareness of suicide. Remember, we can only do it together.

“Suicide doesn’t end the chances of life getting worse, it eliminates the possibility of it ever getting any better.” Unknown