"Over here!" I say to Consuela as we walk down the long carpeted hallway past two sets of elevators toward a marble entrance that leads to the stairs.
I look around in amazement; the architecture of the building is grandiose, in a luxury hotel from the 1970s type of way.
We clunk up the stairs in unison and I marvel at how bright they are before coming to an entrance on the 11th floor.
As we push through the glass doors I am immediately greeted with an outdoor mahogany bar equipped with two or three servers dressed in formal wear. One of them looks at me while he dries a glass before returning his attention to the patron in front of him.
"I never knew there was an outdoor patio on the 11th floor of our building," I say to Consuela in sheer amazement as we walk past tables draped with white linen and adorned with with well dressed people.
"I can't believe I've never come up here before," I whisper under my breath as I scan around the terrace. The view is spectacular. The sun is a perfect brilliance -- the brilliance that happens so rarely; where everything is awash in a perfect yellow and you don't need to squint to enjoy it.
The tops of cherry trees act as bushes on the outside perimeter of the terrace and I make the decision to myself to have lunch here every day -- because who wouldn't want to eat at white linen tables surrounded by tree tops?
I turn to share my enjoyment of the terrace with Consuela but she's no longer behind me. I scan the patio, recognizing the odd familiar face, but then I see her running towards the terrace's cement edge.
I open my mouth to scream her name -- but nothing comes out.
A moment later I watch in horror as she jumps into the air with glee. She suspends there for a moment and I try to call her again, but my face is frozen. I watch as she retracts on her decision and is only able to barely graze the edge of the ledge with the back of her heels. She wobbles backwards, and for a moment I think that everything is going to fine...
But gravity begins to suck her forwards. The tendons in the back of her ankles flex and pulsate, but the task is made harder by the slippery bottoms of her dollar store slippers.
I want to call her name again, but I can't.
I don't move.
I can't move.
My eyes scan the terrace pleading for help; but everyone is oblivious. Before my heart can make its next beat Consuela's slippers give out, and I watch in complete agony as her screams sear towards my heart and stab me --
Awake.
Breathe.....
I turn toward the window and see the moon half hidden behind a flimsy cloud. My heart races uncontrollably and the back of my neck is drenched with sweat.
Before I can properly process my fright, the weight of my lids takes over forcing them to close once more.
A moment later the horror that I've just witnessed is washed from all consciousness, as slumber whispers comforting thoughts into my ear which somehow manages to slow down the burden of my pulsating heart.
The tops of cherry trees act as bushes on the outside perimeter of the terrace and I make the decision to myself to have lunch here every day -- because who wouldn't want to eat at white linen tables surrounded by tree tops?
I turn to share my enjoyment of the terrace with Consuela but she's no longer behind me. I scan the patio, recognizing the odd familiar face, but then I see her running towards the terrace's cement edge.
I open my mouth to scream her name -- but nothing comes out.
A moment later I watch in horror as she jumps into the air with glee. She suspends there for a moment and I try to call her again, but my face is frozen. I watch as she retracts on her decision and is only able to barely graze the edge of the ledge with the back of her heels. She wobbles backwards, and for a moment I think that everything is going to fine...
But gravity begins to suck her forwards. The tendons in the back of her ankles flex and pulsate, but the task is made harder by the slippery bottoms of her dollar store slippers.
I want to call her name again, but I can't.
I don't move.
I can't move.
My eyes scan the terrace pleading for help; but everyone is oblivious. Before my heart can make its next beat Consuela's slippers give out, and I watch in complete agony as her screams sear towards my heart and stab me --
Awake.
Breathe.....
I turn toward the window and see the moon half hidden behind a flimsy cloud. My heart races uncontrollably and the back of my neck is drenched with sweat.
Before I can properly process my fright, the weight of my lids takes over forcing them to close once more.
A moment later the horror that I've just witnessed is washed from all consciousness, as slumber whispers comforting thoughts into my ear which somehow manages to slow down the burden of my pulsating heart.
