priest – Never Short On Words

Sven adjusted his collar. You would think they could make a decent clerical collar that wouldn’t choke you the minute you became a little agitated. This was the event that would validate his career choice. How else would he be an official at Claire’s wedding? It was hard to believe it had been seven years since Claire had helped him begin his path down this road. Seven long years of working on their friendship, assuring her she had made the right decision.

Now it was seven short minutes till she arrived at the church. Ken, her groom, was downstairs in Sven’s study, waiting to be led out to a full church, and a hopefully a bride that was ready to go through with it this time. Sven was in the steeple, sitting on the railing as he was apt to do, watching for the limo bringing Claire. That was a gift from Sven on Claire’s happy day. He wanted to make sure she arrived to the event in splendor. Four more minutes to wait. Sven thought about the last seven years. It took a lot of planning and mental fortitude to get where he was today. Now all he had to do was let the last piece fall into place, and then his life would be complete. He wondered if Ken and Claire would ever feel that same joy. Sven knew that Ken was not Claire’s type. Anyone could see that, but that wasn’t Ken’s problem now. Today was a day he would etch in Claire’s mind forever.

The limo pulled up and Claire got out. She was beautiful dressed in white. It almost looked like she had a halo around her head, though that might be the tears running down Sven’s face. “Claire!” Sven yelled. Claire looked around, but couldn’t find Sven, so he yelled again. “Up here,” he said. She looked up and smiled. Sven would remember that smile for the rest of his life. She gave him a thumbs up and began walking to the chapel doors. Sven called out one more time, “I love you!” Claire looked up in confusion and dawning horror. She was about to speak when Sven seized the words right out of her throat by jumping high and off the railing, falling to the ground at her feet, broken and dead. His last thoughts were of her leaving him at the alter seven years ago and how payback is a bitch.

This story was inspired by the following reddit prompt: A person at the top of his building, waiting 7 minutes to jump to his death.