"Lucky, why don't you come down from there? It looks dangerous."
"Ah, but that's the kind of life I lead. I'm always on the edge of living or dying. I'm a Spencer. It's in the blood."
Emily could barely look at Lucky. Her heart was sick with worry. She wondered if she should call the police. Just then a truck approached and came to a stop near the bridge.
Sly jumped out of the truck as soon as it came to a stop. He had spotted Lucky and the girls on his way to an old hideout of Lucky's.
"Oh, thank God you're here, Sly. What should we do?"
"I think you should call the cops. In the meantime, we'll try to talk him down." Sly walked towards Lucky silently thinking. 'Dear God, help me find the words' was his simple prayer.
Liz turned to see Sly approaching while Emily made a call on her cell phone. "Look, Lucky, it's Sly," Liz said in a desperate attempt to distract Lucky from the water below.
"So you found me, cuz. Some things never change. You could always track me down."
"Always."
Emily whispered into her cell phone. "Yes, please send someone to the bridge on River Road. A young man is standing on the ledge, and I'm afraid he might jump."
"We'll send a squad car and an ambulance," said the operator.
"Please hurry." Emily hung up the phone and walked back to where Lucky stood. She gave Sly a look that told him help was coming.
"So I guess you're all wondering what I'm doing," Lucky said. "I am here tonight to fulfill my destiny."
"What's your destiny, Lucky?" Liz asked.
"Lucky Spencer died in a fire over a year ago, or at least he should have. I'm just here to set things right. I'll finish the job."
"No, Lucky. You weren't meant to die in that fire. You don't have to do this," Emily pleaded.
"Oh, but I must. Then everyone can get on with their lives."
"No, Lucky. There's no life without you," Liz yelled up to him. "You don't know what a living hell this past year has been. You've come back to us, and I sure as hell am not going to give up on you now!"
As Liz was speaking, Sly was inching closer to the railing. He carefully climbed up behind Lucky while his back was turned.
"But Liz, if I never came back, everyone would be a lot better off. I cause nothing but pain," he whispered.
Sly slowly stood upright on the railing. He steadied himself against the dizziness he felt. It was a long way down. He very slowly approached Lucky. "It sure is beautiful up here."
Lucky turned to see Sly standing on the railing. He is screwing this up, Lucky thought.
"You know, I bet we've all thought about doing this sometime in our lives. I think everyone has."
"Sly, get off here." Lucky trembled as he spoke.
"We all have dark points in our lives. Sometimes I would think I would never see the sun again." Sly focused on Lucky's face. "But the sun always rises, Lucky. It will for you, too."
"You don't understand. I… I…" Lucky stuttered.
"I have been exactly where you are, Lucky, remember?" Emily looked up at him. "I stood on the ledge at my house, ready to fly away. I was so lost. But someone rescued me. I turned it around, Lucky. You can, too. Let us help you."
"You don't know what they did to me!" Lucky shouted. "I can't even bear to look at anyone. I don't know who I am anymore." He started to cry. "How can I live when I'm a stranger to myself?"
"I can still see you, Lucky. The real you. He's in there, but I think he's been so hurt, you've adopted this mask to cover it up. But you can't fight it forever. The real you is right inside your heart," Liz stated. "You've just got to let it out."
Just then a roar of sirens filled the air. Soon flashing lights lit up the night sky. Lucky immediately tensed up.
Sly noticed this right away. "Lucky, just take my hand."
"No, Sly. I can't. I am damaged beyond repair."
"You don't think I know what that's like? Honestly, Lucky, you know what happened to me. But I'm still here, I'm still alive."
Emily and Liz were puzzled by Sly's statement.
"How did you do it, Sly? How can you face it and move on?"
"I don't know. Somebody must be praying for me. I pray for you everyday."
"So why did God allow this to happen?"
Sly sighed. "I don't know. What I do know is whatever happened to you, He was always right beside you. He intercedes in ways that we can't even imagine. I can feel Him here now. He loves you, Lucky, just like I do. Just like Liz and Emily do. Lucky, please, let us lift you up."
Taggert suddenly approached from the police car. "What's going on here?"
"Lucky has been standing on the ledge, and his cousin Sly has been trying to talk him down," Emily said.
"He shouldn't be up there. It's too risky."
"Just don't scare Lucky, please." Emily squeezed her eyes shut against the tears forming.
"Lucky, why don't you come down from there?" Taggert asked.
Lucky was oblivious to his words. He turned to look down at the water again.
"Lucky, take my hand." Lucky looked up at Sly with tear filled eyes. "Just take my hand."
Hesitantly, Lucky reached over and grabbed it. "That's good. That's good. Now we're going to slowly get down from here. Just don't let go."
Sly slowly led Lucky to the edge of the railing and climbed down, never letting go of Lucky's hand. Lucky climbed down after him. When they were both back on the bridge, Sly pulled Lucky into a hug. "I'm here for you always, Lucky. Don't ever forget it."
Lucky silently cried into Sly's shoulder. Those words weren't just from Sly.
Emily and Liz wept and hugged each other. Liz felt a tremendous sense of relief, as did Emily.
Taggert approached the young men. "Lucky," he said in a soothing tone, "why don't you come with us to GH. You've had a rough night."
Lucky stepped away from Sly and looked at Taggert. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." He started to walk to the ambulance when he looked at Sly, Emily, and Liz. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Liz asked hesitantly.
"I would like that," Lucky said.
Lucky climbed into the ambulance and lay down on the stretcher. Liz sat beside him as the doors closed.
Emily, Sly, and Taggert watched as the ambulance drove away. Taggert turned to Sly. "I'm glad you were here. You saved his life."
Sly smiled. "I have a feeling I wasn't the only one on that railing with him."
Emily gave Sly a hug. Thanks for the help, God, Sly thought. Just then a verse from the Bible popped into his head: "A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out."
Bible verse from the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, Verse 5