Man on the Ledge by Madisyn Hall
The students were presented with the challenge of coming upon a person perched on the ledge of a tall building in beautiful Los Angeles.
MADISYN…is drawn into the ethereal presence of a man she once knew.
Man on The Ledge
I walk up on the terrace to see a man on the ledge. I didn’t expect anyone to be out there around this time of the night, especially not on the ledge. The air was cold and windy. The breeze was strong. I wondered if the stranger could feel it too. I walked over, keeping my distance. The man turned slightly, noticing my presence, but said nothing.
I sit along the ledge with the man. I looked down and I felt an adrenaline rush, not from the fear of falling but what might happen if I did. I looked over at the man again and his face was obscured. I couldn’t tell if it was the angle but the man didn’t seem to have a face, not one that was visible to the naked eye.
Something about his presence was so familiar and nostalgic. He said, “ you know me.” His voice sounded mangled or somewhat muzzled but I felt what he said was true. I did know him. He spoke again. “You shouldn’t be up here.” Then silence. I felt the eyes of the stranger on me for the first time. It was like he could see into my soul and possibly what my true intentions were. It made me feel uneasy.
I was reluctant to look back at the man, but when I did, there was no one there. It was just me and my conscience and the presence of a man that was once there and the unspoken questions.
Madisyn Hall
September 24, 2025