Читать книгу The Hum - Ralph Anderson - Страница 4

Bristol, England, 1979.

Ethel Simpson is unable to sleep. Restless in her bed she holds her hands, which shake nervously, tight over her ears. What is it? Why won’t it stop? It has gone on now for over six months. Exhausted, Ethel suffers from sleep deprivation. She is in agony. Sleep is impossible.

“Why won’t it stop?” she moans.

Just when she thinks it is over, it comes back. She can’t take it anymore. Suicide has crossed her mind many times. But she has too much to live for. Her children, her grandchildren and work she loves as an engineer with the British Aerospace Corporation. A plaque in the wall honors her 20 years of dedicated service. Ethel gets out of bed and quickly paces the room back and forth like a caged tiger at the zoo pounding her fists against her temples. This goes on for hours. Tears stream down her cheeks. Ethel looks at the photos of her family sitting on the dresser by the second story window of her home and contemplates the effects of her actions. She grabs an unfinished glass of vodka from the bedside table and downs the remains in one gulp. The glass drops from her shaking hand and shatters on the floor. A large shard rests against her left foot. Ethel looks down, sees the shard and makes a life ending decision. She picks up the shard and holds it against her wrist. Gritting her teeth and grimacing in anticipation to the coming pain she takes a deep breath. But she can’t do it. Deep sobs shake her body to the core. Perhaps some fresh air will help. It is 2:20 am. Ethel decides to go for a walk.

It is a warm summer night and the city lights sparkle against the jet black sky. A few cars pass at this early hour on her walk towards the Bristol Bridge over the river Avon. This is a walk she has made many times enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the harbor. Her anxiety is soothed. The mysterious sound in her ears has subsided. Standing in the middle of the bridge holding the railing Ethel looks down at the river noticing the swirls of the currents. Ethel is now at peace. Without a second thought she climbs up on the railing and unhesitatingly lets herself fall into the water below. It is not a high bridge but Ethel is without a will to survive. There is no one around to hear the splash. A deep inhale fills her lungs with water and she is gone. All is quiet again.