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“You have to let go.”
Lucy’s voice was wobbly with panic; desperation and panic made her voice shrill. That was perhaps more terrifying than their current situation, he thought wildly. Not that dangling over a railing, held in place only by his one - sweaty, slippery - hand clinging to the banister for dear life was in his top 10 greatest moments but even that wasn’t as scary as this. Lucy losing her cool and openly showing that she was scared. Throwing away her mask of bravado like it was nothing. Like she hadn’t clung to it like a lifeline during all the other rough times they’d shared together since they’d met.
“No, Lucy. Absolutely not.”
“You have to,” she insisted. “You have to let me go! We’ll both fall if you don’t and I can’t– I can’t be the reason you d- get hurt, Lockwood. I just can’t.”
“I can’t lose you either,” Lockwood countered, locking his fingers more around the smooth wood. Where on earth were George and Holly? “I already almost lost you once. I’m not losing you again.”
Lucy laughed, wetly. “I don’t think that it’s gonna be up to you.”
Lockwood grinned devilishly. He couldn’t hold on forever and he knew it. He tried to lift Lucy, testing his strength. He gritted his teeth against the strain. That was it. There was only one thing he could do. “You might think that but I promised myself I’d never lose anyone ever again. And I intend to keep that promise.”
“Lockwood,” Lucy said hesitantly, plaintively, “What are you planning?”
“I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“What are you talking about? Lockwood?” Her voice was becoming increasingly panicked. “Sorry for what?”
“For what comes next.”
No one was coming to save them.
And with one desperate burst of strength, Lockwood swung Lucy forward once, twice, three times in a long, smooth arc before letting go. Lucy sailed through the air. She cleared the railing on the lower floor and landed hard on the slick floor with a jarringly loud thump. She gave a cry of pain before sliding to a stop against the wall.
Lockwood sighed, his body relaxing and his head tipping back as he gave a sad smile. He couldn’t hold on anymore and help wasn’t coming. His grip slipped - just the tiniest bit - but it was enough.
His hand slid from the railing and he fell into the darkness below.
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“Lockwood!”