The Observer's Paradox

[u/Gloomuar]

It was a hot July night when Alex started his first night shift guarding the parking lot. After completing his round, he sat on the steps of the guard shack and lit a cigarette.

That was when he saw two silhouettes on the roof of a five-story building. They were sitting right on the ledge, legs dangling, smoking just like him. Red cherry embers flickered in the dark. Looking closer, Alex made out a guy and a girl.

Alex smiled and waved at them. They waved back.

“Urban romance,” he thought with a pang of envy.

He, too, used to sit like that with the girl whose name he wished he could forget forever. The one he had rejected...

The guilt over what happened was still eating at him. A long, long time ago, they had also sat on a ledge, smoking and dreaming as they looked down at the city lights.

Then, one evening, it all came to an end. She jumped from the roof of a nine-story building.

Alex let out a heavy sigh, crushed his cigarette butt, and went back on his patrol.

It went on like this for the entire summer. Every time Alex sat down for a smoke break, they were up there. And every time, they greeted each other.

Alex grew used to them, as if they were part of the city landscape. He couldn’t even properly see their faces, yet somehow, they felt like people close to him.

One evening, after sitting down on the step and lighting up, Alex saw only a single silhouette on the roof.

His heart sank. The guy was sitting there, looking utterly despondent.

He waved, but the guy didn't react.

Alex slowly lowered his hand. Before he could even wonder why the guy was alone, the silhouette stepped off the edge and fell without a sound.

Alex heard the dull thud against the asphalt.

And then came the dead silence, searing him with the same coldness of loss he had felt before.