The train rumbled slowly across an old railway bridge suspended over a deep canyon. Far below, the rushing current of the river roared, while the wind whistled between the cars, making the metal parts creak softly. Some passengers stood by the windows, admiring the mountains lit by the setting sun.
Marina stepped out onto the narrow platform between the cars. She leaned against the cold railing and, for a moment, closed her eyes, trying to calm her thoughts. After a while, her husband appeared behind her.
Aleksei approached almost silently.
— Beautiful, isn’t it? — he said calmly.
Marina smiled faintly and looked down.
— Very… though a bit frightening. Look at the height.
The man took a step closer. Too close.
For a few seconds, he remained silent, as if gathering his thoughts. Finally, he spoke quietly:
— YOU KNOW… SOMETIMES LIFE IS SIMPLER THAN WE THINK.
Marina frowned and turned toward him.
— What do you mean?
She didn’t get to hear the answer.
In the next second, Aleksei suddenly shoved her with both hands.
Marina didn’t even have time to scream. In an instant, her body disappeared beyond the railing, falling into the void beneath the bridge. Only her light pink dress flashed for a split second in the air before vanishing below.
The train kept moving.
Aleksei stood still, breathing heavily. He quickly looked around — there was no one on the platform. The door to the carriage behind him swayed slightly in the wind.
— IT’S OVER… — HE WHISPERED. — IT’S ALL OVER.
He adjusted his jacket, took a few steps back, and opened the door leading inside.
But at that very moment, something happened that he could never have predicted 😱😨
At that very moment, a voice came from the corridor:
— Excuse me… were you on the platform just now?
Aleksei froze.
In front of him stood a man in his forties, holding a camera in his hand.
— I film my travels for a blog — he said calmly. — This bridge is incredible… I was just recording the view from the window.
HE SLIGHTLY RAISED THE CAMERA.
— And I think… I captured everything that just happened.
Aleksei felt a cold shiver slowly run down his spine.
— The train will be stopping at the next station soon — the man added quietly. — I think… we should talk to the conductor.
Aleksei said nothing. He didn’t yet realize that the worst was still ahead of him.
Because down there, beneath the bridge, something had happened that no one could have predicted.
Marina was falling for several long seconds. The wind struck her face, the air stole her breath. But just below the bridge, a wide mountain river was flowing.
Her body hit the water with tremendous force.
AN ICY COLD PIERCED THROUGH HER. FOR A MOMENT, SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT THE CURRENT PUSHED HER TOWARD THE SURFACE. MARINA GASPED FOR AIR AND BEGAN TO FIGHT TO STAY AFLOAT.
Not far from the shore, there was a fishing boat. Two men first heard a powerful splash, and then saw a woman in the river.
— Someone in the water! Quickly! — one of them shouted.
They steered the boat toward her, and within minutes they were pulling Marina aboard.
She was pale, trembling from the cold, but alive.
— Who did this? — one of the fishermen asked, covering her with a jacket.
Marina struggled to open her eyes.
— My husband… — she whispered.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE TRAIN WAS ALREADY APPROACHING THE NEXT STATION. ALEKSEI STOOD BY THE WINDOW, TRYING TO LOOK CALM.
He had no idea that the woman he had pushed off the bridge had miraculously survived… and that in just a moment, the police would be waiting for him on the platform.
