One more minute. That was enough. The world's time kept ticking, but my clock had stopped. One minute, and I would have had the time to pull you away. But 60 seconds pass easily, and that minute was soon out of my reach. One minute ago, you were living. One minute ago, we were breathing the same air, heavy and damp. One minute ago, you were standing in front of me in the dark. The silent darkness that embraced us eagerly and held us hidden from passing strangers. We were staring into each other's eyes, while the precipitation made it impossible to see the difference between the raindrops and the tears that fell unperturbed down your pale face. Time went by, and I was left standing, alone.

My deep inhales slowly became hard to hear as a calming hum sneaked closer and caressed my ears. I turned around, and there you stood. With a smile on your lips you ran towards me on the lively beach under the broiling sun. You stared at the shell you were holding out to me with glittering eyes and pointed to two unoccupied deck-chairs that were positioned a little further away. You started walking towards them, but I quickly grabbed your exposed arm. You immediately perceived my troubled face and worriedly caressed my cheek while you said something, but the humming noise that was covering my ears made it impossible to hear. I leaned forward and kissed your forehead gingerly before I lifted my hands and placed them gently on your cheeks while I pressed my lips onto yours. To hold you again, see your chocolate-colored eyes, caress your silky cheeks, it seemed so unreal. And it was. I knew that, because in reality, you didn't exist anymore. You were not breathing the same air anymore, and you were no longer standing in the darkness I was surrounded by; was choking on. No, because you would never again see anything. And the beach I was standing on, with you in my arms, was nothing but a memory, a dream, that I was escaping to. Away from reality, where you, one minute ago, stopped existing.

Up on top of the roof, where we first met many years ago, became the last place I saw you on. The roof we used to run up to, full of laughter and love. Where we could sit for hours and just enjoy each other's company. But I missed to notice how your eyes slowly lost their shine. The sharp light that was always surrounding you, with the corners of your mouth moving upwards, slowly extinguished, and your happy look lost it's luster. But I was naïve, I was living in heaven. My eyes only saw my own happiness, and it was so big that it covered your dolor and made me believe that we were sharing my glee. But one minute ago, when your body disappeared from my sight, and your soul from the universe, up on the roof, I fully understood how ruined you were. How much pain you felt. And the warm beach I was standing on would soon vanish, because in reality, I was shivering. But not only from the chilly wind that was blowing on me up on the roof, but also because of fear.

The tears overflowed and I gave you a last kiss before you disappeared, wearing a bitter smile, with the sand and the sun behind you. The rain fell heavily against my skin and the hum quieted down. Pixilated, I staggered closer to the edge and peeked down. The moon was hidden behind clouds and no stars were shining on the black night sky, but still, I could see the contour of your body, the one I had pressed close to mine innumerable times. The blood looked black, as it formed a puddle around you.

What was oxygen? How did you breathe? I didn't know, I had forgotten. Was it important? Maybe it had been once. But not now, not since that minute had ended and my legs had been too slow to catch you, hold you close. My tears fell soundlessly down the many meters down to you, and I played with the thought of following them; following you. Because what was there to live for? What was there to laugh at when you didn't exist in my life? Who would I embrace after long and tough workdays? Who would I caress and kiss, whisper the name of? Who would I love? Who except for you? Never again would I hear your voice, hear you say my name. My hand would never again hold yours, our legs would never again get tangled in the bed, where we lay and read books in the evenings. I would never see your stomach grow. Never would a child in a perfect copy of you jump around in our well-managed garden, among apple-trees and blooming geraniums. Our chance to grow old together was forever lost. See our child grow up and get strong, meet someone to love as much as I love you. Loved you. Because the person I loved does no longer live on this earth. Will never again take walks in parks during sunny days. Will never again drink my bitter, strong coffee and pretend like it's delicious even though her face expression reveals it's real taste. Will never again be able to kiss me and laughingly tell me that no, that tie was maybe not the best choice. I would never again wake up by your silky voice and a gentle kiss on my cheek. The truth was crushing, and the choice to follow you was tempting. How would I look into your parents' eyes? Your big brother, the one I gave my word to that I would protect you. How would I be able to go to work in the morning as if nothing happened?

I gently closed my eyes, sobs shaking my body, and slowly let my tense fists relax. I leaned forward, my feet the only thing that kept me from falling. My uneven and shaky breaths echoed in my ears and I took a step out.

A feeling of freedom filled me. A strong wind caught me and my sweaty hair that previously had been stuck on my forehead eased it's grip and freed my face. I was nearing my end, I was coming closer to you, but there was nothing to regret. There was no second chance. That minute, the one I had been wishing for, I had it now, extra long, when I fell down to meet you. The time stretched out, and 60 seconds felt like an hour. But at last, the hour ended, the one that intrinsically only lasted one single minute, and one last tear fell from my eye before I hit the ground. The last thing I saw before everything became black was your face. You were smiling with glittering eyes as one lonely tear fell down your cheek. The clock's minute-hand moved. One minute had passed, and the one who once had stood alone on top of a roof, wishing for more time, was now lying beside his love, while the seconds kept ticking.