The wind howled fiercely across the rooftop as Carmen teetered on the edge. Below, the woman who had attacked her earlier pointed upward, gesturing wildly; her voice was barely audible above the wind. A small crowd had gathered, some laughing, others shaking their heads, all watching with the morbid fascination reserved for accidents. Carmen glanced down, despair heavy in her heart, but tinged with a darker resentment.

She imagined their faces after she jumped. Would they scream? Cry? Or feel the cold grip of guilt, realizing they had driven her to this? A bitter smile touched her lips; the thought felt almost like revenge.

Closing her eyes, Carmen raised her arms, the wind tugging at her clothes, then let herself fall.

"Gosh!" "She's jumping!"

Screams and gasps erupted from below as her body plunged. For a brief moment, Carmen felt weightless, free. Then, everything stopped.

Pain shot through her arm as her body jerked to a halt. Confused, she opened her eyes to find herself hanging in mid-air, her hand gripped tightly from behind. "What—" Carmen's voice was hoarse, her mind reeling.

Looking up, she saw Felicia, her face pale but resolute, her arm stretched taut as she clung to Carmen with all her might. Blood dripped from a gash on Felicia's forearm, but she was smiling, relieved, almost triumphant. "Gotcha," Felicia murmured, her voice trembling. "Just in time."

Felicia had sprinted up the stairs, breathless by the time she reached the rooftop, but she had managed to grab Carmen's wrist.

Carmen's voice was choked with emotion. "Let go," she pleaded, her throat raw. "I can't take it anymore... I'm so tired."

Felicia didn't move. One hand held Carmen's wrist, the other clung to the rooftop's edge. Her voice, strained but steady, held a sharp edge of determination. "Carmen, listen. Those who spread lies about you deserve to die. They haven't faced justice. Why should you give up now?"

Her fierce words, the fire in her eyes, stopped Carmen cold. Help arrived; a crowd pulled Carmen back to safety.

Once on solid ground, well-meaning advice flowed – "Don't give up," "Life is precious," "Think things through." But as the crowd dispersed, Carmen remained, her eyes red, looking at Felicia.

"Why did you save me?" she asked, her voice trembling. It wasn't a simple question. Felicia had risked her life.

Felicia rotated her sore shoulder, inspecting the scrapes. "Maybe it was empathy," she said, considering Carmen's question. "Maybe my inability to stand by and watch someone suffer. Or maybe because I had seen Carmen die once before." She stood, extending a hand. "Carmen, tell me, do you want to fight back? To use their weapons against them?"

Carmen blinked, confused and bitterly amused. "What do you mean? I've tried everything. I went to the police, tried to explain myself, even got an official report from the hospital proving my innocence. But nothing worked. The rumors persist."