My mind was scrambling to put the pieces together. How did he know my name? I started to sit up, while carefully trying to project an aura of ease.
"Stop Claire. The situation is simple. I'm going to give you a choice."
I struggled to hold myself motionless, fighting the strongest case of fight or flight I have ever encountered. I was in the middle of nowhere, and my legs were still dangling from the precipice of the rocky ledge where the rest of me lay on the hard surface.
I slowly returned my view to his form, now bending into a crouch.
"I have something I want you to take, and I'm telling you now I highly recommend this option. You will notice there is no one around for miles, it's dusk, and the chance that you could spring to your feet and make it past me before I stopped you are so minimal as to be dismissed immediately."
I heard his words, but the feeling of dread became so thick as to make his voice sound less clear. I swallowed; the subsequent settling of fluid into my chest was painful. The urge to run was dampened by his frank appraisal of the situation.
"What do you want me to do?" I managed to croak out.
His left hand, which had been in his pocket, was now extended. He radiated calm and confidence. In my panic I still had the distinct impression that he was awfully calm for someone threatening a woman on the top of a cliff.
"This is going to make you go to sleep for a short while. I won't force you to take it. However, this option ensures your safety. I cannot do that if you choose not to take this."
The seemingly logical statement left open possibilities in my mind. What would happen if I didn't take the pill I could now see in his outstretched palm? He was right; I could run, but he was crouched only feet away from me. I'd never get past him. But what would happen if I did take it?
He must've read the debate on my face for he said, "I'm not going to tell you Claire. You will simply have to take me at my word nothing bad is going to happen."
He spoke strongly but without menace. So I now had to trust this stranger, or... I'm not sure what. The threat was vague, but clear on his face. How was I supposed to trust someone who was threatening me at the same time?
I quickly darted my gaze around me, hoping blindly to find something useful, some avenue of escape I hadn't considered. I saw nothing but a vast expanse of landscape, and I involuntarily shuddered when I remembered the drop of a good three hundred feet directly below me.
"I comprehend the natural urge to flee Claire. If there was a struggle however, well..." he paused, his head tilting up to look out beyond the drop off of the cliff before placing his hands together and proffering me the pill in his right hand. "I wouldn't want anyone to fall."
I had no idea what to do. It didn't look like I really had an option. I reached out my hand and snatched the pill. I started to rise and he said carefully, softly, "Take it now Claire."
I rose slowly, watching him carefully from my peripheral vision. He started to stand when I did until we were facing each other. The cliff behind me, an unknown threat in front of me and any means of egress, I looked down at my fist as I started to uncurl my fingers. Such a small thing, this little white pill in my hand. I felt at the same time I saw him take a step towards me and I instinctively backed up.
I felt a gust of wind sweep up against me and was reminded where I was standing. I looked down at my feet and realized I was directly on the edge. My heart was racing, my body sweating despite the cooling temperature. I brought the pill to my mouth and reached down to grab my open beer. I didn't know what to do. I was willing myself to somehow use this opportunity to boldly run past him and I couldn't make myself move. I brought the beer to my lips to wash down the already dissolving pill.
Well that helped steel my resolve some. The dissolvable pill was already entering my system and I didn't see what good it would do to try and run away when I was likely to pass out anyway. I stood there shaking and drank my beer until it was gone. I looked at my feet, dropping my arms to my sides in defeat.