Lucy?" I raise my head in alarm. "Lucy!" I turn to the familiar voice. "There you are!" I feel warm arms engulf me, pulling me, soothing me.670Please respect copyright.PENANAC8vwmNmJk9
"Ray…" I choke out. Ray releases me and looks at my tear-stained face. He takes my hand and slips the blade from between my fingers, his eyes never leaving mine.670Please respect copyright.PENANAY2Jc94IX9T
"Lucy," his voice is broken. "Please tell me you didn't."670Please respect copyright.PENANAo0zOMgZTZB
"I-I didn't." I take a deep, shaky breath. "But I almost did." He turns his head and shuts his eyes.670Please respect copyright.PENANATXxKebEg3g
"Promise me something, Lucy." He looks back at me. "Promise me that you'll never cut again, OK?" I nod. "If you ever fall back to this place again, call me over. I'll help you, Lucy." He grabs my hands. "Promise me."670Please respect copyright.PENANADmKLbr3Zux
"I promise, Ray." I whisper, tears leaking out of my eyes. He pulls me into a tight hug, breathing out a sigh of relief. He kisses the top of my head and then moves back…670Please respect copyright.PENANAJWCwwxqcFG
670Please respect copyright.PENANA65uCecS4dB
I open my eyes and stare at my wall, but it's not there.670Please respect copyright.PENANAhQAv6qr6yo
My blanket is hanging off my bed, my clothes are strewn across the floor, my hair is sticking to my wet cheeks and the window is shut, enclosing me in darkness.670Please respect copyright.PENANA4Sy2XZiHvr
I feel nothing but pain and agony. A dark cloud is filling my head, making me seem heavy.670Please respect copyright.PENANAiOagfLZO14
Fake.670Please respect copyright.PENANACFRCENs8PJ
Not myself.670Please respect copyright.PENANA87utoTUQBl
The silver blade is shining, piercing the darkness with an evil light. It taunts me, challenges me, dares me to touch it, to pick it up and to use it.670Please respect copyright.PENANAYo6IMTHFxk
Oh, Ray. Where are you?!670Please respect copyright.PENANA5cJVhEqLKl
"I'm going somewhere with my parents and we won't be back until Friday. Call me if you need anything, OK?"670Please respect copyright.PENANAvHLB2gNhnF
Help me, Ray! Help me!670Please respect copyright.PENANAdLqrUAzC3v
I punch in his number and put the phone to my ear.670Please respect copyright.PENANAxREoOWzReY
Voice mail.670Please respect copyright.PENANAIMWEf8ZB85
I try again.670Please respect copyright.PENANAhORfpIgLh8
No answer.670Please respect copyright.PENANA5p9WXV22Gw
I frantically pull at my hair, curling into a ball. I shut my eyes but a few lone tears escape. I shake my head, trying to pull myself out of my despair and trying, somehow, to pull myself together. I'm falling apart, breaking down.670Please respect copyright.PENANAblchtxbcZY
I can't. I must stay strong.670Please respect copyright.PENANATjYp10GnSP
My tears come faster.670Please respect copyright.PENANAGcgWvbhNlR
Keep it together, Lucy. Keep it together.670Please respect copyright.PENANAPnmwrzOszn
"Ahh!" I scream, pushing myself back. I lose my balance and fall off my bed, crashing to the floor. I cover my face with my hands, shaking, sobbing.670Please respect copyright.PENANAM7PCYtfeuT
"Ray!" I cry out. Please…670Please respect copyright.PENANAj3TTJ4BAwY
My hands fall to my sides, my hair a knotted mess. I stare silently at the ceiling.670Please respect copyright.PENANA5Rdk6HPvkC
Is it really that high?670Please respect copyright.PENANAyDBg8tpZcH
I curl up on my side, staring into the black nothingness under my bed.670Please respect copyright.PENANA1kyYsBTBR2
I must move… I need to move.670Please respect copyright.PENANA4ENkAB7neZ
I eye the door.670Please respect copyright.PENANAQYJwv8UcC4
I will myself to sit up.670Please respect copyright.PENANAsbZywz4Pff
My room turns upside down and goes blurry, my vision faltering. I still and wait for the dizziness to pass.670Please respect copyright.PENANADw4Wc2snPl
I blink once – twice- and then sit on my knees.670Please respect copyright.PENANACc1fH31sUl
I focus on the door.670Please respect copyright.PENANAPDT91rKqIz
I crawl forward.670Please respect copyright.PENANAPPeA54hE66
I need to get there.670Please respect copyright.PENANAKUIAf2aSUF
I slowly try to stand up. I advance, pushing one leg forward and then the other, and repeat.670Please respect copyright.PENANAnQFwcaSNAf
My legs are wobbly, broken.670Please respect copyright.PENANACi3GrACwrs
Just a few more feet…670Please respect copyright.PENANAxqx8JQs5aR
I reach out my hand and take another step-670Please respect copyright.PENANAMyzODuCYPw
and collapse to the ground.670Please respect copyright.PENANAmXLfEy7Do7
"No…" I try to stand again, but I can't get up.670Please respect copyright.PENANAHwmDL6WKM4
I grab at my bed sheet, trying to pull myself up. I feel around, grabbing at anything I possibly can. I grasp closer to my blanket and freeze as I touch something cold. Sharp.670Please respect copyright.PENANAZUvLo829Bh
I suck in a breath.670Please respect copyright.PENANAH8GuPZMnoB
A chill of excitement and fear shoots up my arm, down my spine and spreads through my body.670Please respect copyright.PENANAqGuOI6knxQ
I bring the blade closer to me, another thrill flowing inside me.670Please respect copyright.PENANAWrbzpGYw23
Just once.670Please respect copyright.PENANASJQm9QFeTc
"Promise me."670Please respect copyright.PENANAjkkD7344b4
"I promise, Ray."670Please respect copyright.PENANAPy6NXV192s
No, I can't. I promised him.670Please respect copyright.PENANA7AklRjdesA
But it'll feel so good…670Please respect copyright.PENANAhVTPp2godS
I study the blade, turning it around in my hands.670Please respect copyright.PENANAI0Ibd8edgM
It'll be quick. Just one cut.670Please respect copyright.PENANAnHRtZvL7kT
It'll heal quickly, faster than normally.670Please respect copyright.PENANANM7jhXf81O
Now's your chance, Ray… I look at the door, waiting for him to walk through and stop me.670Please respect copyright.PENANAZwjodGA960
Anytime, now…670Please respect copyright.PENANA8VGIb81dwg
My vision blurs. I feel drops on my skin.670Please respect copyright.PENANA4cbTzdOiJO
Is it raining?670Please respect copyright.PENANAUqHVb0cbN8
No, that’s impossible.670Please respect copyright.PENANARaoUXk0oga
I can't see.670Please respect copyright.PENANAKa54HuyYqE
I try to take breath but I choke up, a heavy weight sitting on my chest. A rock is stuck in my throat.670Please respect copyright.PENANAwgRpjUfff8
I can't breathe.670Please respect copyright.PENANATzRWou2pqF
I thrash around, clawing at my throat. I make a gurgling sound, trying to swallow.670Please respect copyright.PENANABJSgxAYJp6
What's poking my leg…?670Please respect copyright.PENANALcOqBI7fTB
I look down, choking on air, and spot the blade.670Please respect copyright.PENANAQtgfwszhz5
How did it get there?670Please respect copyright.PENANAVH9BpZdbhF
I take it and hold it closely to myself.670Please respect copyright.PENANAJugOQZFiSs
How can something so evil look so beautiful?670Please respect copyright.PENANAAbFS5gBRTE
I bring it down to my wrist and shiver.670Please respect copyright.PENANAPvvaCMQsF7
So cold.670Please respect copyright.PENANAvkzKQzFBLD
I press down and drive it across my skin.670Please respect copyright.PENANAHGqAslnqID
I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding. My blood drips warm and red down my arm.670Please respect copyright.PENANAtokm9J3cOw
I take another breath.670Please respect copyright.PENANA1BVJ2oPigT
Another.670Please respect copyright.PENANAvXbQi1rtOy
My breathing comes harder, faster.670Please respect copyright.PENANAp2wnj4w02O
I slide the blade and cut again, slicing more of my skin. I gasp, my arm stinging. A groan escapes my lips as the pain takes its place, the sick pleasure mixing in.670Please respect copyright.PENANA2esT7cRKHU
I lean back, resting my head against my bed.670Please respect copyright.PENANAkmNE1jAt3Q
I shut my eyes tightly.670Please respect copyright.PENANAIdDttkzK9t
I should not have done that.