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.898Please respect copyright.PENANARrXII0gEKi
"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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAxNZl8UXSgm
"Lucy," his voice is broken. "Please tell me you didn't."898Please respect copyright.PENANAOP6xfNzBH2
"I-I didn't." I take a deep, shaky breath. "But I almost did." He turns his head and shuts his eyes.898Please respect copyright.PENANAv7Cjc9Bcri
"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."898Please respect copyright.PENANAjI5P07h7FP
"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…898Please respect copyright.PENANAIik7exodZK
898Please respect copyright.PENANAMMrd9TAdlo
I open my eyes and stare at my wall, but it's not there.898Please respect copyright.PENANAhkhMGgv9cR
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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAthKkt3LaGg
I feel nothing but pain and agony. A dark cloud is filling my head, making me seem heavy.898Please respect copyright.PENANA2tPqHUJ63a
Fake.898Please respect copyright.PENANAhYeT5fiT1a
Not myself.898Please respect copyright.PENANAsaQToQvHOJ
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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAdl23rntegt
Oh, Ray. Where are you?!898Please respect copyright.PENANAfRKN8yUUdd
"I'm going somewhere with my parents and we won't be back until Friday. Call me if you need anything, OK?"898Please respect copyright.PENANAOmLrx2ucAE
Help me, Ray! Help me!898Please respect copyright.PENANAArKtHlIy0b
I punch in his number and put the phone to my ear.898Please respect copyright.PENANANN5mjnF1pX
Voice mail.898Please respect copyright.PENANAboLqiGcLkL
I try again.898Please respect copyright.PENANAvtcrYPS90b
No answer.898Please respect copyright.PENANASLSI02mQjo
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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAb1TEVz87f9
I can't. I must stay strong.898Please respect copyright.PENANAoi9kON2P5I
My tears come faster.898Please respect copyright.PENANAhin2wEYsOu
Keep it together, Lucy. Keep it together.898Please respect copyright.PENANAJazf4jtxk9
"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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAdxmXz9ZYUK
"Ray!" I cry out. Please…898Please respect copyright.PENANA8kmFiixsBo
My hands fall to my sides, my hair a knotted mess. I stare silently at the ceiling.898Please respect copyright.PENANAV1CxSVTf9m
Is it really that high?898Please respect copyright.PENANAIKOfhCWQXY
I curl up on my side, staring into the black nothingness under my bed.898Please respect copyright.PENANAHZwTvE1JLa
I must move… I need to move.898Please respect copyright.PENANAya7492BDgS
I eye the door.898Please respect copyright.PENANAVd3saqb1YQ
I will myself to sit up.898Please respect copyright.PENANAh4vt6XdYp0
My room turns upside down and goes blurry, my vision faltering. I still and wait for the dizziness to pass.898Please respect copyright.PENANAOHrj5RLP83
I blink once – twice- and then sit on my knees.898Please respect copyright.PENANAebiRRHz9qn
I focus on the door.898Please respect copyright.PENANAgGcqS5pcKl
I crawl forward.898Please respect copyright.PENANADkCltrW0OA
I need to get there.898Please respect copyright.PENANAjw3sqS7GBu
I slowly try to stand up. I advance, pushing one leg forward and then the other, and repeat.898Please respect copyright.PENANAH4rr4VmbQt
My legs are wobbly, broken.898Please respect copyright.PENANA6Qd45mbe4G
Just a few more feet…898Please respect copyright.PENANAINkC5zZjqY
I reach out my hand and take another step-898Please respect copyright.PENANApRlgZvxfp3
and collapse to the ground.898Please respect copyright.PENANADdZrw7mSAc
"No…" I try to stand again, but I can't get up.898Please respect copyright.PENANAB2vuISg1ro
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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAf6RtNWcAm7
I suck in a breath.898Please respect copyright.PENANAg0pmBCMoMf
A chill of excitement and fear shoots up my arm, down my spine and spreads through my body.898Please respect copyright.PENANAjFF1z93iew
I bring the blade closer to me, another thrill flowing inside me.898Please respect copyright.PENANAtFSBlFpQeB
Just once.898Please respect copyright.PENANAiWO9Kd0NVN
"Promise me."898Please respect copyright.PENANAx7sCbpM29c
"I promise, Ray."898Please respect copyright.PENANAKwPJihh1ZE
No, I can't. I promised him.898Please respect copyright.PENANAzyAF1OPHXm
But it'll feel so good…898Please respect copyright.PENANAmqTzXx6Gjq
I study the blade, turning it around in my hands.898Please respect copyright.PENANAioMOyp653u
It'll be quick. Just one cut.898Please respect copyright.PENANAXsVWvdXTkw
It'll heal quickly, faster than normally.898Please respect copyright.PENANAZDSjnGkW7j
Now's your chance, Ray… I look at the door, waiting for him to walk through and stop me.898Please respect copyright.PENANAwQff89t8lU
Anytime, now…898Please respect copyright.PENANABZvAIuJYpJ
My vision blurs. I feel drops on my skin.898Please respect copyright.PENANAz1JkqSWRax
Is it raining?898Please respect copyright.PENANAr2tZSpDAya
No, that’s impossible.898Please respect copyright.PENANAQe9TDFqBNF
I can't see.898Please respect copyright.PENANA3gocA9W1iH
I try to take breath but I choke up, a heavy weight sitting on my chest. A rock is stuck in my throat.898Please respect copyright.PENANADfWLJO0VtI
I can't breathe.898Please respect copyright.PENANAbL3E9n2mjJ
I thrash around, clawing at my throat. I make a gurgling sound, trying to swallow.898Please respect copyright.PENANAo7yMtt06MQ
What's poking my leg…?898Please respect copyright.PENANAoSwDZByBW0
I look down, choking on air, and spot the blade.898Please respect copyright.PENANAPwC5YdKPrm
How did it get there?898Please respect copyright.PENANAiahpIvDmpH
I take it and hold it closely to myself.898Please respect copyright.PENANADMXc7XlfhY
How can something so evil look so beautiful?898Please respect copyright.PENANAPgbngC5tjv
I bring it down to my wrist and shiver.898Please respect copyright.PENANAUzH8T2JuGK
So cold.898Please respect copyright.PENANAq9FzLkHDEZ
I press down and drive it across my skin.898Please respect copyright.PENANAsvD5LIK5vQ
I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding. My blood drips warm and red down my arm.898Please respect copyright.PENANAnVPMm1iu2q
I take another breath.898Please respect copyright.PENANAwl4x7BAyAh
Another.898Please respect copyright.PENANANWOEESL4Le
My breathing comes harder, faster.898Please respect copyright.PENANApZMu9tjoZN
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.898Please respect copyright.PENANAdyDoQKaPFg
I lean back, resting my head against my bed.898Please respect copyright.PENANAmd24QITRp2
I shut my eyes tightly.898Please respect copyright.PENANA7ySCvdpjTq
I should not have done that.