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.965Please respect copyright.PENANASY4a0LZwOF
"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.965Please respect copyright.PENANA0aartyF5bp
"Lucy," his voice is broken. "Please tell me you didn't."965Please respect copyright.PENANAqH9l62er4D
"I-I didn't." I take a deep, shaky breath. "But I almost did." He turns his head and shuts his eyes.965Please respect copyright.PENANAJJaj3rQOdL
"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."965Please respect copyright.PENANALbycC1s3NG
"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…965Please respect copyright.PENANAPpquZd0asn
965Please respect copyright.PENANAEja2jeBi08
I open my eyes and stare at my wall, but it's not there.965Please respect copyright.PENANAb5ngEdYiWB
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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAg3VXc5dw8F
I feel nothing but pain and agony. A dark cloud is filling my head, making me seem heavy.965Please respect copyright.PENANAQS58z2XmUi
Fake.965Please respect copyright.PENANAye8RK27QA3
Not myself.965Please respect copyright.PENANA2wW987cnyi
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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAEn66DYlHkP
Oh, Ray. Where are you?!965Please respect copyright.PENANANlBirjvCyV
"I'm going somewhere with my parents and we won't be back until Friday. Call me if you need anything, OK?"965Please respect copyright.PENANAscgP0UzVsT
Help me, Ray! Help me!965Please respect copyright.PENANAyYLDz9jIEG
I punch in his number and put the phone to my ear.965Please respect copyright.PENANAavaLrtmim9
Voice mail.965Please respect copyright.PENANANubEvWu9Zi
I try again.965Please respect copyright.PENANACTZAKcMFYv
No answer.965Please respect copyright.PENANAxOuCG5HJ8g
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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAJp6e6fNoRd
I can't. I must stay strong.965Please respect copyright.PENANA094Ke9DjpM
My tears come faster.965Please respect copyright.PENANARrP9TMk43y
Keep it together, Lucy. Keep it together.965Please respect copyright.PENANAujBG6Mal0u
"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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAOffRckPHfr
"Ray!" I cry out. Please…965Please respect copyright.PENANA8EuRX3R4UA
My hands fall to my sides, my hair a knotted mess. I stare silently at the ceiling.965Please respect copyright.PENANAKs2DemlZXn
Is it really that high?965Please respect copyright.PENANAZRFX9fobEP
I curl up on my side, staring into the black nothingness under my bed.965Please respect copyright.PENANABkiXdPe5lD
I must move… I need to move.965Please respect copyright.PENANAJoevFr7jR5
I eye the door.965Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3QxIbUrVO
I will myself to sit up.965Please respect copyright.PENANAG7UGOJ5K6P
My room turns upside down and goes blurry, my vision faltering. I still and wait for the dizziness to pass.965Please respect copyright.PENANA10KyOPbnl9
I blink once – twice- and then sit on my knees.965Please respect copyright.PENANAMhvgC4zHaR
I focus on the door.965Please respect copyright.PENANA3U6YdsnUnC
I crawl forward.965Please respect copyright.PENANAxM7TDaPdEO
I need to get there.965Please respect copyright.PENANAVeE8Fm57N4
I slowly try to stand up. I advance, pushing one leg forward and then the other, and repeat.965Please respect copyright.PENANA5bpIlbkRk7
My legs are wobbly, broken.965Please respect copyright.PENANApSAI4lcteV
Just a few more feet…965Please respect copyright.PENANA6HdbXARpRj
I reach out my hand and take another step-965Please respect copyright.PENANAewVhdlcosX
and collapse to the ground.965Please respect copyright.PENANA6bUelgKU4I
"No…" I try to stand again, but I can't get up.965Please respect copyright.PENANAr2UOhfXa8k
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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAe1KkMYv1LL
I suck in a breath.965Please respect copyright.PENANAJtabgzs0aF
A chill of excitement and fear shoots up my arm, down my spine and spreads through my body.965Please respect copyright.PENANAdpBUinNh8B
I bring the blade closer to me, another thrill flowing inside me.965Please respect copyright.PENANAsm3raGQjEf
Just once.965Please respect copyright.PENANACKiYLYSCT7
"Promise me."965Please respect copyright.PENANAGMZQqybmRf
"I promise, Ray."965Please respect copyright.PENANA4RFTgw582Q
No, I can't. I promised him.965Please respect copyright.PENANAzQP13BrQJk
But it'll feel so good…965Please respect copyright.PENANAr6BZqNetGJ
I study the blade, turning it around in my hands.965Please respect copyright.PENANA7hkbTc1mk7
It'll be quick. Just one cut.965Please respect copyright.PENANAMXxZhUhFba
It'll heal quickly, faster than normally.965Please respect copyright.PENANAahyGPp7U8H
Now's your chance, Ray… I look at the door, waiting for him to walk through and stop me.965Please respect copyright.PENANAoDZR0JkP2H
Anytime, now…965Please respect copyright.PENANAHBvLTqeWiv
My vision blurs. I feel drops on my skin.965Please respect copyright.PENANAIJP9LU8M2D
Is it raining?965Please respect copyright.PENANA606BH6rONC
No, that’s impossible.965Please respect copyright.PENANADwTPZvmnJF
I can't see.965Please respect copyright.PENANADaKfvfgsHQ
I try to take breath but I choke up, a heavy weight sitting on my chest. A rock is stuck in my throat.965Please respect copyright.PENANAgNJAqfvYVf
I can't breathe.965Please respect copyright.PENANABpYYxXPrpJ
I thrash around, clawing at my throat. I make a gurgling sound, trying to swallow.965Please respect copyright.PENANASgREYZJQpB
What's poking my leg…?965Please respect copyright.PENANAoj7DnEuMcI
I look down, choking on air, and spot the blade.965Please respect copyright.PENANAkL9sTHnF11
How did it get there?965Please respect copyright.PENANAgsJEc5mXhG
I take it and hold it closely to myself.965Please respect copyright.PENANAqF1BiJKaCj
How can something so evil look so beautiful?965Please respect copyright.PENANAm5hYf2i3LD
I bring it down to my wrist and shiver.965Please respect copyright.PENANAXPV4HQUBX6
So cold.965Please respect copyright.PENANAFnH6PyK6kO
I press down and drive it across my skin.965Please respect copyright.PENANAZG1P0N0iCY
I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding. My blood drips warm and red down my arm.965Please respect copyright.PENANAZwCsXNjSnw
I take another breath.965Please respect copyright.PENANAeT9DISdbR7
Another.965Please respect copyright.PENANA53SHVWGOdm
My breathing comes harder, faster.965Please respect copyright.PENANAq9ozGkUUSF
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.965Please respect copyright.PENANAcFIehtO4JC
I lean back, resting my head against my bed.965Please respect copyright.PENANAWjKATeTG2X
I shut my eyes tightly.965Please respect copyright.PENANAfeihlLMi8G
I should not have done that.