Light Behind The Dark

15

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Chris could sense someone coming near him, but he didn't dare to unclasp his head from where he buried it in his arms. He couldn't draw a full breath and hasn't for so long. And he knows he can never again. He was fighting to breathe under the crushing weight of despair.

He can feel himself literally fighting to stay alive while his brain is trying to shut him down.

He felt someone touch his shoulder and he jerked away, disgusted with anything that touched him. He looked up to see a girl with long blond hair and dull, tired brown eyes. Just like everyone else she was holding her phone, but he could see that it was open to send him a text.

She was the one who texted him.

She has the same, long blonde hair.

He just stood up with shaky legs and turned around, still in tears. The girl called out his name, but he just started running. She ran behind him, but after a while, she stopped. He heard her say, "You're gonna come out Chris." With so much determination, he wanted to stay and listen to her say more, but soon her voice faded and his house came into view.

His father was not home when he entered and Chris felt like he was on vacation. He went directly into the shower and stood under the warm running water with his clothes on. He was drained of everything. He was drained of hope. He was drained of energy. He was drained of life.

Soon, the day passed, his father came home, beat him up and a tired Chris went to sleep after cleaning the house.

Days went by and Chris didn't go to school. He went to work and the girl showed up every day, trying to talk to him. But he ignored anything living and went on with what he had to do.

But something changed in him in these few days. No everything changed in him in these days.

He got even quieter.

His nights of beating got longer.

His blades got bigger.

His meals became smaller.

He became skinnier.

And no one noticed.

Not even that girl who stopped coming one day.

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