This is a spin-off of several works I have completed or are currently underway.
This series of short stories will follow a few of my characters through the rehabilitation process until they have their moment of clarity.
Some issues dealt with in thi...
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*trigger warning*
I awoke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest.
Only for once, I hadn't had the dream where the monster was lurking in the darkness.
I pushed myself out of bed, leaving my bedroom.
I knew what I needed to do.
"Okay," I said, walking out into the kitchen.
Parker glanced up from his Chemistry notes. "Okay, what?"
"Let's go."
He raised an eyebrow at me. "You want to go and visit the turtle?"
I nodded. "They're only open for a few more hours because it's a Friday. So we need to move."
Parker stood up, shoving his Chemistry notes off to the side. "I'll go and get dressed then."
"I'm going to go and take a shower."
Parker paused, glancing over his shoulder at me. "You've been showering a lot lately."
"So I like hygiene, what's your point?"
He just shrugged, turning around to face me. "Just putting that out there."
"I don't know what you're insinuating, but back the fuck off."
"I'm not insinuating," Parker said. "I just notice the evidence."
I could feel the panic rising in my chest, the kind that can only be solved by self-harm. "At least it's not vertical. Not yet anyways."
He nodded, turning back around. "Yeah, at least we still have that going for us."
Parker went back to his room, but didn't shut the door behind him this time.
I swiped the piece of glass from underneath my mattress before heading into the bathroom, shutting the curtain behind me.
I turned on the shower, sitting on the edge of the tub as I watched the water start to run red, the blood increasing with each slice across my arm.
After six cuts, I forced myself to stop, wrapping my hand around the piece of glass. I could feel it piercing into my hand, a bout of lightheadedness taking over.
"Lee?" Parker called from outside the curtained bathroom door. "You ready to go?"
"Just a minute!"
I leaned my head back, letting the steam surround me as I waited for the dizziness to pass.
Once certain that I was okay, I stashed the piece of glass behind the toilet, pulling my jacket sleeves down.
The blood felt sticky against the sleeve.
I didn't want to let Parker know that I needed the first aid kit, but I was going to bleed through my jacket if I didn't wrap up my arm.
Parker glanced up from his phone as I stepped out into the hallway.
