The Threads That Bind Us

His Kindness...

After several loud hours of screaming. Wanda finally stopped moving and breathing altogether. Rachel's work had been completed. Her smile stayed as she saw her handy work. Walking out to go wash up. Dragging the body to her room for safe keeping. Cleaning up the mess and disposing of her blood and organs.

Zack couldn't sleep at all that night before going to class. Though he was finally able to breathe again, as the texts from Wanda went dead silent. Zack felt lighter in his chest as he walked to Ray's locker to wait for her. Upon seeing the blonde, he looked at her with a small wave and a soft smile. "Hey, Ray."

Upon seeing his wonderful face, Rachel smiled as well. Trying her best to contain her urge to hug him close.

"Hi, Zack." She practically beamed.

His smile soon relaxed a little bit. "Morning. Sorry, about yesterday.. I know I promised to take you to get something to eat, but I didn't feel too good. Something came up and... Yeah. Sorry..." A slight tint of sadness could be seen but it faded as he smiled again.

"Tell ya what. How about I make it up for today?"

She knew what the reason was. She didn't need details. Her heart started to crack again.

It hurts...

I don't want to see you hurt anymore...

"It's okay, Zack. Yeah! That sounds good." She gave yet another soft smile. Trying to mask the fact she was still upset about what Wanda did to him. She hoped there'd be a special place in hell for the redheaded harlot.

Zack, completely unaware of Ray's inner thoughts and her actions, smiled. Ruffling her hair a little. "See ya at lunch." And with that,he left. That bitter feeling quickly vanished from the sweet gesture. Only to be swallowed up again by the blackness in her heart. Danny was near. She felt it.

Sure enough, Ray's suspicions were confirmed. In the distance Danny was staring at her, soon motioning her to follow him.

Bitter... Cold..

She lowered her head. Following him. She knew she couldn't refuse or...

"Danny-Sensei. Can we talk another time? I have plans and-" He grabbed her wrist. "No, I'm sorry Rachel, I'm afraid we can't do that. I still need to give you a proper lesson after all." He pulled her into his classroom closing the door and locking it behind him.

Everything is so cold again.

....

Rachel was broken. She couldn't speak. She saw Zack but couldn't muster up the courage to look him in the eyes. Not even for a split second. She didn't notice the look on his face as she tuned out his voice.

She felt sick.

She wanted to fix everything.

No...

She wanted to die.

It's...what I deserve...

Zack waved when he saw Rachel walking but she got stopped by a group of girls. They seemed to be Wanda's friends. Zack kept his distance but remained vigilant. Trying to decipher what they would want with his friend.

Rachel had a dark cloud hanging above her. She couldn't look at anyone. Internally screaming. The feeling of it all clawing at her mind. Eating away. Her own psyche... Gone cannibal. She lost herself. A broken husk of who she once was.

But that was okay.

Life has always been cruel. It was nothing she wasn't used to.

Even then, the voices were muffled by the ringing noise in her ears. No one could get through to her at that moment. Trapped in her head like a flightless bird in a cage. The wings of her sanity, clipped and pulled apart.