“I’ll love myself, instead of you.”

I stood before the vanity and looked myself over in the mirror. I have to leave. I can’t take this anymore. Staying here is only destroying me with rage, reminding me of the three people who left me, who abandoned me and left me to continue on with nobody by my side. I didn’t mind two of them. It wasn’t their decision to leave, they were just vulnerable. One of them infatuated and the other wanting something new, but both brainwashed by the third… Yves. She’s the one I despise. Not even sparing a second thought about me, she took the others and left. I thought they cared about me… loved me. Yet when I was standing on the balcony, watching them running out into the forest, none of them even bothering to look back, I knew in that moment they didn’t care at all. My eyes began to water and my hands gripped the edge of the vanity. If they couldn’t love me, I was the only one who could. The apple was right there in front of me. I extended my arm, and picked it up, bringing it to my mouth. In the other hand, I grabbed the dagger next to the apple. “This is for me,” I thought. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and took a bite.

A bright light shone over my closed eyes, and I sat up slowly. I opened my eyes and looked around, confused as to where I had ended up. I was in a large warehouse on a soft, white bed with feathers scattered around the ground. I felt the weight of the dagger in my pocket, and slight comfort washed over me. The roof was completely gone, and the bright sun was illuminating everything around me. I felt a tug in my heart, and I looked to the entrance, where it was urging me to go. I stood up and walked over to the large doors of the warehouse. Looking out, I saw a vast, grassy field surrounding the area, and a town far out on the horizon. I shivered as a cold breeze washed over me, and I hugged myself. I glanced back at the bed, second guessing myself, knowing I should leave but the fear keeping me behind. I pushed myself outside, knowing I needed to go and do anything I could to help myself. I was the only one I had. I was the only one I could love.

I arrived at the town’s border, and I viewed the deserted area. I walked down the middle of the empty street, following the tug in my heart. It lead me to a tall school with a large field in front of it, and I stood under the archway, my hands brushing over the cold black metal of the fencing. I then heard running footsteps in the distance to my right. Turning my head, I saw a girl in a white tracksuit with bubblegum pink hair running down the middle of the road. She looked very familiar, and I made eye contact with her. Then it sunk in. It was Yves’ friend who was stuck with us a long time ago. Before the three people I cared about left me. I subconsciously put my hand in my pocket and pulled out the dagger. I had to do something. I want to make Yves suffer the way I did. If that means killing someone… then so be it. I began to run towards the girl, rage guiding me forward. The girl slowed to a stop when we neared each other, and I couldn’t stop myself. I stabbed her right in the chest. I didn’t hesitate. I killed her, like a wolf kills a deer. No mercy. Only for the killer’s benefit. Because if they can’t love me, I’ll love myself.