The Glass Rose
The Sweet Smell of Blood
A young woman limped through a quiet meadow, clutching her side. The night sky above her was a dark blue hue. A couple of stars were sprinkled here and there, bringing so very little light to illuminate the threatening shadows.
A sharp pain traveled up her side and she grimaced.
She shivered and came to a halt in the middle of the meadow. She had always wanted to die surrounded by beautiful flowers.
She sat down and breathed in the fresh fragrance, a mix of pine trees, flowers, and blood. A warm breeze ruffled her hair, sending the flowers waving. Waving their goodbyes.
At least her baby was safe.
She regretted nothing. If she could go back, she wouldn't change any of it. Because through it all, she found that this was the path she would have chosen herself.
She brought her hand up to her mouth and gave a horrendous cough. She brought her hand away and saw that it was stained red. A salty, metallic taste filled her mouth, giving her a dizzy sensation.
Another sharp pain stabbed her side. The young woman looked down at her shirt. A dark blotch stained the front of her favorite blouse. She touched the spot where the knife had plunged through her flesh.
She swallowed a whimper. Here she was, bleeding all over her good shirt, in the middle of a meadow of flowers.
The pain in her stomach grew worse as she shifted her weight. She decided to just lie down. A gruesome pain made her squeeze her eyes shut.
She opened her eyes and stared up at the heavens, vast and dark. She wondered what death was like. Would she be met by a beautiful angel in front of a set of tall, glorious gates? Or would she be met by spitting flames, each curling their little fingers at her flesh?
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine something nice.
She never noticed how sleepy she was. Another warm breeze kissed her cheeks, as if kissing her goodnight.
She lay there for a while, staring at the darkness of her eyelids.
The young woman suddenly realized the pain was gone. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids were heavy.
This is it.
The woman, aged 23 years young, gave a small whimper. She never thought she'd be this calm. And that's what scared her.
Thunder boomed in the distance. The sweet, sticky smell of rain filled her nostrils.
At least my daughter is safe.
She breathed in, knowing fully well that this was the last breath she would ever breathe on this planet.
And just as the thirsty earth was graced with the soft droplets of rain, a lifeless body lay out in a meadow, surrounded by the sweet smell of pine trees, flowers, and blood.
A sharp pain traveled up her side and she grimaced.
She shivered and came to a halt in the middle of the meadow. She had always wanted to die surrounded by beautiful flowers.
She sat down and breathed in the fresh fragrance, a mix of pine trees, flowers, and blood. A warm breeze ruffled her hair, sending the flowers waving. Waving their goodbyes.
At least her baby was safe.
She regretted nothing. If she could go back, she wouldn't change any of it. Because through it all, she found that this was the path she would have chosen herself.
She brought her hand up to her mouth and gave a horrendous cough. She brought her hand away and saw that it was stained red. A salty, metallic taste filled her mouth, giving her a dizzy sensation.
Another sharp pain stabbed her side. The young woman looked down at her shirt. A dark blotch stained the front of her favorite blouse. She touched the spot where the knife had plunged through her flesh.
She swallowed a whimper. Here she was, bleeding all over her good shirt, in the middle of a meadow of flowers.
The pain in her stomach grew worse as she shifted her weight. She decided to just lie down. A gruesome pain made her squeeze her eyes shut.
She opened her eyes and stared up at the heavens, vast and dark. She wondered what death was like. Would she be met by a beautiful angel in front of a set of tall, glorious gates? Or would she be met by spitting flames, each curling their little fingers at her flesh?
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine something nice.
She never noticed how sleepy she was. Another warm breeze kissed her cheeks, as if kissing her goodnight.
She lay there for a while, staring at the darkness of her eyelids.
The young woman suddenly realized the pain was gone. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids were heavy.
This is it.
The woman, aged 23 years young, gave a small whimper. She never thought she'd be this calm. And that's what scared her.
Thunder boomed in the distance. The sweet, sticky smell of rain filled her nostrils.
At least my daughter is safe.
She breathed in, knowing fully well that this was the last breath she would ever breathe on this planet.
And just as the thirsty earth was graced with the soft droplets of rain, a lifeless body lay out in a meadow, surrounded by the sweet smell of pine trees, flowers, and blood.