Emma
But there was nothing wrong with me.
I tapped lightly on Braden’s door, entering when he asked. He looked up at me from a tattered book. He looked concerned when his finally met mine.
“You okay?”
I nodded, closing the door and sitting on the edge of his bed. I had no idea what was happening to me. My thoughts were scrambled. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t drink. I was declining. The things I had done finally caught up to me. I couldn’t explain the feeling I was experiencing.
“Emma, what’s the matter?”
I looked at him, and shrugged. When I opened my mouth to speak, I couldn’t find the words. So instead I kissed him. I kissed him hard.
“What was that for?”
“Do you love me?”
Braden’s look of surprise made me nod. “I like you, Emma.”
“Yeah, I know. But do you love me.”
His hand found mine, and he squeezed it tightly before looking into my eyes and muttering a yes. I smiled, feeling a sensation of tingles flow through my body. The black and frozen organ that I referred to as my heart was melting, unfreezing. I looked down at the mattress. Was I feeling love? Was I feeling peace? Was I feeling guilty?
Of course I wasn’t, was I? Guilt was for the weak. I was not weak. I was a murderer, a monster. People like me didn’t feel guilty. Sure, we felt bad for a little bit, but then we brushed it off like it had never happened. That’s what we did.
“Emma? Is everything alright?”
I nodded, smiling. Everything was alright, and it was going to get better. My plan was working out, and I was going to beat this place. I was going to get away with murder.
“You okay?”
I nodded, closing the door and sitting on the edge of his bed. I had no idea what was happening to me. My thoughts were scrambled. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t drink. I was declining. The things I had done finally caught up to me. I couldn’t explain the feeling I was experiencing.
“Emma, what’s the matter?”
I looked at him, and shrugged. When I opened my mouth to speak, I couldn’t find the words. So instead I kissed him. I kissed him hard.
“What was that for?”
“Do you love me?”
Braden’s look of surprise made me nod. “I like you, Emma.”
“Yeah, I know. But do you love me.”
His hand found mine, and he squeezed it tightly before looking into my eyes and muttering a yes. I smiled, feeling a sensation of tingles flow through my body. The black and frozen organ that I referred to as my heart was melting, unfreezing. I looked down at the mattress. Was I feeling love? Was I feeling peace? Was I feeling guilty?
Of course I wasn’t, was I? Guilt was for the weak. I was not weak. I was a murderer, a monster. People like me didn’t feel guilty. Sure, we felt bad for a little bit, but then we brushed it off like it had never happened. That’s what we did.
“Emma? Is everything alright?”
I nodded, smiling. Everything was alright, and it was going to get better. My plan was working out, and I was going to beat this place. I was going to get away with murder.