no body, no crime

guilty as sin?

Everything went according to plan—so why does it feel like something's about to go wrong?

Scarlett stood in her dimly lit bedroom, the curtains drawn tight against the world outside. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and the air was thick with an unsettling silence that seemed to amplify her racing thoughts. She had executed her plan flawlessly, or so she believed. Mason was gone, his body hidden deep in the murky waters of the lake, far away from prying eyes and the judgment of the world. But in the days that followed, a sense of dread gnawed at her insides, wrapping around her heart like a vice.

Each night, as she lay in bed, the darkness would pull her into a restless sleep, only to be shattered by visions of Mason's face. It was a haunting reflection, twisted in rage, eyes wide with betrayal and disbelief. No matter how hard she tried to shake it off, his image lingered, invading her dreams like an uninvited guest.

"Scarlett!" the voice echoed in her mind, cutting through the silence.

She bolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat, her heart pounding against her ribcage. It was Willow's voice, sharp and insistent. How could you? The guilt wrapped around her like a suffocating blanket, stifling her breath. In her dreams, Willow's presence had morphed from comforting to accusatory, forcing Scarlett to relive the moment she had taken Mason's life over and over again.

Scarlett stumbled out of bed, gripping the edge of her dresser for support. She needed to ground herself, to remind herself that she was safe, that no one knew what she had done. But the memories came flooding back—the sound of Mason's body hitting the floor, the warmth of his blood splattering across her skin. She shivered at the thought, the reality of her actions crashing down like a wave, pulling her under.

As she moved to the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her reflection was pale, eyes wide with fear. She hardly recognized the person staring back at her. What's wrong with you? she thought, willing herself to calm down. "It's done. It's over," she whispered, but the words felt hollow.

Scarlett's paranoia escalated, making her jumpy and restless. She began avoiding crowded places, fearing that someone might recognize her or connect her to Mason's disappearance. Each day felt like a game of cat and mouse, her mind constantly on high alert, searching for any sign that the walls were closing in on her. She started seeing Mason's face in unexpected places—in the park, in her mirror, even in the reflection of shop windows.

You're losing it, she thought bitterly. The truth was that guilt had taken root in her mind, and now it was blossoming into full-blown paranoia. She spent hours scrolling through social media, looking for any news about Mason, her heart racing each time she saw a headline that hinted at a discovery, a search, an investigation. What if they found a piece of evidence? What if they had connected the dots back to her?

Scarlett found herself constantly checking her phone, anxious for messages or updates, but nothing came. The silence felt deafening.
But even while living all of this, she couldn't get the people around her to notice her discomfort. So she smiled everyday, like nothing ever happened.

But it was more than that. The weight of her secret pressed down on her, suffocating her with every passing moment. She couldn't escape the reality of what she had done, nor could she ignore the incessant reminders from her conscience.

What if you missed something? The question echoed in her mind.

One night, unable to sleep, Scarlett ventured into the living room. The glow of the television illuminated the room, casting long shadows that danced along the walls. She sat down on the couch, trying to distract herself with a mindless show, but even that couldn't silence the chaos in her mind. The voices returned, whispering, taunting.

"Scarlett... you'll never escape this."

"I didn't want to do it," she murmured, trying to convince herself, but deep down, she knew the truth. She had wanted it—had craved the justice for Willow that drove her to take action. But that didn't make the burden any lighter.

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, the sound of rain began to patter against the window, soft and soothing. For a moment, she felt a flicker of calm wash over her. But it was fleeting, like a mirage in the desert.

In that moment of vulnerability, she realized the truth: she was trapped. No matter how hard she tried to bury her guilt, it was a weight that she would carry forever. The shadows of her past loomed larger with each passing day, threatening to consume her entirely.

With a heavy heart, Scarlett closed her eyes, knowing that her fight was far from over. The echoes of guilt would follow her, haunting her every step, and in the depths of her soul, she understood that justice, however twisted, had its own price. And now, it was time to pay it.

She builted a bubble around her, she was showing people and family a mask of a woman that overcome her friend disappearence, finally living life, after 2 years.
But inside her, the conflict of wether she did the right thing or the wrong one, couldn't really left her alone.