How to dissect a heart

2

Anastasia slowly opened her eyes as the non stop blaring of her alarm was the only thing that could be heard. Rubbing her eyes, she turned to look at her phone and quickly silenced it. Today was her lab final, the one she had been dreading the most. Rolling over, she screamed into her pillow and debated on suffocating herself. At least then she wouldn't have to take the final. Oh but coffee and muffins existed and she could never deprive herself of the little joys in life. Sighing into the pillow, she got up and started her morning.

The walk to the cafe was colder, a cruel reminder that winter was approaching fast. She liked winter, just not freezing her jibbly bits off on her walks. A bell rung as she stepped into the cafe, the aroma of baked goods instantly filling her nose. She walked up to the counter grumbling a quick good morning to Sam who in turn gave her a sympathetic look.

"Long night?" Sam questioned.

"I guess you could say that. Doesn't help that it's finals week and the worst is today."

"Tsk. Well, I better make it a double shot on the house." Sam quickly scurried behind the bar and started making Ana's favorite drink. Ana leaned her head on the counter and fought the urge to die right then and there. After a minute or two had passed, Sam brought out a large caramel latte with double shot espresso and grabbed a chocolate muffin from the bakery case.

"It's on the house today, gotta keep you caffeinated so you can pass and become my personal doctor one day." Sam winked and handed the items over.

"Have I ever told you how much I love and appreciate you?" Ana asked as she sipped the rim of the hot coffee.

"You don't have to tell me, I know you wouldn't be alive here without me." Sam said with a chuckle. "Now go and ace that test girly.

Giving a tired smile, Ana left the cafe and set off down the sidewalks to get to her campus.

-After the test-

'I. Want. To. Die.' Is all Ana repeated in her head on her way back. That test had absolutely no right being that hard. Even then, she was pretty confident she got well more than a passing score, she still hated that she forgot the RPM rate for centrifugation of a blood sample. I mean come on! It's one of the first things she learned. Fuming, she kept her head down and coffee in hand as she walked back to her apartment.

The weather was cold but the wind bit her to her core. Pulling up her brown scarf, she took a drink of her now cold coffee. The walk was longer than she'd like so she took a sharp right through the flower field as a short cut. Her shoes clicked against the concrete as she walked along the sidewalk, stopping every now and then to look at the flowers. They were starting to wilt in the cold and that just made her day worse.

She approached the bench she had sat at yesterday and gave it a quick glance only to stop dead in her tracks. On the bench was a blue ribbon tied in a bow. Now normal people wouldn't spare it a second thought but Ana had a feeling she recognized that blue. The man from yesterday had a blue mask on and saw her on that bench. Trembling in the cold, she reached out and grabbed it, looking at it like it was a bomb. Did he leave this? Maybe he left it for her to find. Either way, it was a pretty ribbon and she stuffed it into her pants pocket while continuing her walk home.

Her breath came out in a visible puff as she stepped onto her porch. The jingling of keys into the lock was sharp in her ears but not enough to cover up the crushing of leaves she heard to the right side. Sharply turning her neck, she saw a brief glimpse of a dark figure rushing into the woods. Panicking, she hurriedly opened the door and shut it promptly behind her, making sure to lock it. "Omg omg omg" she repeatedly mumbled.