These Shattered Remains (GE Series, Book One)

End.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in glass walls that she made. She kept them to protect herself. She used them to keep the people who would hurt her away from her. No one was allowed in out of fear of her hurting them, and so they couldn't hurt her. She thought that would be best.

But, one day, a boy noticed her. He pressed his hands against the glass, wanting to come in, wanting to love her, wanting her to love him like he loved her. But, when she refused entry, he left. He came back the next day, asked again. She didn't let him. He came back every day, pressing his hands against the walls, looking at her, watching her. He fell in love with her more and more each day.

But, she never relented.

Her heart began to ache as he continued to ask, wanting to release her. She didn't want him to get hurt like the people who hurt their hands the first time. Those people had left her long ago, since they had gotten hurt. She didn't want him to leave. But, she didn't want him to stay. She didn't want him to hurt from her own hands, from her own walls.

She started ignoring him when he came to visit her. She'd sit with her back on the glass, shying away from him. But, she still felt his presence come and go. One day, she got curious and turned to find that he was sitting on the other side, just like she was, his head leaned against the glass. As if knowing she was looking at him, he turned around.

His hand came up to press against the glass, just like it always did. But, this time was different. This time, her hand came up to press against the glass, right over his. Web-like cracks crawled against the glass from where their hands were, slowly spreading across the wall until finally...

It shattered.

The glass broke, flinging pieces across the space. Pieces cut the boy's face, his hands, his arms, and he stepped on the pieces to get to her, but he didn't seem phased. He looked at her, his unscathed hand reaching out and touching her for the first time.

She wept, because she hurt the one that she loved, the only one that had stayed after she denied him. She didn't want to see him in pain. She didn't like that her walls were what hurt him. But, he still stayed with her, though she hurt him.

The walls were gone.

And she was free.

But, now, she was vulnerable. Open to those who could hurt her.

And, that's what they did.

They hurt her.

Forced her back into walls, ones that were not made of glass. They were opaque walls, where no one would see in, but she could see out. She saw that she boy cried for her. He slammed his hands against the walls, for he could not see her, he could not know that she was alright. His hands bled. He slid down, his hands pressing against the cold wall.

The girl, helpless on the other side, brought her hands up, pressing them against his.

But, he could not feel them.

He could not see them.

He didn't know.

For her greatest fear came true. She was forced into walls again, ones she didn't make herself.

And now, there was no way out.