Scarlet Rain

Chapter two

I keep the knife on my closet shelf, underneath a pile of old, knitted sweaters. Whenever I am

upset, I take it out and press it to my skin, erasing my mental pain and replacing it with a rush of

excitement, except different. Stronger. Yes, occasionally it hurts a bit, but it's worth it. Anything

is worth it to ease the pain.

I try to continue with my life, like I am normal, but I can't. Everything seems blurry compared to

sharp edges of feeling and living with which I am acquainted . Test after test comes back as a fail,

and friend after friend leaves me, giving up, after all these years, on me. I don't really notice other

a twinge of sadness.

I sit underneath the tall oak tree in the school yard, a book in my hand though in am not reading it.

My boyfriend comes over to me, and sits down beside me.

"Anne, this... This isn't working. You're always zoned out, and you don't seem to care about

anything anymore. You're not the girl I fell in love with. We're done."

An overwhelming riptide of emotions engulfs me. I am lost in the middle of an ocean of salty tears,

and I am drowning.

The bell rings, and I run. I don't care that school isn't over. I don't care that I'll get in trouble. I

the stairs to the bleak apartment door, and I go to my room. Standing on tiptoes, I grab my knife.

Dried blood clings to the blade, and I carelessly wipe it off.

For a moment I consider not cutting myself, not taking my blood, possibly my life. I laugh. A

weird, choked laugh. How could I not? There is no way that I can endure the pain and hardships

of life.

The keen blade finds my wrists. I slash, and watch the blood drip, first in small droplets that soon

become a steady stream. My mind starts to go fuzzy. The blood looks like a red rain.

Huh. Red rain? Lol, there's no red rain, there's no red...