The party was a decomposing corpse. And it stank like one. Lena sank into the sofa, her fingers tracing the neck where the blade had cut. The cell phone trembled in her hands.
"Are you okay, Lena?" Leonardo leaned against her arm, his voice forcing gentleness. She laughed. A dry sound, like a cigarette crushed in an ashtray.
"Of course. Always." He pulled her to a corner. The purple lights from the stage streaked across his face like bruises.
"Tell me the truth." Her fingers pressed her own throat. Nothing. No cut. But she felt it. The taste of metal. The slow rip of flesh.
*The Taxi Ride*
The taxi smelled like fake mint and sweat. "Where to, miss?" "Any place that's not here." The driver looked in the rearview mirror. Lena knew what he saw: puffy eyes, greasy party clothes, a girl fleeing from herself.
Until the glass fogged up. The air grew heavy. And in the reflection of the rearview mirror, he was there.
"You again," Lena whispered, her voice a thread of needle. The Reflection smiled. The scythe of intertwined fingers appeared in his hand, the nails shining like blades.
"Darling... I never left." The taxi driver turned: "Is everything okay back there?" "Run," Lena swallowed the scream as the scythe plunged into her palm. The blood flowed black, sticky like tar.
*The Accident*
"AAAAAAAH!" The car skidded. The driver screamed. And then... Impact. Something ripped her from the seat. Shattered glass. The screech of tires. The smell of gasoline and iron.
*The Hospital*
Leonardo broke down the ER door with his fists. "WHERE IS SHE??" The lobby was empty. Except for him. The Reflection lounged at the reception desk, his black feet on the blood-stained counter.
"So dramatic, Leo..." His voice was a swarm of wasps. "She's in a better place." Leonardo advanced. His knuckles bled where the shards of glass had penetrated.
"What did you do, Doni?" The Demon King laughed. His teeth were rows of needles. "I just gave her a little push... Literally."
*The CAPS*
The CAPS was white. Too white. Lena clutched her knees to her chest, her bandaged fingers staining with red. "You look like a scared rat," Doni appeared in the corner, his shadow breathing against the walls.
"Leave me alone." "But you chose to stay with me, pet." She looked at the window. Outside, the sky was wrong. Clouds like exposed organs.
"You lie. You like me!" "I hate you!" "Hate is just love turned inside out." He pulled her to the floor. The linoleum melted, revealing Hell below: "Welcome to our home." And then... The Reflection swallowed her.
Let me know if you'd like me to make any changes or if you'd like me to help with anything else.