Nothing But Pretend
It reminds her of a story about a starving traveler.
Imagine you have been hiking for days. You are exhausted, thirsty, and starving. Your throat is parched, your stomach is cramping with hunger.
Suddenly, you see a tree. Hanging from the branch is a single, magnificent, golden fruit. It smells divine. It looks like salvation. You know that one bite would satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst.
But you also know, deep down, that the fruit is poisonous. It might taste sweet for the first bite. It might give you a moment of euphoria. But eventually, the poison will seep into your blood. It will rot you from the inside out. It will kill you.