A Child of Another Story
I stood in the freezing hallway, feeling the cold seep into my bones.
...
I spent the whole night sitting in a hotel room, numb.
When the sun rose, I saw the deep, bloody crescents my nails had carved into my palms.
I grabbed my phone, scrolling through the texts between Sheila and I.
Three years ago, I drained my savings to send her off to art school in Francoria, covering every last penny of her tuition and living expenses.
She clung to me with tears streaming down her face as she said, "Erick, when I'm back, we're tying the knot. You're the only one for me, forever!"