I stare blankly at my reflection. I French braid my hair and place my hands on the counter. I look at my arms, nothing but scars, my thighs, nothing but scars, my stomach, a single pink scar.

"Allison, sweetheart, I think it's time you visit your mother." I spin around to see him standing with a knife in his hand. I glance quickly at the pistol then back at him.

"Just two more days, and I'll move out, I won't tell anyone anything." I say holding my hands up.

"No, no, no, I can't let you do that sweetheart. There's no way to be sure you won't tell." He steps toward me.

"You do realize I'm not the only on right? Riley and the others, they're still alive. You don't have to do this." I state.

"But I do." He lunges forward and I dive toward the pistol. The knife grazes my side and I yell out before kicking the safety off and aiming the gun just as he pulls the knife back to stab me. I pull the trigger and he falls flat on the ground. I slowly stand, despite the pain in my side from the cut, and he moves, mumbling something. I close my eyes and pull the trigger again. All movement from him stops and tears form in my eyes.

I shake my head and my eyes change color. I clench my jaw and grip onto the counter. I let go of it and turn around. Tears start to form in my eyes as my body trembles. I take a deep breath and grab a long-sleeved shirt. I put it on and pull on a pair of black skinny jeans. I put on a hoodie and leave the room.

"What's wrong?" Emmett asks.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I shake my head in reply and play with my sleeves. He wraps his arms around me and places his chin on top of my head. I inhale his scent before wrapping my arms around his torso.

"You need to stay here today." He says rubbing my back.

"Emmett, I'm fine." I state.

"Stay home." He says sternly.

"I'm fine, really I am." I step out of his grasp.

"I'll stay home with you." He grabs my hand and swings our arms back and forth.

"Go to school, if I need anything I'll call you."

"Spencer is on his way to get Darcy. You just go relax, watch a movie or something." His arms snake around me. I hug him back and we kiss a few times.

"I love you."

"I love you too princess." He kisses my forehead.

"We have acquired an audience." I mutter.

"Are you okay mommy?" She whispers.

"Yes, I'm okay pumpkin." I reply.

"Why aren't you going to school?"

"I'm going to stay here and work on the house." I say. "Uncle Spence is on is way to get you."

***

I stand in front of the mirror shirtless, staring at what was once a scar but is now once again an open wound. I bleed black when I shouldn't bleed at all. I have a pulse of 97 when my heart shouldn't be beating at all. My chest rises and falls when I shouldn't have working lungs at all. I take out the contacts and my eyes are just barely red.

"I got here as quick as I could." Silas says walking through the door. "Oh my god."

"Call your uncle." I say keeping my focus on the mirror.

"We should call Emmett." He states.

"No!" I snap my head toward him. "Call your uncle."

"Okay, okay, I'll call him." He grabs his phone and stands by the window. His heart rate is alarmingly fast, but he's scared. I look back in the mirror and more black blood seeps from the wound. The substance starts to drop from my nose and I begin to sweat. The red from my eyes starts fading as well as the color from my skin. "He's on his way." Silas places a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, you need to sit down." I plop down on the couch and stare blankly out the window.

I have faced death several times, cheating it, laughing in its face, only to greet it once more and maybe this time I won't be the one laughing. I don't think I can cheat death much longer, maybe it will greet me with open arms and a smile whispering welcome home as it takes me in its dark embrace. Maybe it'll just pull me under and torture me. There was a time when all I wanted was death, when I greeted death with a smile and it pushed me away. There was a time where I did everything I could to feel death's cold embrace. There was a time when death was my friend and I was ripped away from it. I used to crave death, and now death craves me.