May DWC 2025 Day 1 - Cruel
The air in the room seems to change as she looks down at the pocket-watch. Inside was a image of her and her mother. Fingers wrap around the copper piece as eyes close. Each day since that night it had been returned to her, memories of when it had been taken came rushing in like a wave in the sea.
Each night since her *Ghost* found her, those very nightmares wreaked havoc on her, making it impossible to sleep. She woke up screaming, begging. Cold sweat causing her to shiver despite the heat of the night.
He was dead now. Poisoned as she had requested. She had hoped that the news of his death would bring peace to her. "It's finished. Poisoned. I gave him a small enough dose where he suffered for hours, as requested. The body will not be found."
That night changed her. She had felt torn as guilt ate away at her, bit by bit in the part she played, but there was also an inner peace. She kept telling herself that it had to be done. Gone was the power he held over her.
She had never wished death upon anyone before. How did one cope with the guilt that ate away at them? She could not talk to anyone about what she had done. Not with out risk. The threat on her life if she ever spoke of that meeting assured that.
In the weeks that had passed since then, that guilt slowly eased. Each time she looked at the pocket watch reminded her why she had done it. Not only for herself, but her mother and best friend. And those she had grown to care for over the past two years.
She walks over and sets the pocket watch inside the box she kept locked away in her dresser and closes the lid. Walking out of her bedroom, she makes her way to the porch. She tucks her legs close as she looks up at the night sky.
The shadows no longer causes her heart to beat faster or sweat to break out on her skin. No longer will her past affect her life. Those who had tortured her was now dead. And that brought on another wave of inner peace. Now she could get on with her life with out fear.
Now she can heal.
@daily-writing-challenge
