Today was the day. I had to take my oath and start out on my journey. Most at the age of 16 take the vow to the stars. We all vowed to our own star. The ones who can’t take the bow become workers in the village.

After the ceremony, I am to drink water from the sun fountain and the moon fountain. Whichever gives me a telling I must follow that path, no matter where it takes me.

My guardian was one who took the moon path. They were gone for 8 years. Their path took them to the desert, the stars asked them to meditate and pray on their mission. They don’t talk about the mission when they come back. Some say they aren’t able to because it’s wiped from their memory. Others say it’s because it was to traumatic.

It didn’t matter to me, the stars are our gods. I must do what they ask of me. Once I got ready in the silver and red robes with my star all along the bottom, I walked down to the courtyard where the fountains was. I kneeled down and looked up to the sky and said my vow.

Afterwards, I got up and walked over to the sun fountain and grabbed a cup of the water, I then walked to the moon fountain and grabbed a cup of water. I drank first from the sun and then from the moon. Whichever symbol I saw in my vision was the one I am to follow.

The second the cup left my lips I had a crashing image pop into my head, it made me fall backwards and it was a image of me as a child playing in the water. In the reflection of the water I saw a full moon, bright and white. The image changed again and I was running around the pond. When I moved I saw another reflection it was a sun.

All of a sudden I was off the ground and awake. I saw both symbols, this had never happened before.

“Your honor, I’d like to say something to the jury before closing remarks, if you would allow” I asked. The judge didn’t seem to impressed with me at this point in time, but if I didn’t say something they would sentence me to life.

Judge Hanson granted my request with a hand motion. He thinks I’m guilty, won’t even look at me.

I stand up in front of the jury and I plead for my innocence.

“Ladies and gentleman of the jury, I just wanted to thank you all for listening thru this tireless case. I wanted to say a few words on my behalf and to hopefully prove to you I am innocent.” They all looked at me completely clueless, they didn’t care for me either.

“I wanted everyone here to know, I did not kill my husband. Peter was a awful man, yes I was abused and ridiculed every single day as the pictures have shown. I do love him tho and I could never hurt him. I’m not even sure what he was doing in Atlanta that day. He told me he was going to be at work.” I started crying while thinking to myself ‘they don’t look like they believe my tears, maybe the eye drops didn’t work’

“I just would like you all to consider my situation, thank you” I walked back over to my lawyer and gave him a nod stating I was done. I wasn’t sure what they would decide, but maybe my crocodile tears were enough.

I didn’t know where I was for a minute. I could see my mom and my sister in the garden. They were surrounded by beautiful flowers. They looked a little sad, I’m not sure why. There wasn’t anyone else around, just then huddled together wiping each others tears.

I turned around and noticed a row of headstones behind me. I wonder who died. Maybe they are sad about that.

When i turn back around I see another figure. Just a black figure. It was floating in the air. It looked like it was carrying a sword of sorts. It had its hand out in the air, almost calling to me. Distracted by this figure I didn’t notice my family coming closer to me. I call out to them, to get there attention and see if they see the figure as well.

I got no response, they walked right up to me. They kneeled into the grass and placed flowers on the ground. I turned around to see who they were visiting.

It was me. My name was on the headstone. RIP Jason Carter Thompson Loving Son and Brother 1995-2022

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I screamed at them that I was here. That it wasn’t me. No response came from them. As I was screaming I hadn’t noticed the figure getting closer, it slowly put its hand on my shoulder and in a second we were elsewhere.

Different. Pretty. Colorful. Stylish.

Mine. Plain. Boring. Outdated.

We have differences Because of our size But we still like The same.

It was beautiful that day. I remember waking up just in time to see the sun rise over the ocean. In that moment it was calming and everything I ever wanted.

I had my coffee, book by my side just enjoying the ocean view. I was so glad we booked this vacation. I needed it. Work had been awful lately.

It wasn’t until I looked over my railing when I noticed the mistake. There was nothing below me.

We had checked in and got a room on the 9th floor, but there was nothing below us. I remembered looking below us the night before. There was a beautiful garden at the entrance with waterfalls and little fish.

Now, there was nothing. Not even the building. It was as if we were floating in the air in this balcony. I screamed and jumped back towards the door. My husband came running out the bathroom asking what was wrong.

I pointed and just mumbled the word gone. He had no idea what I was saying but followed my point. When he looked over the balcony he said “what are you pointing at”.

Gasping I said “the hotel, it’s gone. The garden and the entrance it’s gone. We are floating”. He gave me a look of confusion.

He slowly came to hug me and said “honey, you are having another episode, let me call the doctor”.

It hurts, so much. I don’t understand why my friends are falling and disappearing. It smells smoky in the air.

The little things always come up with hoses and trucks. I even saw an airplane the other day. It dropped all this water on me. It seemed to help the pain, but I’m still damaged.

I hope this isn’t the end. I love my forest and I don’t want anyone else to disappear.

‘Sometimes the only way to really forget everything is to go to sleep’ this is what my therapist said today in session. As if my dreams don’t recount my days in the most twisted fashion.

I tried explaining that but of course they didn’t care.

I don’t ever get any sleep, anytime I close my eyes I see them, the creatures. It’s always the same dream just different ones.

‘ I am walking through this trail, with tress all around me. I hear a bell and it’s as if I know to run to it. I start running down the trail, listening to every tink of the bell as I near closer. I run into this huge hill and I see a small clearing leading to the top. I quickly run towards it to climb up and once I get to the first step on that clearing, I am snatched by this creature, tall, almost shadow like with a smell of fire.’ And that it’s, I wake up.

It’s the same over and over, every night. The problem is almost every night when I wake up from it, I think I hear a fair bell sound coming from behind the house in the woods.

It was in the shadows All her life

Her best friend She had no idea

For she was there Every day of her life

Sisters. Forever friends.

Lonely and sad Need to seek help

Fear and anxiety When sought

Content and happiness Is what we seek

I had to clean up the mess. This was the worst part of the process. Blood is such a mess I can’t even stand it. It gets everywhere. I’ve learned that draining them in a tub works. Just confines it to one area.

The clothes I usually just drop in different donation bins. And the hair gets tossed in the school bins around campus. I’ve been quite good at the whole thing. I have it down to a routine.

First a stalk and plan my attack. The attack isn’t anything ridiculous, it doesn’t draw attention. I just get to dress up and flirt with them as I lead them back to my apartment.

They’re so dumb of course. Frat boys who think they own the world. They don’t. Women like me do.

Once they’re in my apartment I drug their drink. Knocks them out in about 20 minutes and then I can start my real work.

They are then stripped, dragged to my tub where I slice every inch of their skin. Just ever so slightly at first, then the cuts get deeper and deeper.

They always ask why before I kill them. As if they think raping people doesn’t have a punishment.