“Jenny, wait!”
I ran after her while steadying myself against the walls. My leg screamed with aching pain, but I forced back the discomfort. I watched her poise herself and leap over the broken door to our bedroom. I snapped on the light switch in the hallway, seeing the initial damage done to our home for the first time. Deep, deliberate scratches were present upon the inside of the broken door. Splintered, sharpened wood littered the ground. I winced as splinters lanced at my bare feet. I stepped past the door and into the bedroom.
“Jenny? Where are you?”
My voice sounded hollow and pathetic. My whole body was trembling. The faintest of noises sounded, causing the tips of my ears to tingle. I stepped past the large bed that sat in the middle of the room. A lump of torn clothing and matted hair was slumped against the side of the mattress.
“I'm sorry that this is happening to you, baby,” I managed to squeak out, the mixture of sorrow and paralyzing fear within me causing tears to blur my vision, “We can get you help, I promise.”
A tangled mess of hair was facing me, her attention focused downward. The faint sound continued, followed by a slow, yet deliberate movement from her arm.
She was singing our song. The realization causing a tendril of shock to rake down my back.
“I know it's still you, baby,” I said with fresh tears, “We can get through this. You're strong, I know that-”
I grabbed at her arm, subsequently ignoring the burning sensation. A thick shard of wood was cradled within her one hand. As she continued to sing, she drove the tip in and out of her arm.
She stopped singing. She stabbed herself once more before her eyes shot up to mine.
“You never loved me,” she muttered in a tone barely audible.
“Baby, what-”
“You never!”
She was screaming the words in a deep, unfamiliar tone. It droned out to a massive bellow of noise as she rose, the stake held within her hand. Blood seemed to drain from her entire body. I rubbed my stinging fingers against my side. My legs were in shock and refused to move.
“You never! You never!”
She collided with me, causing my back to slam into the side of the bed. I grunted as I felt the spike thrust into my belly. My skin burned as I felt her hands bite down upon me. The second thrust came to my chest. I coughed as blinding pain sliced through my body and hot blood trickled into my mouth.
“Why are you-”
I couldn't breathe. The wood was protruding from my neck, causing my lungs to spasm in futile attempts to receive oxygen. I felt the makeshift blade rip from me for the final time, my back settling into the mattress behind me. My head lulled to the side as my vision became blurry and dark. A voice was heard over the deafening ring in my ears.
“Babe? Oh my God!”
It was Jenny. I felt a force collide with me a second time, this one devoid of anger or force. I felt arms wrap around me.
“It's me, babe,” I heard her say, the voice sounding wavy and uneven, “Everything is going to me all right.”
Another sound washed over me. Some sort of loud blare.
“I'm glad-”
I forced the words out, but the rest wouldn't come. Strength was leaking out of me. I suddenly felt very tired. I opened my eyes lazily to see Jenny's face in front of mine. No more redness, just the same innocent, rounded eyes I had grown to love. A smile came to my face. Jenny's face disappeared from my vision. I was glad that she was better.
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