I sat on the park bench hugging my knees and my face buried in my arms. I had cried enough that I didn't really have any more tears to shed. I hated myself for it. I hated my life, and I hated this world.
I wished that I could see this world burn down before I died. Perhaps that would be more satisfying and fulfilling than whatever little success I could dream of achieving as a streamer.
That stupid Senne. She was really no use at all.
My life didn't get any better since she came. The viewer count was increasing, finally, but she ruined it all tonight. People probably wouldn't tune in again to watch the stream. Why did I trust her? She's a devil after all. Maybe she was building my hope up just to destroy me. Devils feed on despair after all, don't they?
I had nowhere to go. The only place I could think of where I might be 'happy' at this moment was Euphoria. But to go there I'd have to return home, where my VR headset was. But if I went back home now, Senne would be there. I wouldn't get to fully immerse myself in Euphoria either while that pest was about. She was even ruining my last refuge.
"Is that you, Bree?"
Then I heard a voice—no, THE voice.
The voice of another devil.
But when I looked up and saw Abigail's face under the moonlight, smiling, something in me broke.
"Abi…"
As my eyes swelled with tears, she sat next to me and put her arms around my back.
"What's wrong, Bree?"
"Abi… I just…"
"Shh, it's okay. You don't need to say anything."
With those comforting words, she just held me tight and rubbed my back.
I cried in her arms like a child, destroyed, yet—
Wanted.
It was long ago.
A long, long time ago on my first day at school, a pretty angel approached me and asked me if she could play with me when I was building stupid sand castles in the sandbox.
I thought she was so beautiful, her voice so sweet, and even then, she had this scent that once I smelled it, I couldn't get enough of.
So we played together, or more like, she just sat across me and watched me play with an amused grin and twinkling eyes.
That day, I was so happy I made a friend that I couldn't wait till Dad gots back home so I could tell him the news.
But he didn't get back home that day.
"Why don't you come stay at my place tonight?"
Abigail whispered into my ear.
My heart sank, jumped up again, and bounced all around inside my ribcage; I thought my chest was going to burst open.
No, Bree—no.
But I was weak.
Just too fucking weak.
I simply nodded and followed her as she held my hand and led the way.
She led me astray.
Just like that time.