The broken-down rag doll girl runs runs runs as fast as she can. The shadows are chasing her, trying to steal her soul, steal her light. They grasp at her, wanting everything they can get from her. They want her ideas her soul her spirit her youth her body. She can't remember the faces, all she knows is that one face doesn't look like the man she loved even though it is supposed to.

Her breath comes in and out in shuddering gasps. Gasp. Gasp. Gasp. Gasp. The strong inhalation isn't getting the oxygen to her limbs, to her brain. She stops, whips around, prays that the shadows have given up on her. Her thoughts zoom by. Husband Alice book shadows shadows husband Alice Alice, where is Alice? When she turns around, she sees an older man and woman walking down the street. She approaches them, asks for help, but they act as if she isn't there. Maybe she isn't. Maybe she's a figment of everyone's imagination. The broken girl with dark hair and doe eyes that everyone can use and destroy at their own will. The girl that can be tossed aside because she isn't real. The girl who was once invincible and who now can barely keep herself standing. Gasp. Gasp. Gasp.

She didn't want to be that broken thing anymore. She was going to change. She was going to make herself stronger, and then her husband would see that he couldn't use her anymore. She knew that they all thought she was strong, and that was why they could take her soul her light her body her everything. She'd been lying. Except to Alice. She never lies to Alice, even though Alice left.

She begins to run again in hopes of finding someone who can at least give her directions. She doesn't know where to go, just that she needs to go somewhere that isn't home. A hotel, maybe. Her feet hit the pavement hard. Thump thump thump thump thump. Her hair flows behind her, a cascading wave of curls swirling behind her, the fabric of her gauzy dress clinging to her small frame delicately as her muscles carry her forth into the night.

She finally sees a familiar street sign. She knows how to get to her sanctuary from here. Before she can cross the street though, she's swept up into small thin arms.

"Bella, it's okay," Alice says to her best friend as her arms wrap around the frightened young woman.

Bella begins to sob as Alice carefully helps her settle onto the ground. "I can't do it anymore, Alice, I can't. It hurts too much. They've all become shadow people, they're trying to kill me," she says as the sobs wrack her body. Alice's hold on Bella tightens as she tries to understand what exactly her friend is saying. She realizes that she has no idea what is going on. Everything has changed so fast for them both, and now they didn't know each other.

Alice begins to sob, too, as she remembers how things used to be and the wonderful, vibrant girl that used to be made of steel and who was now collapsed in her arms. She remembers how when they ran through the night, it wasn't in terror, but in joy.


Thank you to Robbie, queenofgrey, and izzzyy for their encouragement. This is my first foray into something serious. Review, if you feel so compelled.