*PoV Gregor*
I was walking home from school when I saw something moving in the shadows. Ever since I came back up from the Underland, I keep seeing things that look like the Bane; from people in white winter coats to trucks. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I've been here for three years and I still see things like that. I'm paranoid. I just want to leave this place and go to where I belong, but I don't know where that is. I stopped by Central Park, looking. Just looking, taking in all I could.
When I got home, I went straight to my room. But instead of being alone, my mum was in there. She was holding me report card. She was probably going to ask why I had such low grades, or something stupid like that.
'Gregor, why is there blood on this?' she asked.
My eyes opened and behind my back, I put my hand on my wrist. Over the sleeve that was covering up the scars that I hadn't gotten in the Underland.
'I don't know. What are you doing in my room? What do you want?' I asked.
'Gregor, I – 'she started.
'Get out of my room!' I yelled.
She left, not saying a word. I fell onto my bed, sighing loudly. 15 years old and I still can't control my anger. I want to do something to get out me anger. I had found it three weeks ago. I reached under my bed and pulled out a pocket knife my dad had given me after I had been attacked in the street. My mother had protested against me having one, but what does she know? What does she know about me or any of my problems? Getting me riled up is my sister's favorite pastime, even though the last time Lizzie did it she was sent to the hospital for three weeks. I can still see her blood on my hands when I close my eyes. I pulled the knife out of its holder, placed the blade against my skin and cut myself. Blood fell onto my bed. I felt calm. It was all going to end soon.
*PoV Grace*
I had watched as Gregor reach under his bed and as he had swiped that damned blade across his wrist. My stomach lurched as his blood fell to his bed. He got up and I walked away from his door in to the kitchen. He saw me and ran into the bathroom. I walked over to the door and pressed my ear against it. Gregor was rummaging through the cabinets and drawers. I opened the door and he hid his arm behind his back. I smiled at him and walked to the cabinet by the shower and pulled out the first aid kit.
'Hold out your arm,' I said softly.
He held out his arm and I saw the deep cut on his wrist for the first time. I also saw that there were scars next to, under and pretty much all around the newest one. I wrapped the gash and we went into the kitchen. Gregor kept looking at me as if I were going to explode, which most mothers would have done, but I'm not like most mothers. I had lost my husband, then my son and my daughter, I had come down with a plague, gotten cured, gotten sick again and then almost ripped out all of my hair when I had heard that my son had almost gotten killed by a giant white rat! But we are all together now so none of that matters. I just want to forget that awful place and go on living what life I have left with a normal family. But that's never going to happen. It has been three years and my husband still gets sick from time to time, Boots, one of my daughters, still speaks crawler, my other daughter, Lizzie, still thinks about a giant rat and Gregor still wakes up screaming, wanting to know if Luxa was alright.
I'm just scared that Gregor will do something more dramatic then what he's already done. He might try to get back to the Underland, not that I would let him. He was still looking at me. He had tears brimming his eyes and he was as white as snow. I got up and walk around the table to where he sat. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he hugged me back. He hadn't hugged me since before his father had disappeared. It was a nice feeling.
*PoV Gregor*
I hugged my mother for the first time in god knows how long. It felt nice. Tears flowed uncontrollable down my cheeks, soaking the front of her shirt. I've done so much, caused so much trouble and all I could think of was myself. I'm pathetic. I never thought about what I was doing to myself could cause so much pain for my family.
'What's wrong, hunny?' she asked.
'I'm sorry,' I whispered.
I can't go on. There is nothing that I can do to get this hurt out of myself. I couldn't go on. I have to end it. I can't live like this anymore. I can't live anymore.
'What are you sorry for?' my mother asked.
'Everything,' I sobbed.
I got up and walked to my room, but, once again, I wasn't alone.
'Lizzie,' I said through tears.
'Gregor.' She smiled.
'What do you want?'
'I was just wondering when the last time you heard from Luxa was. I mean, you do love her. If she loved you back then wouldn't she want to write to you? But she hasn't written to you, I wonder why not.'
Fresh tears streamed down my face. I turned around and stormed out of my room. I went up to the top of the apartment building. I stood on the ledge of the roof, thinking. I can't go on. Not without her. I love her.
'I love you, Luxa. I really do,' I whispered to no one in particular.
'And I love you, Gregor.'
I turned around, losing my footing in the process.
And I fell.
I fell to my death.
And I'm glad that I did.
I'm in a better place.