I left my bloody clothes in a pile by the bathroom door and turned on the shower, as hot as it would go. The steam curled around me, fogging the bathroom mirror and hiding the reflection I didn’t have the courage to face.
I stepped into the shower, the scalding water cascading down my skin. Blood swirled at my feet, pink-tinged water spiraling down the drain. I watched it go, mesmerized by the way it seemed to pull every horrible memory with it.
The metallic tang lingered in my mouth, a reminder of what I’d done. My stomach twisted, but I didn’t look away. I couldn’t. I had to face this, had to reconcile the girl I’d been with the person I’d become.
The water stung my arm, the makeshift bandage clinging stubbornly to my skin. I peeled it away carefully, wincing as the fabric pulled at t
