"But then if you deserved to be here… and you know it… why do you still pretend you're worthy?"
The voice circled her thoughts like it had always been part of her, just waiting.
"Is it your crippled mother? Perhaps," it said, calmly. "Is it the need to never end up like your parents? Maybe. But that's already guaranteed, isn't it? You're worse than them."
Nia gritted her teeth, but her body still wouldn't move. The darkness wasn't just a lack of light anymore, it felt shaped, like something was inside it.
"Both of those are interesting bones to chew on," the voice added. "But I can feel it… they don't really fuel you, do they?"
Silence followed, just long enough for her to hear her own heartbeat skip.
"Is it… love?"
The word rang like a soft crack through the quiet.
