Nightlight In My Bed

[Miriam Bell]

After the night spend in front of the fireplace Miriam had been gone the next morning, leaving Wanda to wake up by herself in the morning light.

Now, two nights later Miriam slinks into the dorms in the middle of the night. The walk down the hallway towards Wanda's room feels like one of the hardest things she's ever done and seems to go on forever. Finally she reaches the door and she reaches out to turn the doorknob. The door slowly swings open into the room. There's a bit of light from the moon shining through the windows, making the room seem brighter than the hallway, almost tranquil. She's told herself she just wants to see Wanda one last time and tell her that it'll be better this way, but when she tries to step into the room the world suddenly seems to thrum with an almost painful force. She tries to push through it, but the closer she gets to passing over the threshold into Wanda's room the more the world seems to shrink down to a tiny spot around her and she feels close to passing out when she finally stumbles back.

It only makes sense, really. She's too good for her and this just proves it. She can't even bring herself to step into her room. She can just about see Wanda lieing in her bed and if she could she might just curl up next to her and not care what happens next until the morning light rises outside the windows. She'd made her choice to say goodbye and somehow this makes it easier yet infinitely harder by taking her choice away. She allows herself one last longing look at Wanda before she turns away, sinking down along the wall next to the door until she sits on the floor. Pulling a piece of paper from her purse she starts to write.

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The next morning Wanda finds her door wide open and a piece of paper on the threshold.

Wanda,

I don't have the strength to do this in person. For your own sake I have to leave, because I would just hurt you if I tried to stay.
There's too many monsters in my head and I can't bear the thought of letting them taint you, as they inevitably would if I was selfish and tried to stay.
The time I was allowed to spend with you might have been the best I've ever had and I'm infinitely thankful you gave me one last night in the light with you.

I love you
~Miriam

[Wanda Johansson]

Wanda wakes early, which is typical for her. She reads the note, a frown deepening as she reads on. She folds the note, setting it aside angrily. She sits on the bed, staring at the folded note for a long while. Then she gets up, going through her normal morning routine, trying to move back to something normal. But the note is still there when she returns to her room. She snatches it up, stuffing it in her purse, slinging it over her shoulder as she heads out to find Miriam.