My Darling Dreadful Thing

by Johanna van Veen

Spirits like her are not drawn to the happy and carefree; they want salt, be it blood or be it tears.

“Happy. Such a funny little word, don’t you think? Perhaps not so hard a state to achieve, but nearly impossible to maintain, and different for everyone.

“Why do you insist on inflicting pain? It won’t bring your brother back. Nothing will!” I exclaimed in frustration. “Madness might, and so madness is what I choose,” she whispered.