Hearing Red

by Nicole Maser

Not that she was overly talkative by any means, but at least with them it didn’t sound like every word cost her a year of her life.

“Is that why you finally told me?” she breathed, realization finally dawning on her. “You—you wanted me to hate you as much as you hated yourself?”

And maybe that’s what death really was. One final gift of peace after a lifetime of torment.