The Obsession

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

She had brought me back to life.

She was so luminescent, she could easily attract some creep’s attention.

It’s why I’m here, to protect her. I will never let anything bad happen to her. Never.

You know the amount of shit I take every single day from men who think I don’t deserve to be there just because I happen to have a vagina?”

I couldn’t believe that I’d finally done it, finally broken out of my frozen, terrified hamster state and killed the asshole.

She wasn’t as broken as I thought. She was a fighter. A Valkyrie. She was so much more than I thought she was. She was incredible. And I loved her so much more for it.

In the end, I’d saved the file of her killing Detective Jackson in a USB drive I could wear around my neck. Something this important deserved to be on me at all times.

WHAT???????

This was proof that my love for her was real. I loved all of her, not just the soft, lovely side of her, but the hard, jagged one, too.

Didn’t she realize what an amazing gift she’d been given? I’d gotten rid of the awful, abusive figure who’d been dominating us for so long. I’d given her a whole new lease on life. Why wasn’t she more relieved?

celebrate the fact that you survived. You deserve to live your best life, especially after everything you’ve been through.”

When she found my Sophie box—the strands of hair, the old sock I’d managed to steal from Sophie’s gym bag.

Love is patient.

And Dee, you need to know this about you: You’re amazing. You’re perfect. You can date just about anyone you want.”

Why did she keep questioning it? Questioning us? She wasn’t supposed to fight this hard.

My lips brushed her cheek, soft, and I whispered in her ear, “I promise.”

Stalketti Carbonara

“Why is it so difficult for you to get that we’re soul mates? I’m only trying to protect you. The world is so dangerous. I would do anything to keep you safe. Anything.”

You’re so incredible, so luminous. You’re perfect. You’re like this…priceless work of art. It’s my job to make sure nobody, not even you, can ruin this perfection.”

Pain exploded from my hand, and I realized that I’d just slammed my fist into the wall.

Ick

Maybe I was getting a tiny bit obsessed, maybe I shouldn’t—

My vitamin Dee.

I had to get out of here right now. But not without a souvenir.

I made sure to wiggle the lock shut behind me; I didn’t want some creep to get into Delilah’s house.

I took out the moisturizer, unscrewed the bottle, and took a deep inhale. Everything would be okay, because I was here, and I was never going to leave her.

all of my fingernails had been bitten into ragged stubs.

He was right....

Buttercream frosting, with a sprinkling of MDMA and Ambien.

I needed Dee.

a sign in cursive that said Good Vibes Only—which, okay, kind of basic, but I supposed no one was perfect—and

I respected Dee. I worshipped her.

I damn near burst into tears because I wanted that so badly.

she doesn’t know that you’re her only sanctuary.

Her life is so chaotic right now. It needs order. It needs saving. And to save her, you need to take it, take her life—

I knew then that I had no choice. I had to kill her, to stop her from running away from me. To save her.

All that mattered was making sure she was mine. Mine for eternity.

We’ll be like Romeo and Juliet, our love will be preserved forever.”

after tonight, Delilah would be mine forever.

I’d know that she died loving me.

Now she wore the same expression she had when she’d turned into a vengeful Valkyrie and crushed Brandon under his own car.

It shouldn’t feel natural.

This was fate. This was meant to be. He deserved to die. I was just defending myself—