Scalding hot water rushes from the shower head

Steam settles over the bathroom

I settle myself on the shower floor

Why don't you like me

Why don't you love me

Why don't you care

A tear rolls down my cheek

Why can't I like me

Why can't I love me

Why can't I care

A sob escapes my mouth

The shower sounds deafen myself and others to this act

The scald of the water attempts to change my focus

Why don't.....

I claw at my own flesh

Why can't.....

I slam my hand unto the steamy tiles

I'm sorry

I'm sorry.

The grove grows silent as I watch the stag fall in a majestic death. I rush to his body but as soon as my mortal hands touch the blessed pelt is dissolves into spirit, leaving behind only a glowing antler. I tentatively reach for it and as I touch it the glow became overbearing of the place and my eyes were opened anew. Looking around like an innocent newborn I witnessed as sprites flew around me, beautiful women melted out of trees, rocks, and rivers. I had been taken from my world and into one I had only heard of in tales from the elders. I gripped the magical item in my hand as suddenly all the forest creatures scurried away, a funnel of darkness landed in front of me and out melted the most terrifyingly handsome man I had ever seen, crimson eyes, long dark hair, and dove white skin. His words came with a hint of anger.

"What of the stag?" he asked.

Her eyes close to allow a lack of thought and set a shadow over her mind. She shuts down, the darkness envelopes her in whole.

A sound in the distance, attempting to break her shadow. She squints her eyes, focusing on blankness.

The sound comes again, louder and more distinct, one of her eyes attempts to open and she punches her own face. Unclench ing her fists she covers her ears.

Someone taps her shoulder, she shudders from their cold touch. They continue tapping, she yells stop through a closed mouth, they continue on.

Without moving her hands she stands up, feeling a slight breeze on her naked body as well as warm breath on her neck she dashes blindly away, both in her mind and physically.

A tear escapes her eye but is immediately stunted in downfall by a licking of this salty sign of emotion from her face.

Do not feel she tells herself.

On her blind run she trips over something cold and flesh-like, again for an eyelid attempts to move and she clamps her teeth down on her tongue. Her mouth is filled with the metallic taste of blood.

Picking herself up (uncovering her ears in doing so) she hears the sound, music , directly in her ears. Clawing her face to find her ears she gives in, one eyelid goes up, then the other, she opens her ears, allows regular thought to resume.

Curiosity tells her to look a what she tripped over, instinct says to return to the dark. Curiosity yells louder than instinct.

Looking down she cannot bare the sight before her. Below lay the mangled body of her beloved, tempt is written over his chest in blood. She feels a familiar cold touch on her shoulder which is accompanied by warm breath on her neck.

The music grows in speed and dynamics, her heart races with the violin, a hand reaches for her left breast, turning to her chaser to glance upon its face her heart race stills, her eyes go foggy and she falls to the ground.

She glances off into the horizon as the thirteen life stars journey the harvest sky. In the distance a hogsnatch screeches becoming ensnared in one of her traps. Silently, just as the elders taught her she glides through the trees towards the wounded beast, whispering prayers bringing her blade down.