Intrusive Thoughts

The voices grew louder, their incessant chatter filling her mind with frequent reminders of life's problems and the inevitability of death. The cycle of everyday existence seemed meaningless, as her favorite moments would eventually be lost with age, unable to be revisited. The unfairness of life weighed heavily on her thoughts, as others enjoyed special aspects and riches, even those who didn't deserve them, while destroying the dreams of those who did. She groaned, the weight of these intrusive thoughts becoming suffocating, making it hard for her to breathe.

Crawling over to the window, she saw her school bus outside, its horn beeping impatiently, waiting for her and the other students. Some kids on the bus played with their phones, while a few girls painted their nails, their worry growing as they noticed the absence of Sayori, the nerdy girl who was always there early. Concerned, she tried to phone her parents, her hand trembling as she grasped the blinds, pressing harder against the window glass and inadvertently causing her pink nails to ache.

"You want the voices to go away?" a voice spoke, its tone different and almost sinister, as if coming from a deranged mind. Startled, she turned around, gasping at the sight of her evil twin, a manifestation of her intrusive thoughts, radiating with a red aura and smirking at her misery. "No, leave me alone!" Sayori yelled, throwing a pillow and heavier objects at her doppelgänger, but the items passed right through, as she laughed and approached closer. "I'm a ghost, silly. You know you can't hurt or kill me. It doesn't work like that. You're just a pathetic crybaby. You cry so much, maybe the only ending that will suit you is becoming a sparkling water fountain of your choosing. Good for the plants," the evil twin taunted, twisted amusement evident in her toxic words.

Overwhelmed, Sayori pushed the bed away, crashing into the door, and sought refuge in her closet. "Leave me alone! I just want to be alone! Stop it! You're mean!" Sayori yelled, her breathing rapid and erratic as fear and desperation consumed her.

The evil twin scoffed, the sound echoing like a clock ticking, and leaned in close to Sayori. She tried to push her away, but the twin's presence passed right through her, leaving Sayori feeling powerless. The twin tilted her chin and whispered, causing Sayori to whimper softly under her breath.

"Oh, poor little crybaby, begging for solitude. How pathetic," the twin taunted, as she chuckled and pushed Sayori's head against the closet wall, creating a thud that reverberated through the tight space. Sayori struggled to find her footing amidst the clothes surrounding her, attempting to push cabinets and baskets out of the way, her headache throbbing painfully.

"Alone, alone, alone. Is that all you want?" the twin sneered, smirking as she descended from above with a rope in hand, resembling a twisted noose. She skillfully maneuvered a chair against the wall, ensuring it wouldn't attract any unwanted attention from nearby neighbors.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the suffocating silence, the emptiness that will consume you. No one will care, no one will notice your absence," the twin declared, her voice dripping with malevolence. With her hands concealed behind her back, she approached Sayori, locking eyes with her. Sayori blinked, her tear-streaked face revealing dried remnants of her pain. Her hands trembled by her sides, feeling the weight of the sun-drenched dust that clung to her house, mingling with the vibrant, yet neglected, flowers.

"I don't believe you. What's the solution?" Sayori questioned, her gaze narrowing, a glimmer of defiance in her brown eyes. The twin's dark smirk widened, a sinister anticipation of impending doom evident in her expression, as she held the key to the sole solution she proposed.