He asked if I wanted to go outside.
I said yes.
Then walked barefoot through the grass.
Let the sun hit my face.
I didn't smile.
Because monsters don't smile in daylight.
They just wait until the warmth fades…
And drag you back in.
---
In the garden, I found the old bench.
The one with initials carved into the wood.
A + M
C + H
J + K
V + D
Then…
A blank space.
Waiting.
Empty.
Mine.
---
He walked over with a knife.
> "If you want… you can add your name."
I looked up at him slowly.
> "Why would I carve my name into a graveyard?"
He didn't answer.
So I took the knife.
Carved two letters in the wood.
M + M
He blinked.
> "Who's M?"
> "Me and the part of me I had to kill to survive you."
---
That night, I dragged the old cassette player from the attic.
I didn't tell him.
I just let it play.
Old therapy sessions.
Not mine.
His.
> "I don't know what love feels like."
"They said if I couldn't bond by the third attempt, I'd be reassigned."
The tape crackled.
Paused.
> "I don't think I want to be real anymore."
I didn't cry.
I just stared at him as he sat on the stairs, pale, shaking.
> "Why do you have this?" he whispered.
> "Because you weren't just the villain, were you?" I said softly.
"You were the first victim."
---
And still…
That didn't change what he did to us.