The next day was hard. I had to wake up early, so that I could cover up the wounds from the day before. Why are they so cruel? What did I do? I don't understand. I thought that parents were supposed to.... love.... their children. 

I left the house, taking no food, like usual, because my parents believe that I don't need food. That food is too good to waste on a worthless child like me. I walked to school, in the ragged black hoodie I always wear, and sniffle. I am always crying, and the school bullies target me for that. As if my life wasn't hard enough already. They just don't understand what it's like to be me. To never have enough, even though you parents do. To be beaten daily, for speaking incorrectly, or standing wrong, or God forbid breathe too loudly. 

As I was walking, I heard someone call my name. 

"Hey Nagisa! What did your parents say? Can you come?" I flinch. I don't want to tell her. She is so innocent and pure I can't make her sad. But it would make her even more sad if I ignore her.

"I asked them and they said no. We... uh.. have to go to my... grandparents' house that day! Yeah, uh, that's it, my grandparents' house." Smooth Shizu, real smooth.

"I thought you said your grandparent's died last year. Did something happen? Did you change your mind about wanting to come?"

Oh no! She has the wrong impression! Yerk!

 I sighed. "That's not it. They said no, but it wasn't for a very good reason. I didn't want to hurt your feelings." I turned to face her, seeing the she looked a little sad. 

She looked at me, and did a double take at my face. "What.... what's that? On your face?" She reached toward my face. Oh. It's probably just a bug.

"Probably just a bug. I'm fine."

"No. It's not a bug. It's..." She paused, then gasped "It's blood! And it looks like... YOUR blood! What happened to you Nagisa!? Did someone hurt you!?" Oh shit. Busted. Roasted. Ruined. Disastrous. Ruinous. I'm going to die. Oh god. Please if there is some all powerful deity up there listening just strike me down now with your holy lightning. I can't go on. If she finds out she'll tell and then my parents will find out and they will kill me. Slowly. Like a snail. With torture. And they will make it painful. Torturous. Agonizing. Hurtful. Pain will fill my being. Oh god Tsu what have you done to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

"I....can't tell you Tsu"

"You have to! If someone is hurting you you should tell someone!" 

"They'll just hurt me more. Tsu, If I told you who did this to me, you would tell, and then they would find out. And I would die. Do you want my blood on your hands?" At this point I was grinning like a maniac. "Do you want to feel guilty of causing an innocent boy to die? To have that stain on your hands for the rest of your life? Because that's what would happen if I told you what was happening. I can't tell you Tsuyu!"

She looked at me like I was crazy. Which I probably am at this point in the torturous existence I must call life. And ran for her life. Like I was chasing her with blood running from my mouth with a bloody knife in my hand, and a dead body behind me. I scared her away. But it might prolong my existence, so maybe someday I still have a chance, a chance of saving myself from this wretched place. From my life. From Them.