Things were normal.

Fallon had begun her classes at Crystal Academy. She was behind academically, especially in math, but she had enough friends to help her when she needed it. Her bedroom was almost complete. A custom-made organizer was still in route to her. She had spent hours designing two pieces that could fit perfectly under her bed and hold all of the things that she did not have other space for. Though it put her behind schedule, she smiled each time she thought of the meticulously designed organizer. The kitchen was becoming more familiar to her. Fallon already felt herself accepting it as her space, finding ways to work around whatever shortcomings it might have. Very slowly, the pieces of her life were being reassembled.

So why did she still feel off?

When Fallon was alone, she felt terrified, like something might spring out from under her bed at any minute, like the floor might fall out from under her, like her skin might melt off her bones. There was no explanation for it, but before this whole mess, Fallon usually only thought about new dresses and reorganizing her closet and what dish she wanted to cook next. Where had these dark thoughts come from? A part of Fallon feared it was something about her, something dark inside of her. She had a violent streak, and she knew it. But Fallon worked very hard to keep it in check. She had breathing exercises and calming thoughts.

That morning, Fallon wanted to go for a run. She wasn't big on exercise, but running and swimming could be calming to her. Maybe she just needed to get out of Crystal Academy for the day. Throwing on a pair of black running pants, a purple tank top, and a pale blue Crystal Academy-issued windbreaker, Fallon had every intention of going as far from the school as she could.

She only made it to a bench in the courtyard.

There was a spiderweb beautifully suspended across two low bushes. It glinted in the sunlight, snatching Fallon's attention as she walked by. As if entranced, Fallon took a seat to watch it, to see the perfect work of a spider. Each square of the web was equal to the next, a tessellation of nature. The spider sat perched at one end, still spinning away. Out of nowhere, a bright gold and orange butterfly flew toward the flowers growing just behind the bushes. It must have been injured or just stupid because it flew right into the spiderweb, breaking an entire portion with its massive wings.

A tiny gasp slipped from Fallon's lips. The web had been so beautiful, and in a matter of moments, the butterfly had destroyed it. Anger crossed her soft features, and for an instant, she thought of tearing the butterfly from the web and crushing it on the ground. Too bad it would only further ruin the web. The spider, however, had other plans. It zipped from its spot on the other side and approached the butterfly with little caution. In no time it was wrapping thin white strands around those bright wings, trapping the interloper little by little.

The anger faded, and a smile returned to her lips. Lost in her own little world, Fallon watched the spider descend on the butterfly, eyes drinking in how perfectly executed the web was, how perfectly controlled the spider was, and how perfectly it could kill.