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Prompt 3: In the dark of the night, evil will find you--and this is the worst kind. This is the kind you did to yourself. Before bed, between one tired, fluttering blink and the next, you see a figure in the darkest corner of your room--a ghastly silhouette hovering. You lock eyes with it--and then it hits you. A wave of regret, pulsing and unyielding. The combination of something embarrassing or horrible, or a regret nagging at you for an unfinished deed, or remembering a failure of yours--you are consumed with the thoughts of something you regret. It feels like an eternity passes as you're wracked with guilt and grief and regret; you don't remember falling asleep, but when you wake, the figure is gone. If you're lucky, the regret is too.
Bindhi sighed and collapsed into bed. Angus had just spelled her with the twins, allowing her to catch some rest while he dealt with fussy babies. Thank goodness for thoughtful husbands, she thought as she felt her eyelids drooping. For a moment, she considered putting the TV on for soft background noise, then decided against it. And as she was dozily looking in that direction, she saw a shadow in the corner that seemed darker and more substantial than most. As she pushed herself up to take a better look, she thought the shadow looked a little Dementor-y. She almost called for Angus when the shadow seemed to turn and actually look back at her. She could feel malevolent eyes boring into her own and without warning, a rushing wave of guilt and regret washed over her.
Gasping softly, Bindhi felt as if she was being crushed under the weight of her regret. Tears leaked from her eyes as she remembered the worry and anguish she’d caused her friends, how completely like a failure of a human she’d felt. How she’d felt like a monster that needed to be removed front he world for it’s own good.
Her fingertips groped blindly for the scar that ran up her forearm. It was her constant reminder of how life had changed. How she had changed. She’d come so far since that day. But all she could feel was mingled guilt and horror with herself. How could she have been so thoughtless and needlessly cruel to the people she loved? Who loved her in return? Without bidding, she could see Orah and Laney’s faces as she faced them in the hospital, as clear as crystal and as if she were facing them now. Shaking and crying silently, Bindhi writhed under the weight of her guilt.
How many sleepless nights had her actions that day caused her own beloved Angus? She knew that he had missed work just so she wouldn’t be sitting alone in a sterile hospital room. Or the times Cordy had come over and basically forced her to eat and made sure she ate real food and not just ******** doritos?
Groaning, she rolled over, burying her face in her pillow, not wanting her wave of regret to disturb Angus and the twins now. She was such an awful person! Did she really deserve such a nice family now after the things she’d done to herself? They way that she’d affected the other people in her life?
At some point she must have fallen asleep whilst mentally flaying herself for past sins, but she had no idea at what point it had been. She didn’t remember Angus crawling into the bed with her, but when she woke up, there he was with his arm slung over her waist to hold her. Blinking tear-crusted eyes, she realized it was morning. And a quick glance at the corner near the TV showed that the bafeful shadow was gone. She couldn’t exactly say that it had taken her guilt with it, but she didn’t feel as horribly guilty for choices she’d made in the past. As she heard the twins murmuring in the next room, she pushed what guilt remained away. Dwelling on the past had led to her regrets. She wanted to focus on the future. Sliding out of bed, she threw a robe on and went to cuddle her babies.
(Word Count: 572)
