Chapter Thirty-Five: Breaking Point:

-Tomoe-

They all look at me with pity. I know it’s not real. Who are they trying to fool? They didn’t care about me. They never did! I hate this town! There’s nothing for me here anymore. I’ve had enough. I knew what I needed to do.

I picked up the phone once again.

“Hello?” he asked on the other line.

“It’s me again,” I said. Daisuke sighed over the other line.

“You can’t keep calling me like this,” he said. “My wife is starting to ask questions. I can’t sleep anymore. I can’t get his face out of my head.”

“But I need you,” I said. “I can’t take living in this stupid town anymore. I want to get out of here. Please send me money.”

“No!”

“Please!”

“I can’t keep doing this with you. This has got to stop!”

“I’m not asking you to come with me. I just need money. I don’t have any money. Just help out and I will never bother you again.”

“No.”

My face dropped. “What do you mean?” Daisuke sighed.

“It will never end with you, will it?” he asked. “I’m sorry. I have to cut you off. I won’t go to the police on you. But I will not helping you anymore.” I gripped the receiver as tightly as I could.

“But what am I going to do for money?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Daisuke told me. “You are going to have to figure that out on your own. Goodbye.” He hung up before I could say another word. I stared at the phone before I threw it across the room as far as it will go. I screamed as I grabbed my hair. That cocksucker! He pretended to care about me but Daisuke didn’t want to break up his home. He just wanted to keep his little wife happy. He’s just as bad as the rest of them.

I grabbed a vase and threw it to the floor. Glass and dead flowers scattered everywhere. I hate this house! I hate this town! I hate my husband! I hate everyone! I went around the house trashing everything in sight. Pictures ripped from the walls. Windows broken. Curtains ripped up. Holes in the walls. Food thrown everyone. I even took a pair of scissors to my furniture. The whole time, I was screaming and crying. Red was the only thing I could see through my supposed rampage. I might have stopped to get a drink at one point. It didn’t matter.

When I woke up, the sunlight hit my face. I looked around to find myself in my living room. Oh my, I have made such a mess of everything again, haven’t I? How much did I drink last night? Cleaning up was going to be a nightmare. This house was a ruin just like me. I broke down laughing, lying on my back. What has become of me, huh? Maybe I’m just as pathetic as everyone in this shitty town thinks I am. A crooked smile spread across my face.

As I sat on the stained tatami mats, a strange calm came over me. I knew what I needed to do before I left. I rose to my feet and got right work.