The nightmare had shook her to the core, and she found it impossible to get back to sleep. Her best friend falling to her death, her body laying broken and lifeless on the floor of the big tent. Those eyes, empty and not seeing. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, she got out of bed. Her legs felt like jelly, weak and shaky, her heart still pounding in her head.

So here she found herself, sitting on the floor in the living room, lights off and a few candles burning. The flickering candles making shadows dance across the walls. In her shaking hand was a chilled glass of Absinthe, she hadn’t bothered with the sugar, only adding some ice cold water to dilute the alcohol. The soothing sound of Sully Erna playing softly in the background.

Why was she being haunted by that night all those years ago? Why now? Was it because she was deciding to set roots down here? Did she feel guilty that she had not been the one on the trapeze that night? Was it because her own dangerous trick of swallowing swords had only left her with a few nicks and cuts over the years?

And even though she followed Fate and trusted it many times, she also hated it. Why had the universe felt it was her time to go? What had she done in her short life to deserve such a Fate?
She shakes her head and laughs bitterly as she takes a drink. The ice green liquid burning as it hit her tongue, warming and coating her throat as she swallowed it.

Maybe drinking and being depressed wasn’t best done alone she thinks, picking up her cell. Her blue eyes stare blankly at it as she frowns, but who could she call? And especially at this hour, it wasn’t like it was an emergency. She imagined being laughed at when she said she had a nightmare and could use some company.

Shaking her head, she tosses the cell on the couch behind her, and takes another long drink.