After several painful hours, Rose texted me back.

  “Do what you want. Or, I guess in your case, continue not doing anything. But I need you to do something for me. I have one last burden to place on your shoulders.”

  I instinctively tensed. What was this going to be about? Is she trying to fuck with magic again? Is she going to threaten my tranquil little terrarium? I was filled with Rose-colored anxiety, but I decided I’d do my best to hear her out. With my battery now on 8%, I’d never get another chance.

  “What do you want? This better not be a trick.”

  “Don’t worry, it is. I need you to draw a sigil. Not the one I sent you earlier, a new one.”

  She attached an image of a considerably simpler design. This one was a large circle with strange characters around the edges, and a diamond in the center. It looked easy enough to make, but what was going to happen if I did it?

  “Rose, I want to trust you, but I’m not sure that I can. Please, just let me be happy here.”

  “Draw the sigil, and place it in another room. Close all the doors and windows inside of it, and don’t go back in there for at least an hour.”

  “Can’t you at least tell me what’s going to happen if I do? I know your intentions were always to help me, since the beginning. But you’ve fucked me over too many times to count. You owe me that much.”

  “I told you, I’m sending you a burden. I’m going to ruin your perfect peace. Let me have this one last laugh at your expense. Let me kick your sand castle, dance on your grave a little. I can’t stand the idea of you getting exactly what you want. I know you intend to never speak to me again after this. Don’t let all my efforts to keep you tethered to this stupid, painful world go to waste. If you can accept this one bit of trouble from me, I’ll be satisfied. I’ll call this whole thing a success. You owe me that much.”

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  Despite the feeling in my chest that this very well may be the stupidest decision I ever make in my life, I picked up my brush.

  The sigil was very simple, it only took about ten minutes—and most of that was just double-checking the image. By the time I was done, my phone was at 2%. It wouldn’t last much longer, so I had to make sure I did it correctly. This was my last burden from Rose. I wanted to respect it.

  I did exactly as she said. I placed the paper with the sigil in a dark closet, and moved myself back to my main room. I picked up my phone, to let her know I was finished, and to tell her goodbye one last time.

  The battery was dead.

  When it didn’t turn back on, the gravity of the situation hit me. Hard. That was my last connection out of hell. I’m truly stuck here, now. Suddenly, these comforting walls felt claustrophobic. Did I really just let my one chance at survival slip through my fingers? What was I thinking? I’ve just sentenced myself to ten thousand years in a glorified prison.

  But what’s done is done. There’s no turning back now. Not even if I wanted to, not ever again.

  It was finally over.

  Or at least, it felt like it, until I heard rustling from the closet.

  My breath hitched in my throat as I hesitantly inched closer to it.

  There was definitely something inside. Something that was moving.

  It took all the courage in my body to pull the door open.

  Inside of it was a stone-faced girl with baby blue hair and a familiar camo jacket, stuck in an awkward position against the wall and my clothes. She silently pleaded at me with her eyes to help get her unstuck.

  I tried my best, but I wasn’t much help. It’s hard to see through the tears.