SCARLET
"They've betrayed you," the deep, resonant voice returned, curling through my mind like smoke. The same voice from earlier, creeping in just when I thought I could find some silence.
"First your lover, and now, your parents," it continued, its tone smooth yet cutting. "Looks like everyone has been hiding secrets from you. I wonder… are your friends any different? Or are they keeping things from you too?"
I pressed my palms against my temples, willing the voice to stop. "Why do you keep talking to me?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "You're not real. You're just in my head."
"Ah, but isn't that what makes me real?" it replied, its tone almost amused. "I am you, after all. Or at least… a part of you. The part you've ignored for far too long."
