"Bunny's Gone"
Woodenly, I walked past her into my room without a glance, shutting the door behind me. Slumping against it, an unbearable weight crushed my chest. Moments later, Lily's voice, thick with tears and panic, seeped under the door: "Jack? Jack? My Bunny's gone! Have you seen my Bunny?" My back stiffened against the wood. "Bunny?" Her voice rose, frantic. "I can't find her! Not under the sofa! Not under the bed! She's gone!" She started banging on my door. "Jack! Have you seen her? Seen my Bunny?!"
The Confession
The door shook under her fists. Her sobs grew louder, the pure, heartbreaking sound of loss unmistakable. Each cry cut into me like a tiny knife. I couldn't bear it. I sucked in a breath, turned, and yanked the door open. Lily stood there, tear-streaked face, swollen eyes, fist still raised. Seeing me, she lunged forward, grabbed my shirt, her tear-stained face tilted up: "Jack! My Bunny...!" I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. My throat constricted. The words fought their way out: "...I... I threw her away."
Lily's Silence
The grip on my shirt vanished. The desperate hope on her face froze. She stared, uncomprehending, yet understanding completely. Tears hung forgotten on her lashes. Seconds stretched like eternity. Then, her lips began to tremble uncontrollably. The faint light in her swollen eyes died completely, replaced by something utterly foreign—a devastating storm of shock and the deepest betrayal.
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