Black. Her whole world was black. The yellow-gold of happiness had faded, the green of happiness had darkened and the burning red-orange of love had disappeared completely. It was all black. All sorrow and loneliness.

She returned home to find everything gone Her work, he heart's home, had been closed. There was no business left for it. It had been devoured by the bigger, brighter and newer place across from it. Genuine; her mother's legacy, was dead. And with it, died a large part of her.

Loneliness was like a veil she wore around her at all times. Those closest to her were pushed away from her by her stoicism and her lack of interest in life. Every time she moved, shadows followed her. Around every corner, behind every door, they were there. Reminding her of all she had had, all she had lost. Mocking her, haunting her. Bringing her further into her world of despair and darkness.

There had been a spark of hope. A small burning flicker of hope. But it had been snuffed out with the overheard words. It had been extinguised so thoroughly that it was impossible to be relit.

Illusions were all around her. Memories, dreams, wishes. All formed illusions that she craved to be a part of so much that when they dissipated, she fell further into her despair.

Her world was so full of haunting shadows and bittersweet illusions that reality was drifting away. She tried to hold on, but it kept eluding her grasp. She knew how worried they were, how they wanted to help her. How they wanted her back. But she was so tried of fighting it was impossible for her to go back. It was so easy for her to stay, and she couldn't fight it anymore.

Loneliness was a demon that was devouring her life. Day by day, the color faded, the gray deepened to black and even the clean, pristine white petals of the flower crumbled to brown. There was nothing left for her. Emptiness. Illusions.

She stood before the mirror as if standing on a precipice. Weakness reaching out for strength, she grabbed the edge of the counter, gripping it tightly. She shivered at the smooth coolness of it's touch. She was cold.

She observed the reflection in the mirror. Worn, tired face. Lips that could no longer sing. Eyes, empty and hollow. All around her was black and cold. There was no warmth left for her. It was too cold, cold to burning.

Filling the glass, she raised it, saluting herself. Trembling hands fumbled clumsily. The clear liquid in front of her promised to bring warmth and with the aid of the contents of the bottle in front of her, oblivion. As she dropped the lid, watching it clatter to the ground, she stiffened as she recognized the presence behind her.

The last time she had encountered it, it had been cunning, luring. Deceptive. But now it was fully blatant. It's presence was known, as it wished. It brought no false promises, no devices to deceive her with. The darkness was before her, disgusted.

The chase, the game, there was no challenge this time. It was not enjoyable when it was won so easily. There was no fight, no need for illusions, disguises or deceptions. The truth was all it deemed her worthy of.

She could feel it's disgust at being there. She knew right away why it was there for her, the bottle in her hands was enough of an answer. As she stared into the mirror, growing cloudy with more of the haunting illusions, she felt a second thought, a moment of regret taking shape within her.

Images blurred together, a horrific tapestry of what had brought her to this point. Visions of the faces she'd lost. The familiar face of her first love. Greg, with his charming smile. Her mother and her haunting sad look. The faceless shadow of the spark of life which had been snuffed out during her last battle with the force behind her. Rage filled her and answers were demanded. She found her voice and knew she much know before she submitted fully to the darkness.

"Why? What have I done to deserve losing everything I love?" she whispered desparingly.

You have done much wrong in your life. Did you not cause your own mother's death?

"That wasn't my fault!" she protested.

You are the reason she died alone, in a desperate state of sorrow. Had she hoped, had a reason, she could have lived. You also killed your first love.

"I didn't kill Greg!" As the words were out of her mouth, the terrifyingly real voice, straight out of the halls of her memories

"Murderer!" it screeched.

"No, it wasn't me," she yelled back.

You pushed him out of your life. They gave you a second chance, a chance at redemption, another chance at true love and you pushed that one out of your life.

"I had too," she whispered, the wound so fresh, it was agony to think about.

You are cursed. You have been since birth, since you killed your mother. You killed your first love and you pushed your one true chance at happiness out of your life, beyond return.

She was falling into the trap. Every tragedy in her life was being used against her. She was defenseless now as the illusions swirled around her, reminding her, mocking her, killing her. She was ready to submit.

You killed your child.

Too late, it realized it's mistake. In the reflection of the mirror, the dead, dull green eyes alit with a spark. A fire was growing. Swept with rage, it burst into flames and a light returned to the emerald irises.

"I did not do that you. You did," she hissed. The illusions grew stronger, cruel and desperate. Their intensity was growing, intending to push her over the precipice.

Gasping for breath, she stared at the bottle in front of her. The edge was in front of her. Stepping off of it was in her hand. It was easy. Backing away would mean a fight. She could no longer bear to fight.

But her trembling fingers, her body, would not listen to her decision. It would not obey. It openly betrayed her as the bottle slipped from her grasp and it's lethal contents scattered out of reach.

Eyes blurred with tears, she regarded the mirror. The darkness was still there, mocking her. Haunting her with the past. Determined to win as it had lost the last time. The illusions were in front of her, as harsh as ever. But in color.

"No more illusions," she whispered. Clutching the glass in her hand, it's potency lost without the aid of the bottle, and she hurled it at the mirror.

It exploded, scattering and dispersing the illusions. In a rain of shattered glass and shards of mirror, she collapsed to the ground.