This morning had begun for her… Or had it?
She tossed and turned until 2am, closing her eyes in vain, but sleep refused to come. At last, she chose not to resist - she finished one book and delved into the next. The letters blurred before her eyes, yet they held her mind captive in their web. Around six, she finally conceded defeat: her body needed rest, however brief.
A busy day lay ahead: cooking, the gym, a work meeting. She repeated these words like a mantra, as if convincing herself that the day would be so full there would be no room for unnecessary thoughts. A single hesitation, the smallest pause, and the voice of the black heart would seep into the silence. And she did not want to hear it.
Her gaze lingered on the tulips in the vase. They stood in the same spot, slightly drooping, yet still alive, still reaching for the light. She smiled at them - a faint, almost imperceptible smile - then, without hesitation, set off to face the day.