The Abyss

It's almost midnight in this diner and I begin to worry that they won't show. They didn't clarify an exact time for when they would show up. They never tell me when they'll show up, they just do. Lately they've been around almost all the time. But they always know that I'm here, even when I'm not. I can never seem to actually escape this diner. And they know that.

"Good to see you again, still looking as awful as ever." They say as they snake into the booth seat across from me. I don't respond. Sometimes if I don't engage with them and focus on other things they go away. "Awe, the silent treatment? Come on, that's pretty mean. And you know that only monsters do mean things like that." They practically sing the words as they drum their fingers against the table with a mischievous grin. A waitress drops them off a cup of pure boiling hot water. "Thanks sweetie." They give her a wink as she walks away. "Look, I got something to share with you. You know you don't deserve that nice tea you got there. You know it was a bitch for the waitress to make that special tea."

"It wasn't special." I've engaged. I'm now stuck in this exchange, whether I like to or not.

"Nice of you to actually talk to me. For a second I thought you were hanging out with people who cared about you, but I forgot that people like that don't and never will exist." They chuckle to themself. "You know what? You're right. It wasn't special. Nobody would ever take the time to make something special for a pest like you. They would rather feed a cockroach than you."

"Please shut the fuck up." I grab my head and cradle it in my lap between my arms. Time to focus on my breathing. "You're being mean."

"Awe, I'm being mean? It's called honesty, honey. You think I'm saying stuff no one else hasn't thought of? I promise you that they all talk about it when you leave the room." They sip the hot water and I feel my mouth begin to burn. "You know those friends you think you have? They all wish you were dead. They wish you had to guts to do it a long time ago. Such a shame, really. You're practically draining the life force from them the longer you live. They feel tied down to you, because at the end of the day. Tsk tsk tsk. How selfish you are for doing that to them."

"Stop lying to me." I whisper.

They chuckle some more then take a few big gulps of the water. My entire throat burns and I can feel it begin to blister. They grab a sugar packet and pour it in, using their finger to stir it. I hiss as I hold onto my finger.

"Stop doing that!"

"You know you could if you really wanted to. Lately you've been letting me have a lot of fun. Really, it's the best thing you've done in years." They grin as they lick the sugar water off their finger. "You haven't let me have anything here in so long that I've wanted. It's been too many over sweetened teas and chocolate chip pancakes in here, and you know that's not much my style. You've known what I've wanted, and now you're letting me have it. Really, it's a treat for everyone."

"It sure as fuck isn't for me." My teeth gnaw on the inside of my cheeks.

"Then how come you're always here at this breakfast diner when I show up?" They grin as they begin to sip on the boiling water again.

I close my eyes and begin to take deep, slow breaths. I inhale the smell of chocolate chip pancakes in the air alongside many other breakfast foods. The sound of old couples in the background laughing, babies laughing in the background as they make a mess and parents laughing too as they try to quickly clean it before the server comes around, servers talking in the back and complaining about x, y, z, the sound of all the silverware and plates clattering around me with some tunes I adore playing in the background.

"Because this place is mine." I open my eyes and they're gone. They left nothing behind but a cup of warm honey vanilla tea.