When the tears subsided, the two sat down together underneath the tree.

Alice giggles, still a little light-headed from the rush of emotions. She holds up a small bag of cookies. “I-I actually baked some cookies for you, Sophie, but now they’re all smushed because of that hug.”

Sophie laughs, hugging her friend tightly. “That’s hilarious! I guess it’s payback for what I tried to hand to you in December!”

Alice sniffles, crying happy tears while she stares at the crumbled cookies in her hand. “You know, I really am such an idiot…!”

…

“You know, you really are such an idiot.”

A girl pants, blood dripping from her mouth. Countless red strings surround her, hanging her up against the abandoned factory wall.