A Graduation Gift

"Courtney!"

Whitney cried loudly. There were desperation and agony in her ear-piercing shriek.

Cassandra's heart sank horribly when she heard thescream. She rushed to the room where the voice came from and gasped when she saw what had happened inside.

The white European-style engraving dresser was turned upside down, and things that were once neatly placed on it were scattered on the floor.

Strong fragrance from a broken perfume bottle filled the room. Still, it failed to mask the smell of blood.

Courtney's long-sleeved silk nightgown was stained with blood. Cassandra's heart skipped a beat when she saw this.

The girl sitting on the floor was holding a piece of blade on her left hand, her face oblivious to her mother's scream. The shining piece of metal was bloody, too.

Looking closer, Cassandra realized that Courtney had cut herself. Blood oozed from the wound. And it stunned her just as much as it did Whitney.

After what felt like a long time, the frightened mother rushed to her daughter's side and knelt beside her. The girl still sat on her knees and gave no response at all. Whitney snatched the blade and flung it to a corner of the room before begging, "Please don't do this, Courtney!"

Then, tears started streaming down the poor woman's cheeks. Surrendering to the?sobs, she held the bloody girl tightly as she cried hoarsely.

"I don't know what to do, sweetheart!" she wailed, heartbroken. "I did not know when you'll give up and hurt yourself. It pains me so much to see you like this."

Whitney's face that was distorted in agony was a stark contrast to her daughter's, which was blank and indifferent, staring into the abyss.

Cassandra put her hands over her mouth to stop herself from screaming. The strain of the situation was too much for her, and she nearly burst into tears as well.

Whitney had told her that Courtney might have some mental problems, but she did not expect it to be so grave. She was thinking something possibly like sleepwalking or reluctance to interact with people, not to an extend that she would be predisposed to self-harm.

It now made sense why Whitney chose to be away from most people. She was a proud woman. She knew how gossip would spread if anyone found out that she had a mentally ill daughter.

Feeling pity, tears finally welled up in her eyes as Cassandra watched the mother holding the girl and crying her heart out.

Just then, they heard quick footsteps from downstairs. Seconds later, a man in a suit was led to the room by a steward.

The man was around 50 years old, and carried a medical kit with him. He wore grave expression as he strode into the room.

Hope shone in Whitney's eyes seeing the man.

"You must help her, Smithers. She... has cut her own wrist," Whitney pleaded.

and stepped aside to allow the doctor to get closer. It was then that Cassandra realized that the blood had stained her clothes too as she was holding her daughter, but it seemed to be the least of her

not the first time that Smithers had handled situations like this. He crouched down beside Courtney, took out some drugs and bandage from his kit, and put the bandage

process, Courtney watched without moving or making a sound. As the doctor dressed her wound, she continued to stare in a daze, as if

extremely beautiful, yet looked nothing more like a broken doll now—no soul, no feelings. Her

he finished treating the wound. He then turned to Whitney and said, "Didn't I tell you to take good care of her? It is true that she is less likely to hurt others, but she will most probably hurt herself when she is in doubt. You must keep an

advised, frowning. The man seemed

expect that she would do it again. She hasn't acted like this for months, so I thought that she might

what Cassandra saw the morning she arrived, her hair was no longer clean and tidy. Instead, she looked like a sorry figure with all the messy locks on her face. She was clearly so worried about her daughter that she did not have time to fix her appearance.

been troubling her!" the doctor declared. "Make sure that she keeps taking

medical kit, Smithers turned to leave. Before walking out of the room, he looked at Courtney

troubling her, " he lamented with a sign of regret

words got Cassandra thinking, 'What exactly is eating away at Courtney's soul? What on earth has

and help Courtney change. And I want the floor here cleaned up, too,"

mustered to give

like to help her

for Courtney and wished that there was

you, Cassandra. Thank you so much," responded Whitney. "I'll

a grateful look and

Cassandra took them over and closed the door, getting

at all. She just allowed them to do whatever they

her clothes gently, Cassandra saw some old wounds on her arms. Those were

that a girl as beautiful

girl proceeded to clean the

Suddenly, a necklace around Courtney's neck caught her

locket carved with vines that adorned its two windows. Cassandra realized immediately that it was a pendant in which Courtney might carry a photo...and it was

reached in to close it, she saw a familiar figure

what she saw. The face in the photo expanded

and gave herself a

was now in turmoil, as if she was knocked by a sudden blow and her

wondered.

possible that he has anything to do

in thought,

face, as though the

watching a girl walk out of