Golden Rule

TW: Depending on how you view this story, several of the provided warnings could apply. Suicide is the one most plainly written. Can you guess the topics that inspired this story?

You pulled your arms up towards your chest, staring off into the distance. Your insides twisted, churning a toxicity only a mind as foul, as acidic as yours could create. Nausea ran up your throat trying to spew and taint everything around you. You curled up like an idiot child in the corner, lowering your head, closing your eyes.

Another day, another annoyance. Another pain, another reminder. Everything reminded you of the hurt. The people you've lost to the world. Their souls withering away into dust, forgotten to everyone but you. Their absence, a scar on your mind and view of peace. Of good.

Mere minutes past before you slowly rose from the bed, a whip like feeling hitting your core as you realize you took til noon to be able to function. Like an idiot child.

Angrily you made your way to your closet, mindlessly grabbing at the various clothes available to you. You didn't bother with the so-called hygiene society forced on you. You showered last night, you didn't smell. You were awake and alive, that was enough. It should've been, at least.

The ignorance of society slowly clawed at you as you ate your "breakfast". You blinked a couple times, staring at the terribly fucking made eggs. Biting your tongue you pushed the plate back, standing up from the table. Making sure you had all you needed, keys and your wallet, shoes on your feet, you left your house.

Your coworkers didn't seem to mind or notice your apathy to their comments, their laughter. And with a sigh, you didn't care. You were awake, alive and working. That was all that mattered to them. You wished that bothered you, but it honestly made your thoughts for tonight easier. The day to day was hell already, your brain permanently a fuck up just like your personality and soul. And your "breakdown" this morning? That just proved it.

You clocked out of work, after what seemed like nothing. You walked to your car, quickly driving out of the parking lot. Tapping your fingers on the wheel, you eyed the cars around you. You were too tired to want others to understand your pain (which often meant them feeling it), so you decided to just showcase it. And what way was best to do that? Drive off the highway, straight into the trees of course.

I groaned, rolling onto my back. Blinking my eyes open, I canceled my alarm slowly sitting up. Tears already started to well in my eyes as I stared at the time. Five o' two. Chewing on the inside of my lip I grabbed my phone, immediately heading to the Internet.

That 1 person in every friend group!!!

REAL THiNGS Ive seen As Paramedic!

Live Updates: Deadly Fires Continue to Spread....

INSTANT REGRET!

Special Counsel Who Oversaw President....

TikTok Made Me Buy These Items!!

Ukraine Says It Captured Two Injured....

Imperialistic Dreams Run Rampant....

My Dad Kicked Me Out

My STALKER Came Back!!!!

Missing 13 Year Old Girl Found Dead....

I got my LAST plastic SURGERY

How to draw anime style

Mom's Gardening Tips

Home cooked meal tutorial

When u wanna b artist

32 bodies found in basement!!?!?!?!

8 YTbers Revealed to be EVIL

Local Sheriff Seeks Help With Cold Case....

Ways Liberals Are Corrupting Society

Serial Rapist Released From Prison....

I bit my lip, tossing my phone onto my bed, shaking my head as if that could get rid of the world's fucking chaos. I made my way to my closet, biting my tongue and ignoring my tears as I got dressed. I had to look like I put effort into this outfit, so I grabbed a couple necklaces and a pair of earrings. My hair and everything else didn't matter. I just had to look good.

Breakfast was bland, like always. The homework was just as tiresome and bitter as always. And like always, I wanted to scream at the kids on the bus with me, as we all headed to a school that didn't like us in some way shape or form. We were never perfect enough no matter how hard any of us tried.

All of my teachers assigned homework again. Two of them had quizzes for Wednesday, and another had part one of a test Monday. I was in AP classes, of course. I should have expected this, college certainly would, teachers all tell us. Adults all tell us.

Absolutely exhausted and stressed, trying to ignore the bitter numbness in my chest, I walked home from the bus trying to ignore the words kids at school repeated from the news, from their adults of influence.

It was like the weight of the world was on me. High school, the pressure for a job and car. College. My parents. My family, students and peers. The world wanting me to be more, when I just wanted to be a kid in the mud laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. But it was 2025. And the economy, society and environment can't afford joy. They needed hard working cold people. I crumbled onto my bed, grabbing my phone. They needed pretty, unrealistic, perfect people.

You failed. Some passerby came to help you. You didn't know how to feel, as the paramedics helped you with the pain you made. The passerby told you her name was Amanda, and that she was going to come and stay with you in the hospital until your loved ones arrived. You felt your heart squeeze, you weren't sure how to tell her. You decided you wouldn't, for her security. But you knew, and probably she did too- that you needed it. Her.

My mom knocked on my barely closed door, asking if she could come inside. A couple seconds later she came in, despite the fact I didn't answer. I clenched my jaw, setting down my phone as I turned to look at her. She sighed softly as she asked if I would be okay with a couple days away from school. She mentioned how exhausted and stressed I was. My heart squeezed, I wanted to say I couldn't. And I couldn't, not if I wanted school to continue being a sort of good thing. But I needed it. Her.