Beyond the Edge

The last thing I remembered was the freezing water closing over my head, Brittany' s triumphant smile the final image in my mind.

Then, a gasp. I shot up, coughing, not in the dark river, but in my bed, sunlight streaming through the window.

Had it all been a nightmare? The public shaming, getting fired, the whispers, the utter despair that drove me to that river' s edge?

A self-satisfied hum from the living room shattered the illusion. Brittany.

My heart hammered. This wasn' t a nightmare. It was a second chance.

Memories flooded back: my sweet, bubbly roommate turning into a viper. She started using my online identity, my photos, twisting them into something sordid.

When I confronted her, she just laughed, "Chloe, don' t be such a prude. They love it. It' s just a bit of fun."