Aj groaned as he rolled over and picked up the phone."Hello." His
voice was rough with sleep and he regretted how harsh his voice
sounded. He heard the sound of someone crying on the phone and knew
it was Ashley."Ash what's wrong?" He sat up in bed as he rubbed the
sleep from his eyes.

"I-" She started but a sob ripped through her words.

"Ash, you're scaring me." He was wide awake now.

"I think I messed up." Her voice was almost inaudible.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and pulled his jeans up
his legs as he spoke,"Why Ash? What happened." He was out his
bedroom door before she answered.

"I wanted it to end." That made him stop mid-step on the stairs.

"You wanted what to end?" He knew the answer to the question
but he needed to know the answer. He grabbed his keys and ran toward
the garage as he listened to her.

"Me. I wanted me to end."

"No Ash. What did you do?" He grimaced as the garage door rose
too slow."Ash talk to me."

"I cut myself." She sobbed as she spoke and he didn't know if he
was imagining it or if her voice seemed weaker than it did when she first
called.

"Ashley baby, how bad?" Aj's tires squealed onto the asphalt as he
pulled out onto the street.

"There is a lot of blood. I didn't think there would be this much."
Aj's heart broke as he heard the awe in her voice, knowing she was in a
different place mentally."I didn't mean to leave this much mess."

"Ash, why did you do this?" He knew it was the wrong thing to ask
but he had to try. He had to know why she couldn't pull herself out of
this depression she had been in.

"I wanted it to stop. All the pain, all the agony. I can't handle it
anymore." As she spoke, he heard her moving around.

"Stop Ashley! Stay where you are. I'm almost there." He flipped off
the driver in the car behind him as he swerved into the other lane. He
slammed on his brakes as he neared her road."Talk to me Ash. I'm
almost there."

"I'm right here. I didn't want you to see me. That's not why I
called." When she spoke he knew he wasn't imagining it, her voice was
weaker. He sent a silent prayer heavenward as he turned into driveway.

"I'm here baby. I'm coming in." He opened the front door and
called her name through her house.

"I'm in the bathroom."

"Which one." He ran through the living room as he waited for her
answer.

"Upstairs."

He cut to the left and headed for the front stairs. He climbed the
stairs two at a time and skidded to a stop on the wood floor in front of
the bathroom door.

"Ashley." He pushed open the door and stared at the room in front
of him as he took in the horror in front of him.