E.L. Maloney

Content Warning: Depictions of self harm
Flowers blossom out of blood, petals unfurling. A dozen limbs like spider legs glistening with scarlet, reaching down and thinning. The lycoris shines in the dim ceiling light, fighting the darkness of the small room where the girl sits and destroys.
The stem twists its way around muscle, curling through tissue, securing itself in its home. Scarlet runs through the creases of skin, pooling in the cuticles, dripping onto the carpet. She wraps her fingers around the pedicel, slick intertwining, and wrenches it out. Her forearm protests, vessels bursting, pouring. She examines the lycoris between her thumb and forefinger, rolling the stem. It is perfection. A monument of pain.
She places it in a vase, accompanying three others. The clear glass runs red.
Beside it, she takes a needle. She flinches as she threads skin back together, tight, secure. She licks the blood from her fingers, the taste filling cervices of untouched insanity, a pleasure unspoken.
Her skin still itches.
She is not finished.
Not satisfied.
Blade to skin again, where the next lycoris buds and protests under tissue. Pain flowers. The stem prickles as she rips it out, tearing at muscle too. She gasps.
If there is no agony, it doesn’t count. The punishment is not yet done.
She won’t stop until the itch falls silent, until the need to suffer is satisfied.
Maybe one day she will learn a different way to feel worthy.
Maybe then she won’t have to rely on the fulfilment of pain.
Author: E.L. “Loricia” Maloney (she/her) is a high fantasy novelist currently working on her hopeful debut. She aims to bring a balance to characterisation, plot, and worldbuilding in the epic fantasy genre. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok (@loriciawrites_) for daily content or read her published pieces through ScratchThat and QUT Glass Media.
Artist: Phoenix Sunrider (they/she) is an aspiring author with several works in the making. They love all kinds of animals, and add as many as possible into all their works whether that be high fantasy, magical realism, or even fan fiction. They currently have no social media platforms, but hope to develop some when more work is completed.
Edited by: Elly LaRoche and Ricky Jade