RENEE

I drew my sight back to the gift box in my grasp and took a deep breath. I completed untying the ribbon knots and lifted the box's top to reveal its contents.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful red rose nestled inside the box, its petals hanging downward. The edges of the blossom were twisted. The stem was lengthy and delicate, but the tips were perfectly cut, and the side leaves were shiny and black. They were almost like claws, appearing sharp and frightening while also ...