save me - taylor swift

The alarm on Ruby's phone buzzed, pulling her out of the restless daze she had been stuck in for the past hour.

This was it.

She pushed herself off the couch, her limbs feeling heavier than they ever had before. She was used to this—to the preparation, the waiting, the execution. She had done this countless times, slipping into houses like a ghost, ending lives before they even realized what was happening. But tonight, something felt off. Her hands weren't steady as she strapped on her holster, weren't sure as she checked the weight of her gun. Her stomach churned with something she refused to name.

She pulled her black hoodie over her head, tucking her hair into a tight bun before grabbing the black mask that would cover the lower half of her face. The less recognizable she was, the better. The city was crawling with cameras, and the last thing she needed was anyone getting too close to figuring out who she was.

Her fingers lingered over her knife before she grabbed it, tucking it into the inside of her jacket. A gunshot would wake the whole house, but a blade... a blade could be quiet.

She took one last deep breath, then stepped outside.

⸻

The cliff overlooking Taylor's house gave her the vantage point she needed. The place was dark, save for a few outdoor lights and the faint glow from one of the rooms on the first floor. The side entrance—her way in—was unguarded. Sloppy. Ruby had warned Taylor about this before, about how easy it would be for someone to slip inside if they weren't careful. The thought made her jaw clench.

Slipping her hands into her gloves, she descended toward the house, moving soundlessly through the shadows.

She had Taylor's entire routine memorized by now. She knew what time she went to sleep, how heavy of a sleeper she was, and where every creaky floorboard in the house was. She knew exactly how long she had before someone noticed something was wrong.

Ruby pressed her back against the cool wall of the house, inhaled deeply, then reached for the doorknob.

Unlocked.

Jesus Christ.

It was almost too easy.

She slipped inside, the darkness swallowing her whole. The house was eerily silent, the only sound coming from the distant hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak from the old wooden floors.

One step at a time, she made her way upstairs.

Her breath was steady, her footsteps silent. Years of training made it second nature. She reached the second floor, moving toward the bedroom she had walked into so many times before.

The door wasn't locked. Of course it wasn't.

Slowly, carefully, she turned the knob and pushed the door open.

Taylor was asleep.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow over the room. She was curled up beneath the covers, her blonde hair splayed out over the pillow. The rise and fall of her chest was slow and steady, her lips parted slightly as she breathed.

For a moment, Ruby just stood there.

She shouldn't have. She should've moved quickly, should've done what she came here to do without hesitation. But she didn't.

She stared.

Because she wasn't looking at just another target.

She was looking at Taylor.

And for the first time in her life, Ruby felt sick.

Her fingers twitched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms.