Dark Lullaby

Dark Lullaby: Chapter Four-The Fire

Dark Lullaby-Chapter Four.

Melanie stomped around the entire day. "I'm not old! I'm not old!" she complained. Her minions nodded obediently, offering her words of comfort. "And I look like the freak. Could the day get any worse?" she moaned. 

I didn't understand why Amelia was referred to as a freak. She was the most normal person I had met at my time here. My curiosity took the best of me as I met up with her after school. "Amelia!" I called after her. She was always ten steps ahead of me in a stride I could never match. She turned around and appeared next to me.

"Yes?" she responded. 

I never really practiced how I would phrase the question, so the words tumbled out in an awkward sound. "Why do they call you the school freak?" Instantly, I covered my mouth. "I mean, I don't think that. I-I just heard it around and..." Her expression was indecipherable. Her face said she was amused, but her eyes betrayed her. They were a mix of fear, sadness, and regret. 

I never really looked her right in the eyes, but I realized they told a different tale: she wasn't as spunky and confident as I believed she was. They were two dark pools of brown I couldn't break away from. It was like someone locked our gazes together. "I don't want to talk about it with everyone here," Amelia said quietly.

"Then let's go back to my house. Unless you don't want to. Because that's fine. You know, touchy subject and all," I babbled.

She half-smiled at me. "Yeah, sure. If your parents are okay with it."

Yup, they're fine with it. I could die and they wouldn't know!

"They aren't home," I said. I looked around, anywhere but her eyes. I preocuppied myself with searching for something utterly important in my pockets. She was gazing at me with an expression that I didn't bother to understand. Again, I was not looking at her. Amelia opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a shriek. We turned around to see who the owner of the scream was. I recognized her as Melanie.

"The classrom...the h-history room...freshmen floor...in flames," she jumbled out. She coughed loudly and I took a glance at Amelia. Her face was paler than before, and anger flashed through her eyes. Without a word, she ran. She was a blur of quick movement. I was unable to distinguish her features from one another.

I didn't think twice.

I followed her.

There was no chance I could ever match her speed. I kept on running, though. I couldn't let her go inside. There was a fire inside-a fire! I would never live with myself if something happened to her. 

My hand reached for the handle on the school's front doors. The air was thick and I had trouble breathing. I wouldn't stop. She was my responsibility, I needed to protect her. I threw open the classroom door and coughed. All I saw were the orange flames eating away at the room. Smoke crept along the walls. Amelia was no where in sight. My eyes watered with the effect of all the smoke. I broke down coughing again and called her name between fits.

I was about to give in to the smoke that was overpowering me when I was lifted off the ground. When I tried to see who was carrying me, my vision with blurry. I finally drifted into unconciousness.

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I wasn't sure when I woke up, but I was in a room I didn't recognize. It looked like a bedroom, and I was lying on a black bed. The walls were a dark red color, and there was a dresser, mirror, and bookshelf placed around the room. I rubbed my eyes and saw Amelia brushing her hair in front of the mirror. She turned around and smirked. "Hola senor sleepyhead," she greeted.

"Yo cansado," I responded, scratching my head.

She shook her head. "Ah ah ah. Yo estoy cansado. That means I am tired," she corrected. I glared at her.

"How'd I end up here?" I asked, sitting up. Amelia sat next to me, cross-legged.

"Let me ask you a question. What on earth posessed you to follow me into the history room?" She had her arms crossed and was shooting me a look. I dodged her question.

"Why'd you go in?" I inquired. She shook her head.

"Damian, this isn't about me. We're talking about you. Do you realize what could've happened if I wasn't there to carry you out of the fire?" She took on a tone that said You're-my-responsibility-so-stop-being-stupid.

"Wait, you carried me out?" I questioned.

She shrugged. "Yeah. No big deal. But you could've, god forbid, died in there. Don't you understand?" she replied. I looked at my hands. Being scolded by Amelia wasn't a pleasure.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe," I answered simply. After I said that, something different happened.

Amelia smiled. It wasn't a smirk or a half-smile. It was a genuine and kind smile. "I was fine. You weren't very smart to go inside. But, I have to say, that was the sweetest and corniest thing anyone ever said to me, Damian," she said. I smiled back at her. Then I wrung my hands together and didn't look up.

"Amelia, there's something I've been waiting to tell you." She looked up and patiently waited for whatever I needed to say. If only it was that easy to just say it.

"I really like you. You're funny, sweet, smart, and so many other things to me."

She kept gazing at me, letting me take my time with my awkward speech. She smiled again while I gathered my thoughts.

I leaned in and closed my eyes. She did the same. We were so close, probably a centimeter away from granting me my wish. 

That's when she pulled back. "Don't," she whispered, almost inaudibly. I let go of her so I could look into her eyes. She sighed and pulled her legs toward her, resting her chin on her knee. "Damian, I haven't been completely honest with you..."

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I wish I'd known the risks before I'd fallen for him.

I wish I'd stopped myself.

I wish I'd never responded, "I love you, too."

He had said he loved me, and I blindly returned his words. I didn't know what could happen. I thought it'd be a walk in the park. Just two lovestruck, helpless children. I didn't know he can die from it.

I am a monster.

I caused him to die.

Everything was my fault. I wish I could take it all back. Because every time I look into his eyes, I see his former self.

I see everything we used to be.

I hear his scream.

I feel my heart beating.

I would never live with myself if something happened to him again. Finally, he's back. It's everything I'd ever wished for. Now he's here, bringing me these flashbacks to everything that we've been through. But now I know the penalties for the awful things I've done. I have the chance to stop him now. 

I have to tell him the dangers of loving me.

I'm possibly toxic to his life.

I can't let him die in my hands again.

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So this chapter was inspired by the book Fallen. The history room fire came to me after the library fire. I added my own twist to it, and might I say that I loved that book? <3

Anyways, voting takes a second and comments take less than a minute. Fan if you like. (: It's mucho apreciato, thank you very much. 

Also, I hope you love my mastering of cliffhangers. >:D I know it annoys the heck out of some people, but hey. You gotta pay the bills somehow. Vote, comment, fan? Thank youuuuu.