《Captivated by Hatred》(Vance hopper)

last call

Melina sat there with her head against the wall. her cheek had a small bruise from the grabbers slap. she looked down as she felt Vance shift next to her. he opened his eyes slowly and she smiled hopefully. he looked up at her and she moved his hair out of his face. Melina had stayed up all night. she would occasionally clean Vance's face but at the moment she was wearing her sweater. Vance looked at her face and sat up slowly. he winced and Melina stayed there quiet.

"how do you feel?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I'd say horrible but that'd be an understatement." he said. she nodded, understanding what he meant. he turned to her and looked her up and down.

"how do you feel?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I could feel worse" she said. in honesty she felt disgusting and her head hurt like crazy. Vance nodded but didn't look away from her.

"does your cheek hurt?" he asked and she shrugged.

"not that much" she said and he nodded he looked ways and Melina hesitantly put her head on his shoulder. Vance was surprised but none the less let her put her head on his shoulder. he laced his fingers with hers and they sat there in silence.

That was the moment Melina knew she liked Vance. All of her efforts of hating him didn't amount to how safe she felt in that moment. she was in the basement of a pedophilic rapist kidnapper and yet she knew she'd be okay if Vance was here.

"Hey Vance?" She asked and Vance looked at her briefly.

"yeah?" he responded.

"why are you so angry all the time?" She asked honestly. she never understood why he was always so angry. he took a deep breath in and out.

"being angry is easier than being sad. after a while, I think I forgot how to tell the two apart..." he said softly. Melina lifter her head and looked at him. she wrapped her arms around him quickly. he sat there in disbelief for a second before wrapping his arms around her and putting his head in the crook of her neck. he began to cry in that moment. he was at his wits end. she held him close to her as he cried. she shushed him and ran her hand over his head. the phone rang again and Melina ignored it as Vance cried in her arms. the door opened again and Melina looked behind her to see the grabber. Vance didn't look up, he knew who was there. the grabber looked at the phone briefly as it was still ringing. Melina took note of this but didn't address it. the grabber just looked at them. he set a plate of eggs down on the floor. no sprite this time.

"good morning you two" he said standing in the door way. "you guys have been naughty kids. don't let it happen again" he said the last part harshly. he turned around and walked upstairs, closing the door behind him. there was no click. there was silence before the phone rang again. Melina pulled away from Vance. he was still crying quietly. it hurt her to see him like this, since she first met him she thought he was the strongest person she ever met. she still thought he was. she wiped his tears and grabbed the plate and gave it to him as he slowly stopped crying. he began eating. Melina was tired, her body hurt and ached as she got up. she walked over to the phone and tiredly brought the phone to her ear.

"you don't have much time" a small quiet voice said. she was visible confused.

"who is this now?" She asked, she could tell it wasn't the original voice.

"that doesn't matter" he said. "you don't have much time. the grabber is about to leave. listen." he said and she did. she heard a door slam and a car drive away. she quickly put the phone back up to her ear.

"what does that mean?" She asked eagerly.

"upstairs, my bike lock is on the door. I can't remember the combination but I wrote it down on the wall." he said and Isabella's grasses slid across the floor and stopped at a wall. "its shoulder level when siting down" he said. she quickly ran over and looked over it until she found it. she grabbed the phone again. this was more tiring than she'd like. she was breathing heavily.

"wha-whats the... order" she said while taking a breath.

"I don't know. you'll have to try them all..." he said. she groaned and looked at the door leading to the stairs.

"you're sure he's gone?" She asked again and the boy answered.

"yes. hurry. you don't have much time." he said and she nodded. as she brought the phone away from her face she heard the girls voice from before. as she heard it, she recognized who it was. it was Isabella.

"milly?" Isabella said and Melina began to cry.

"issa, is that you?" She asked and there was a break.

"y-yeah. it's me" she said solemnly.

"its so great to hear your voice..." she said. she knew she was dead. she didn't need it to be confirmed. she guessed the other boy was Griffin Stagg. the other boy who went missing 4 years ago.

"its great to hear your voice too milly." she said with a pause. "promise me you'll get out" she said, Melina could hear the tears in her voice. Melina shook her head.

I don't know if I can issa" she said whipping her face. "everything has been so hard, especially since you disappeared" she said leaning on the wall. she was becoming too tired to stand.

"I know, but I need you to get out. he's not even in the same area right now. you guys could make a run, trust me" she said and Melina shook her head.

"I'm too tired issa" she said. Isabella sighed.

"make Vance, he's strong enough. he could go get help." she said and Melina looked over at Vance who was still bruised but seemed way more lively than her and nodded. she took a deep breath.

"o-okay. I will. are you sure we'll be okay?" she asked and Isabella hummed on the other side.

"I am sure. you guys got this" she said and Melina smiled.

"this is our last call Melina..." she said and Melina was now staring at the wall as if she knew where Isabella was standing.

"what? no! it cant be"

"but it is, you need to move on and you cant if I'm still holding onto you..." Melina began chocking up. for once Melina arellano was speechless. "this hurts me too Melina, trust me if I could I would be sitting in the arcade talking to Keith while watching you and robin. gosh you guys have grown so much. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough and couldn't make it home, but you guys can. Uncle Angel cant take another loss Melina... make it out, I hid a notebook in the bed. it has letters for a lot of people. take it out with you. please" Isabella pleaded and Melina nodded with tears in her eyes. 

"I will issa. I promise" Melina said determined.

"thank you. good bye Melina. I love you so much and I am proud I got to call myself your sister. don't let my name die okay?" Isabella said with a bitter smile on her lips and Melina nodded.

"I wont. bye Isabella" she said and all that could be heard was empty air...