Suicide

Screams

"Is this 'journey' over now? Can we go back?"

"No." Replied Death. "It's not over yet. And exactly where do you want to go 'back'?"

"I... I don't know. Wherever we came from." I shrugged.

"Oh, Heather... when you get there, you'll realise that this better, you know."

I scowled. That's all I could do, right? "Shut up."

He chuckled. "All right. Close your eyes, now."

I did and when I opened them, I was in Melanie's room. She was sitting in her bed, staring at her hands.

The door opened. It was her mother, Hazel. "Lani? Darling, Brandon's here to see you."

"Send him in." She said in a flat voice.

Hazel had probably expected a better response. She pursed her lips. "Okay."

She left and the next moment, Brandon entered.

"Hey, Lani. How are you feeling?" He asked, softly.

"I'm not okay." She muttered.

He sat down beside her, took her hand and squeezed it.

"What did you do today? Did you go out? Did you eat?" He asked.

"No. I stayed at home. I have no desire to eat. Don't say that I should eat something because I don't want to and I won't."

He sighed. "Okay. Did you talk to someone?"

"Jess called."

"And what did Jessica say."

"Oh. The usual." Said Melanie, bitterly. "She said that it wasn't my fault at all."

"Because it isn't."

"Brandon! You don't understand!" She cried. Tears spilled from her eyes. "It is my fault. I knew that she was upset and then, I fought with her!"

"You had a fight?" He frowned.

She bit her lip and nodded. "Yes. It was her fault. She was being rude. so I didn't talk to her. I totally ignored her. She called many times but I hung up. She wanted to say 'sorry' but I wouldn't listen! I never gave her the chance to apologise. Hell, I wish I had! I should've forgiven her but I was being unreasonable. I pushed her to her limits! It was the last straw! I broke her, Brandon... and she's dead! She's gone. I want to kill myself!"

My face was wet with tears. At this, I screamed. "No! NO, Lani, please don't do that! It's okay! Don't kill yourself, PLEASE!"

"She can't hear you." Snapped Death. "But she can hear him."

"Hell, NO!" Cried Brandon. "You won't do that, Lani. Please don't.
You shouldn't blame yourself. She wouldn't like it, okay? It was her fault, too. She should not have done this, no matter what happened."

Melanie took her face in her hands as she wailed and sniffled while Brandon watched helplessly.

After a while, she settled down. "When I found out." She said, slowly. "I screamed and I screamed. I ran over to her house and tried to shake her awake. But nothing happened. I hoped that this was just a terrible dream... till, she was buried yesterday. Oh Brandon, it hurts so much..."

"I know. I felt the same way. I was so shocked that I didn't speak for the whole day. But the next day, that is yesterday, it was final. THE END. It was over and there was nothing I could do. I have never felt so helpless in my whole life."

I watched Melanie cry onto his shoulder. I saw his sad expression. I saw their tears.

And it broke me... because I had done this. I had hurt them.

That's when I completely lost control. I screamed and screamed till my throat hurt. Death did not seem least perturbed by this so I screamed till I lost my voice (temporarily).

"Done?"

I nodded.

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Crazy girl."

Then, he smiled. "Well, we're done. No more reactions to watch. Now, I'll show you why you should live. Ready?"

I sighed. "Ready."