Decipher | Watty's 2017

LV. Via Delorosa

Via Dolorosa

/ˈvēə ˌdäləˈrōsə,ˌdōlə-/

noun

a distressful or painful journey or process

Melissa's POV

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I lied in the dark, still staring at the ceiling at three in the morning. Since Luke had left my room, I couldn't sleep, and even when I tried, my body would jolt me awake screaming for heat in the cold room I had barricaded myself into due to my aching heart. Although I knew it was my fault, I couldn't get past the anxiety that filled me from Luke's departure. Was he really going to leave so easily?

I couldn't blame him though. Who would put up with someone who could never make up their mind? He was an angel and I had treated him as nothing even close to his worth. He was only trying to explain himself and I let my pride hurt, not only him, but myself as well. Now I was stuck in this endless maze of my mind, trying to find a way out and screaming for help even though no one seemed to hear a thing.

Memories of my old life seemed to cloud my mind as I remembered vividly the amount of times I would lie awake like this, stuck in my own thoughts until the early hours of the morning. It had been over a year since I had those kind of nights. Part of that had to do with Luke. That boy seemed to be the answer to everything.

He was the source of my problems, yet the only source of light in my dark life. He was the epitome of beauty while also being the definition of a disaster. He was my rising dawn and setting sun; nevertheless, I had ruined my happiness with him all to prove a point that, at the moment, was moot to me.

As my eyes began to close in another vain attempt to get some rest, my ears heard an all too familiar scream from the room next to mine.

"No!" the voice said. That was the only syllable leaving his mouth, but it was repeated and frantic. Without processing anything, my body rose and ran for the room as my ears could recognize that cry any day. My numb arms managed to open the door and walk inside only to discover the boy that held my world in the palm of his hand curled up in a small ball, arms wrapped around his knees slightly to keep him warm despite the sweat coming from his forehead.

"Melissa," his raspy voice whispered out. Pain and anguish were easily detected in his voice as I hurriedly sat on his bed, trying to cause him to gain consciousness and wake him from this nightmare.

Luke's POV

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My whole body ached as I walked down the alleyway, I couldn't even remember how I got here. The only thing running through my mind was to keep my eyes open and to not make a sound. Something inside told me that someone was after me, but I didn't know how I could know that.

My entire mind was blank as to what was happening. Was this a dream? Of course it wasn't, this alleyway was too real and the tension was too palpable to be a dream. You could hear my heart beating wildly in my chest as I turned the corner, hearing a shrill scream from around the corner: Melissa.

Her voice was one that I could never forget or miss. My feet carried me down the street, making a left to go down a dimly lit passage between two buildings. Screams still filled the air as I traveled as fast as possible without being heard. It was a typical training technique I had been taught since I could remember, never run faster than silent. That was one lesson that kept me out of trouble for the longest time in my career.

"Luke!" Melissa's voice radiated through the four way intersection I was currently located. My mind raced as I analyzed the situation. She could be down any of these streets, but which is the most logical. Despite the urban setting surrounding me, only one street lamp was on, leading me to follow the path laid out before me.