Haunted

Elizabeth

Dead leaves crunched behind me as another person approached. Whoever it was wanted to catch up to me.

"Melanie, stop!" Elizabeth called.

Wait, Elizabeth? For the second time that day, I stopped and turned around. Yet this time, I was happy to. "Elizabeth!!!!"

"Hi.  Are you going to Mormon with me?" She asked excitedly, like she was meeting her idol. She sure seemed happy for a dead girl.

She's going to Mormon. Of course she is. Now I'm going to be stuck with a group of thugs and I'll be the odd one out forever. I sighed. "Uh. . . I'm not. I've been cast away into Somora. And there is no way of escaping. There's no point in trying to get me out."

Her face fell. "Well maybe there will be other good people who were accidentally put in the wrong place. You'll be fine," Elizabeth comforted, but clearly didn't believe a word she said. She stroked my back like my mom would do. My mom would say, "Don't worry my little girl, you will always be okay." And then she would give me a great big hug and she would stroke my back.

This time I wasn't okay. "There is one thing you should understand. I wasn't accidentally put in Somora, I'm supposed to be there. I just don't think I'm bad enough or good enough to be in either place."

"Sure you're go-" Elizabeth started.

"No. I was the reason we died in the first place. If I hadn't run off, and you hadn't followed me, we would be planning our next play date in the world up above. Yet because of me, I'm stuck in Somora and your life was cut short." I sat down and began to cry. "It's all my fault," I sniffed.
 
Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. She knew I was right.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not giving up on you just yet," Elizabeth said quietly, so quietly that at first I thought I was hearing things.

My soft cries stopped.  What does she mean?  I gave her a look that said explain because I knew that if I spoke all of Somora would flood because of my tears.  Maybe that would be a good thing.

She sighed.  "I mean, I will not let you sit in Somora.  We have to do something about your predicament.  I can't just let you rot away.  Even if you are the reason why I'm down here, it was my choice to follow you.  You did nothing wrong."  She looked at me as sincerely as a baby kitty who had just opened its big green eyes to look at you.

"But how are you going to get me out?  You'll just get in trouble and then you will be stuck in Somora with me.  I don't want to be there, but it's what's supposed to happen.  Whoever sent me here must have made the right choice," I argued fiercely, my voice like a lion's.

"Melanie.  Just listen," Elizabeth growled.  "I want to help you and you won't even listen to me!"  Our voices were getting louder and louder as our faces got redder and redder.  "We have to at least try."  Her fists clenched in fury.

I glared at her.  Who did she think she is anyway, some sort of hero coming to the rescue of a criminal?  Other people walking turned to stare at our argument.

"Maybe I can just deal with it instead of trying to get out the easy way.  If I don't deserve Mormon, than I won't go to Mormon!" I screeched.  The crowd that had formed gasped.  I turned away from Elizabeth and started to run towards the gates.  It was almost like I was running towards the library again, just trying to escape.  If ever I was running, I was running to a scary place.

"Melanie.  I have an idea.  I want to help you," Elizabeth called, but my anger was too strong.

"Did you ever think that I don't want your help?"  I called back.  The crowd began to go to whichever side they believed in.  My voice was beginning to get tired of arguing.  I began to start walking, and my side followed me.

A boy, about the same age as me tapped me on the shoulder.  "You should give her a chance.  I would die to have a reason to go on an adventure like that.  You'll have to go to the council and then they will decide your fate.  It would be so much fun," he rambled, not remembering that he was talking to me.

"So it would be a good idea," I confirmed.

"Yeah."

"How would you like to come with us on that little adventure?" I asked.  The boy seemed so eager.  It wasn't right for me to just give up on Elizabeth when she wouldn't give up on me, and the boy helped me realize that.

His eyes widened.  "Yes."

"Elizabeth," I yelled back to her.  "Lets go on adventure!"

The crowd cheered as she ran up to me in excitement.  "Are you serious!?" She squealed.

"I am.  Are you ready?"

"Let's do this," everyone  (about 15 people) answered immediately.

"Then lets go.  Where to?" I asked the boy.

"First, we will go to Mormon.  And by the way, my name is Leo," Leo said.

"Nice to meet you," I said to Leo.  Then to the crowd I screamed,"To Mormon!"  With that, we were off to change my fate.