Darkness Will Come to Light [1]

VIII. Sempiternal

Since the moment Mel dyed the ends of her dark hair blue, she took to wearing a hoodie anytime she was in the vicinity of her stepdad. She didn't want to deal with his reaction to her hair. It was likely not to go well. He did not need any more fuel for his raging fire.

It was Tuesday, but Mel woke up that morning hoping it was already the weekend so she could sleep in. No luck.

Another rainy and dismal day in Forks greeted her and she sighed to herself before rolling out of bed. Melaina pulled on the clothes that she already picked out, painted some makeup on her blotchy face, and made her way downstairs.

She was in the kitchen, pulling together a cereal breakfast when her stepdad stomped into the kitchen.

"Morning," Mel mumbled. She poured milk on her Cheerios and set the gallon back in the fridge.

Without warning, Jeremy stood behind her. "What are you hiding from me?" Before she could respond, he roughly yanked her Black Veil Brides hoodie back, nearly strangling her when it tightened around her neck. She cried out and grabbed futilely at the collar to lessen the choking sensation. Her cereal bowl teetered on the edge of the granite counter top.

She was right. Not only did he pitch a fit when he caught sight of her blue hair, but Jeremy questioned her about where she got the money to do it. He left money in the kitchen for her to buy food so they wouldn't starve, but he accused her of stealing from him to buy extra unnecessary things.

"I didn't steal any money," Mel insisted. "I have my own account." His response was a punch in the gut. Literally. Melaina curled over at the impact against her stomach. Mel bit her lip to keep herself from crying at the pain. She wasn't hungry anymore.

Jeremy left for work without another word, leaving his only daughter to collect herself and finish getting ready for school. She dumped her cereal in the trash and set the bowl in the dishwasher.

Tears gathered in her eyes when she climbed the stairs to pick up her backpack. Her stomach hurt and her head throbbed.

She started to walk out of her bedroom door, but hesitated at the threshold. She glanced at her digital clock on the nightstand. School started in fifteen minutes; the bus would arrive in about three.

The pulsing of her heart and blood throughout her body practically made the decision for her. If she went to class like this, she would never concentrate with the anxiety burning inside her.

Mel backtracked towards the bathroom.

~*~

The overcast skies matched her Melaina's mood. Birds chirped a solemn tune as they dove for cover when it started to pour. Hair dripping, downtrodden, and brokenhearted, Mel felt lost. Not physically lost--she was standing on the curb outside of Forks High.

Melaina was emotionally lost. Sadness filled every crevice of her being, and the feeling made her tired. Somehow she managed to drag herself out of bed that morning and deal with her stepdad before noon, but now that she was at school, she was ready to turn around and head home.

The chatter of students hurrying to class before the next bell and the beep beep of cars locking filled the air. Normal sounds, but it added to Mel's growing headache. She rubbed the itchy wound on her wrist and sighed when her gaze landed on the passing vehicles and students. The world was oblivious to Melaina's inner turmoil.

School seemed like a waste. Mel wasn't planning on attending college. She couldn't afford to pay for it by herself, and she didn't possess the intelligence required for a decent scholarship. She was stuck.

Her past was a stormy cloud of screaming, pain, and tears. Her present added anger and loneliness. Her future held nothing.

"Can you tell from the look in her eyes? We're going nowhere. We live our lives like we're ready to die. We're going nowhere. You can run, but you'll never escape. Over and over again!"

The lyrics of a Bring Me the Horizon song distracted her. She took too long thinking, her mind a whirl of downward spinning thoughts. The crosswalk light blinked to red for pedestrians to stop crossing the busy road onto campus.

A school bus groaned as the elderly driver shifted the gears and stepped on the gas pedal.

As if she were sleepwalking, Melaina drifted into the street. She would not be trapped in Forks with her stepdad forever, if that was the last thing she did.

The brunette watched with dimmed grey eyes as the bus rushed towards her human body. Birds sang, cars beeped, tires squealed, and Mel waited for the inevitable impact that would put her out of her misery.

A rush of chilly air whipped her dark hair into her eyes and mouth. Hands like stone held her arms in front of her swaying body. A strangled sound pushed through her lips. Mel was no good at life, and now she had failed at death?

She heard voices, soft and urgent. Dizziness from her headache and the rush overtook her senses. Her vision blurred, and her wrist ached.

Alice caught the pale girl before her body could hit the wet cement.

"You can run, but you'll never escape..."

~*~ ♡ ~*~ ♡ ~*~ ♡ ~*~

United States

Suicide hotline: 1-800-784-2433

Child Abuse hotline:
1-800-792-5200

(All) Crisis hotline:
1-800-233-4357

Domestic/Teen Dating Violence hotline:
1-800-992-2600

Sexual Assault hotline:
1-800-223-5001

I thought I'd share these with you, because you never know who needs the support. You're not alone.

Darling, you'll be okay...♬