Invisible

Chapter One

Chapter 1

The Galaxy. Blooming colors, dark patches, and sprinkled stars. I find myself float in the galaxy, with no planets inheriting it.

I stare down at my bare feet and gray jeans. I begin to feel panic thumping through my head, and I squirm to escape this constellation-filled space. I try and try to move, but something is pulling me back. Blond strands of hair block my vision. I swirl around, and I see through a pit of stars and stardust, a blue planet. Peaceful and serene, sitting on top of the darkness. But, something crawls from the corner - blackness. Ugly and inhabiting, covering the planet. It looks like ink or tar as it gushes over the surface.

"No... stop," I hear myself yell.

The darkness is reaching the core of the planet, the surface cracking apart as the darkness pours in.

"Stop! Don't!" But, it's too late. Pitch black goo boils on the surface, bubbling and rumbling.

I feel tears build in my eyes, and they drift off to outer space.

"Why would you do that?" I mutter under my tears.

The planet sits on the galaxy, consumed with evil.

The galaxy is an empty void now, so quiet that I can here my heart beat, my organs shift, my lungs gathering non-existent air. In the silence, I begin to hear faint yelling... Very familiar. A male voice. It grows and grows, so loud, piercing my eardrum.

"Melanie..." The deep, gravely voice calls.

I cover my ears and curl into a ball a the galaxy starts to rumble, the planet breaking apart into large, black chunks and flying towards me.

"Melanie! Wake up!" I wail again, making my head throb. I scream as the rock flies past me, skimming my back and head. A sudden bright light emerges from behind the wall of rock a tar, so blinding that I squeeze my eyes shut.

Suddenly, everything goes silent. The light dims in a instant through my eyelids. My ears ring. I feel my body relax, and I feel something soft and cold on my back, and a heavy, soft blanket covering the rest of my body.

"Where," I manage to open my dry mouth and spit out a word. My throat feels dry and sore.

I find myself in a room full of beeps and chatter. I hear a fan whizzing above me, sending a cool, chilling breeze.

"Mel? Are you awake?" The voice murmurs again, a hot breath on my cheek.

I open my heavy eyes, my sight blurry. I blink a few times to collect my surroundings.

"Yeah... I'm awake... Why wouldn't I be?" My voice is shaky. My head pings with searing pain.

"Melanie, you're... you're awake. I - I'm so glad to see you." Dad says with a manly voice. He likes to hid his sadness by acting as manly as possible. At the end of his sentence, his voice shakes. His eyes grow puffy with tears, wrapping his bulky arms around me. He cries into my shoulder.

"Dad... It's okay. I'm alright - wait... where am I?" I wrap my weak arms around his wide shoulders, pulling against the IV that's attached to my arm. I glance around the white and quiet room.

Machines, wracks of medicine, a tray of pudding and apple juice, and chatter outside the door surround me. I stare down at my arms and wrist, which are covered in scars, each one different in length and depth, color and angle.

"You're at the hospital." He says, still crying in my shoulder. I feel his tears deep into the thin hospital gown.

"How long have I been here, dad?"

Dad looks down at the floor, tears soaking his cheeks. He lets go of me and leans back, still perched on the edge of my hospital bed. I hold him up closer and repeat the question.

He hesitates. "Melanie... You've been staying in here for a while. You've been here for 6 months."

I'm in shock. Dad sobs again, harder. He climbs up next to me, so he can hold on to me better. I stare at the ceiling. It's terrifying to watch your own father cry, after watching him split logs and play poker in our hazy living room, chuckling as he sips a beer and takes a puff from a Cuban cigar. I've been never really seen him cry, only sit in silence has he sinks into sorrow and frustration. But truthfully, I have no idea what is going on.

Dad wasn't able to tell me why I'm at the hospital. He just calmed himself down and sat with me, nearly falling lasers until I told him he was crushing my arm. He never really spoke, just sat there, holding onto me and watching the ceiling fan turn in a blur. I guess this is all just too much for him.

I know that I'm in the hospital, and my heart is beating wildly, but I feel like I'm dead and drained of life. I am tired and in pain, and that dream left a serious imprint on me, and I can't stop thinking about the planet, how it was destroyed and charred in a matter of seconds, and I had no way to help it. What if people... or aliens were on it? What if my dream contained mass genocide of an entire planet?

I can't think about this anymore. My father eventually got up to buy a pop, and sat down on the guest chair in my room. We talked about my sister Tracy, and my step mother Gina. Eventually he passed out with the pop in hand, and I finally felt the deep warmth of sleep.