The Undead

Chapter 26: Tendencies

--Melanies Point of View--

After being woken up to this note I have lost it. I lost all faith. How could he do this to me? To his brother? I grab Ryan and hug him as tears fall from both of our cheeks. I lock myself in the room and let the others do whatever. I rock back and forth. Even in an apocalyspe I still lose it over a boy. Why? Why cant I focus on survival. 

Tears shed and I reveal a knife. "I promised I'd never do this" I whisper to myself. I walk over to the sink. My eyes are puffy from crying. My arms are shaking. Im a nervous wreck. If only he could see what has happened to me. Its all my fault. Was I not good enough? "What could I have done to keep you?" I ask aloud before taking the knife to my wrist. The rush of pain lets me know I am alive. It feels as if all sadness and anger is leaving me and travelling with the blood of the freshly opened skin. I wince as I cut three more times.  The sink is stained red with my fresh blood. Knocks on the door. "Melanie.....its me...can we talk?" I hear Kaleb say. I feel my mind bend and twist at the wishes that he never left me. 

I snap into reality as I glide the knife across my wrist for the fifth and final time. The scent of blood lets me feel at bliss. I promised I wouldnt let another boy do this to me. The knocks ensue. I feel the sounds travel through my ear. "Melanie!" Britni says. I fall to my knees. The door knob shakes violently. "Let me in please!" She begs. I let the knife hit the floor. Blackness fills my eyesight. Dreams dont follow.

--Britnis Point of View--

After this morning everyone is a little shaken. Melanie seems to be effected the most. Shes been locked in her room for a couple of hours now. "Hey..Im gonna go talk to Mel.....Be back later" I tell Andrew. He nods and I walk up the stairs. I try her door but its locked. I hear the sound of water running. But it isnt the shower. "Melanie....its me...can we talk?" I call out softly. No answer. I knock a few times. "Melanie!" I shout fearing the worst. "Let me in please!" I scream.

Tobias comes out of his room. "Whats wrong?" "She isnt responding" I say frantically shaking the knob. "Step back" Tobias launches his foot through the door. He reaches through the hole and unlocks the door. We both rush in and my fears are confirmed. "Melanie!?" I call out as I rush to her. Tobias turns the tap off and picks the knife up. "Is...she gone?" He asks calmly. "No.....theres a pulse......lets wrap her wrist up" I say. Tobias wrips off a piece of his shirt and ties it around her wrist. I smack her face and a few tears fall onto her face. "Tobias...thank you...but just go please" I ask him. He just leaves.

I hold Melanie in my lap. I rock back and forth. I look down to her and she opens her eyes slowly. "Melanie....why?" "He hurt me" She replies. She stands up. "I didnt do it to die....I wanted to feel the emotions leave me" "Cutting doesnt do anything but leave ugly scars" "Thats what you think....it made me feel better" "No, that was you getting lightheaded from blood loss" "I dont care....So what if I want to die?" "I thought you didnt?" "Maybe I do....I havent done anything for this group but slow us down" She says leaving the room. I stand to chase her. I get into the hallway and she is gone. "Mel?" I call out. No response. I return to the lobby. "Did Melanie come through here?" I ask Ryan. "Sissy? Nope" He answers. I run by the pool. Tobias is swimming laps. "Mel come by?" I ask him.

"No....." He says before going underwater. Great. I run back up stairs. The roof. I run as fast as I can up the stairs and onto the roof. I see Melanie standing at the edge. "Melanie!" I call out. She turns to me. "I've decided. You cant change my mind" She says letting her back face the parking lot. "No, Melanie, Sure Kaleb left you for some girl who might not be alive. But think. He said he loved you. He left Ryan here because he felt he'd be safe with you. If you kill yourself right now......who'll Ryan have? You are his closest thing to a mother. Dont take that from him too." I say. I feel the words touch her heart.

We sit in silence with the wind blowing through our hair. She steps forward and turns to the parking lot. I cautiously take a few steps towards her. "Mel, dont do this to me" I call out. She looks to me and says that she loves me. I watch as the words escape her lips. She takes a step toward the edge. "Mel no!!" I scream with tears. She stands with her toes off the edge.

I inch closer. She just lets tears drop. Her body goes limp. I watch her fall headfirst. I jump into the air.I wrap my hands around her left leg. She dangles off the edge. "Let me go!" She screams. "Never!" I shout back. I feel my body sliding over the edge. "If you go...I go" I say to her. "No......let me do this" "No!" I shout back to her. My feet are gripped by someone. "Neither of you are gonna die!" Tobias says. Melanie kicks at my wrist but I keep my iron grip. We are on the roof now.

"We need you Mel, whether you agree or not" Tobias says to her. She turns away and he grabs her hand and helps her onto her feet. "You need rest" He says calmly. I begin to think Tobias has a minor crush on her. It could just be chivalry.

I walk back to the lobby where Andrew and Ryan are writing. "Hey" Andrew says. "Brit..guess what!" "Hah?" I ask him. "Andy taught me how to write my name!" Andy. These two are pretty close.

I hear scratches at the door. "What was that?" "It came from the door"

I walk over and glass is shattered onto the floor. "Walkers!" I shout. Andrew grabs Ryan and we head up the stairs to get the others.