Melodies

In the dark

I ran. Not really sure of where I was going but I was getting away from camp. All of a sudden I tripped and landed flat on my face. I got up slowly then noticed my wrist hurts a lot. I tried to get up, but I couldn't. My ankle was swollen and hurt too much to walk.

"Oh, isn't this just great!" I said loudly, knowing no one can hear me. I pulled my legs towards my body and grabbed my backpack that fell off when I fell. I found my blanket and wrapped it around myself. I turned my flashlight on, but kept it facing the ground so that no one could see the light.

"I guess I'll be here for a while," I said to myself.

Meanwhile at camp....

I woke up Ryan and Mathew as Taylor went to tell some of the full time staff. I was panicked. I'm supposed to be the head LDP leader and I didn't even notice one of the girls sneaking out. I am such a failure, I thought. I walked outside to where some of the full time staff were gathered. Tim the ministry director was there along with Kaylee, Candace, Darren, Adam and some others I couldn't recognize because it was dark. I waited for them to notice I was there then began to talk.

"Ok, thank you everyone for coming to help in the middle of the night. So here's the situation. One of the girls from this weeks LDP session has snuck out. I have no idea where she went or how long she's been gone. She is 15 years old and is about 5 foot 7. She has short blonde hair and is most likely wearing a big baggy sweater and sweatpants. If you find her, try to persuade her to come back. Also text or call me if you have found her. So I need some people to check the area by the creek, the pond, the cabins, giant swing, teepee village and the center of camp. I will check the horse pasture and barn but will need one other person to help me," I announced. We split into groups and Kaylee and I headed out to the barn as quickly as we could. 

 Melody..... 

My ankle continued to swell and hurt more and more every minute. I tried so hard not to cry but after a little while I couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears streamed down my face. I tried to wipe them away with my left hand but once I moved it I screamed in pain. It was limp and very painful too. Oh great! I have a busted wrist now too! How could this get any worse! I thought to myself. I stared up at the stars and wished I wasn't like this. All I wanted was to be normal for once, happy and full of life not a shell of the girl I once was. I was hopeless and warn out, but not about to think that I could be loved or accepted ever again. I sat there, wishing that I could die. Life sucked anyway, death would be better than living a life like this.

Jessalyn...

"Do you see anything Kaylee?" I call to Kaylee as we search the barn.

"No, I don't see anything. Not even a trace that she was here," Kaylee replied.

"I'm going to check the back pasture, keep looking around here just in case we somehow missed her," I told Kaylee. I ran out of the barn and out to the pasture, frantically looking around to see if anything looked suspiciously different, looking for a trace of Melody.

I looked around the pasture for a good 20 minutes when I was about to give up and find Kaylee. Then out of nowhere I heard sniffling, like someone crying. I instantly started to jog towards the noise. As I got closer I could see a light shining towards the ground and someone sitting in the grass. As I approached the figure, I figured out who it was, Melody!

Melody....

I could hear someone coming toward me. I didn't move out of fear of giving away myself. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Melody! Are you ok?!" It was Jeassalyn. Oh great I am in so much trouble now, I thought.

"Melody, are you ok?" Jessalyn asked again. This time I looked up at her with tears in my eyes.

"I think my wrist and ankle are sprained," I replied. Jessalyn examined my wrist and ankle carefully before taking out her phone and calling someone. I couldn't hear much of the conversation between Jessalyn and whoever was on the other end of the phone. From what I could hear, it was mostly directions on what Jessalyn needed for me and where we were. Jessalyn then hung up and came over to me again.

"Melody, why did you leave shalom?" Jessalyn asked me, she looked pretty serious. I debated telling her that I went for a walk and got lost but knew she would never buy that. So I just told her what had been going on.

"I left shalom because I wanted to run away. I didn't like how nice everyone was towards me and I hate everyone there. I couldn't stand being around all those smiling girls when all I feel right now is pain. I was afraid of what people would think of me if I showed them who I truly am. I didn't want anyone to know about my past and what I've been doing." There, it's out, I thought to myself. Jessalyn sighed quietly. I could tell she was thinking really hard about what I had just said. She let it sink in for a bit.

"Melody. You don't have to be afraid of us, especially not me or Taylor. We want you here and love each of you here. I don't care what you've done in the past. It's in the past so why does it matter so much? Our past doesn't define us, unless we let it," Jessalyn spoke. The words sank in deep. I had been defining myself by what I had done. That's all I knew and never thought I could be someone different or better. I believed that I was worthless and unloved and acted like it too. Those words started to break down the wall that had formed around my heart. Jessalyn was slowly breaking through and I didn't even try to stop it. It just felt so good to not be defined by my past!