The Purge: Savior In The Shadow

12 - Melanie Recalls Pt. 3 (Aftermath)

"Damon!" He glanced at the side, quickly retreating back seeing Melanie and Gaden running at him at full speed. He tried to talk them out but got cut off by the arms that were wrapped around his waist. "Damon... Damon! Thank god, you made it out! Oh, I'm never gonna let you go outside again!" She nuzzled her teary face in his clothes, making his shirt more dirty than it was before.

Little did she know, the strength of her hug was slowly suffocating his airways. "Mom. Mom! Stop! You're hurting me." He repeatedly slapped his hand on her shoulder, wishing she would get the message. Melanie looked up, noticing Damon was struggling to get out of her grip.

Melanie quickly let go, dropping Damon back to the ground. He greedily inhaled the fresh air wafting outside, relieved he can breathe again. He looked back at both of them, noticing Melanie was scratching her head sheepishly.

Gaden looked at Damon, whose lips were curled upward in a smile. "I'm home."

20 Years Later

At the time, he was like any other kid that was full of hope and life. Until the day he got kidnapped. That day, for him, marked the beginning of a slow end. 

At the time, there was a rumor that spread throughout his school. A rumor about a boy who has possibly "murdered" someone, and that boy was Damon. It quickly spread like wildfire, students among students receiving the word about it, resulting in him being an outcast.

The walls were vandalized with graffiti, calling him "murderer", "go to hell", "heartless bastard", and so on. He never wanted it to be this way. He just wanted it to end. But it didn't stop.

The only one who was on his side throughout his life were his family and his best friend, Brian. In times of need, they were there for him. In their eyes, he wasn't seen as a murderer, but as a human. He couldn't be more grateful to them. They were his light in the dark.

But even though they were his light, they were just little lights of hope inside the never-ending rainstorm.

His family, in the start, was already struggling because of financial problems. Unfortunately, he made it worse by getting traumatized the day he got kidnapped. They spent their money on therapy for the sake of their son, the money on their pockets almost gone. It made them possible targets for the Purge.

He cursed his mental state for not being strong enough, for not being able to handle the trauma himself. Seeing his family struggling more than ever was hurting him from the inside. He just wanted to die so he doesn't burden his family. At that point, he knew he had depression. And he still has it today.

He tried to hang himself from his bedroom, thinking if he will die, his family wouldn't have to struggle anymore. The bedroom door slammed open, making Damon clench his teeth in frustration from getting caught. He remembered his mom kneeling at the floor and begging him to live, her voice in a shriek. He tried his best to suppress his depression, slightly succeeding.

At his bedroom, he sat on the mattress, his mind wandering free. He leaned his head on his hand, slightly falling asleep. Suddenly, he remembered something important. Kelly's body was buried in his neighborhood cemetery, 3 blocks away from his house. 

He pushed himself off of the ground, eager to visit her again.

LINE BREAK

"It's been a while since we've talked to each other, Kelly." Damon said in a sad tone, looking at the tombstone in the middle of the graveyard. "You didn't have to do that, you know. That way you'd still be here with me." He let the quiet ambience of the graveyard calm his emotions down.

The rustling of the leaves, the leaves crunching under his shoe, the gloomy weather, it somehow calmed him down. "Thank you, Kelly." He bowed his head in respect, sadness still evident on his face. He stood up straight and dug his hands on his pocket, grabbing for the phone.

He opened it and saw a notification. He read the message that said:

Time for your session, kid.

He groaned in annoyance, his therapy serving useless to him. But seeing his parents wants to make him attend every session, he sighed. He was all doing this for his parents.

50 minutes later

He closed the door to the therapist's room, feeling happy his session was finished. The therapist's room was bland and dull, the walls were all white, giving the room a boring look. He couldn't help but associate his description of the room to himself. "I guess that's how depression works."

He walked some more, the clunk of his shoes echoing through the dark, dingy hallway. Acknowledging the hallway's lack of fresh air, he took the stairs leading to the rooftop at the end of the hallway, thinking the air would do him good.

He grabbed the handle, the metal slightly making his hand freeze. He opened the door, noticing the sun starting to appear behind the clouds. He walked outside, the city bustling.

He leaned closer at the railing, the city lights putting his mind at ease again. The air was full of breeze at the moment, making his hair slightly sway side to side. 

"Comfortable, aren't we?"

Startled at the sudden voice, he looked back in annoyance. The man in front of him was wearing a red cloak, his face covered. Chuckling, he said, "It ain't Halloween yet. But nice costume." He remarked, putting his hands on his pockets.

The man paid him no heed and continued talking. "Wouldn't you be happy if you just die right now?" Frowning, he took a step closer. "What do you mean?"

"If you die, they wouldn't have to struggle anymore. Jump."

Instantly, his eyes were losing vision. Slowly, he turned around and stepped closer, his mind in an absolute haze. "What am I doing? What am I doing?! Why won't my legs stop moving?!"

In the outside world, Damon carried himself over the railing. His hands the only part of making him safe. Instead of the bright hazel eyes, it was filled with emptiness. One by one, his fingers let go of the railing. "Am I gonna die?! Stop it! Stop it!"

"Bye bye." The man waved his hand. And with that, he let go.

...

In the ground, people were walking around the shopping district, happy and jolly. Until they heard the sound of bones cracking through the pavement.

To be continued...