Wish It Was Different...

Wish It Were Different

Chapter One: Grief

The sun shines in her eyes and Melanie stumbles out of bed. She gets ready for her day, and as usual, her stepmother Karen oversleeps and forgets all about her. It doesn't matter to her anymore, she's used to it.

Melanie walks to school instead of waking her mother up. She's scared what she might do if she's in one of her moods again. She just lets her be and makes her way out the door. The air is cool and crisp and she can hear her own breathing, as there are no noises to break the silence. She passes a familiar-looking house and stares at it but quickly snaps back to reality: she has to make it to school.

She can't help it but keeps thinking about that house, the thought sends chills down her spine and she decides to forget about it. She approaches her school and tries to open the door, but it's sealed shut. She quickly realizes it's Saturday and decides to stay out and go to her grandmother's house. She always loved her grandma and her grandma was the only one who loved her. Melanie always wanted to live with her but Karen wouldn't let her, ever since her dad died she has been tormenting her and there's nothing Melanie could do. Her real mother left when she was a baby and the only real family she had was her grandmother.

Melanie knocks on the door, no answer. She knocks again, still no answer. She goes around back and finds the spare key her grandma left for her. She tries it and the door slowly creaks open, showing a scene she'll never forget. She calls 911 as quick as she can, frantically crying and sobbing, yelling at them to hurry. The ambulance arrives and carries out a body bag. Melanie's heart breaks the second she realizes this isn't a dream, that the only person she loved, is gone. She heads home not knowing what to do with herself. She walks in only to find Karen waiting for her arrival, rocking back and forth in the rocking chair that once belonged to her mother.

"What's wrong with you?", Karen says, her words slurred and you can tell she's been drinking. Melanie tells her what happened but Karen felt no sympathy, she just sat there and gave a little chuckle. "She finally found a way for you to leave her alone, when will you realize you're unlovable and anyone you meet will always leave you." "That's not true!" roars Melanie. "Oh, but it is, when will you see you're a disappointment." Karen chuckles again and starts to drift off. "I'm not a disappointment, my father always told me I was perfect to him in more ways than you could have ever been."

Melanie runs to her room and locks herself inside. Terror strikes as she realizes what she just said to Karen. She cries herself to sleep, hoping this was all a dream, wishing she can turn back time and say goodbye to her grandmother. But that won't change what will happen to her and she knows nothing will change. "Tomorrows a new day."

Chapter Two: The Funeral

Melanie wakes up and gets ready to say goodbye for the last time. The sky's grey, no birds chirping, no sunshine in sight. She makes her way to the funeral home and notices there's no one but her and the coffin. She makes her way to the podium and gives her eulogy. "My Grandmother was the nicest, most kindest person anyone can meet. She always brought joy to those who needed it and put a smile on everyone's face. She was always there for me when no one else was and I know she is still here when I need her." Her voice echoes through the large empty room. Tears start to form as she realizes it was only her and her grandmother together, and alone. Not only here and now, but it was always like that. "I can still remember her soft, wrinkly skin against my forehead checking to see if i'm sick, her warm, steamy cookies, fresh out of the oven and her gentle, loving kiss, that could make any frozen heart melt." More and more tears filled her eyes and her voice becomes shaky. "She did whatever she could to make me happy, and I did the same in return. She was the one person I trusted with everything and she taught me what the meaning of true love was." Her throat is getting dry, her head pounding from holding in all the tears. "I loved my grandmother, and I wished that I coul..." *THUD* Melanie stops reading. She heard a noise coming from down the hall. Curiosity got the best of her, so she went down the hall. She flips the light switch, a flicker, a bright glow, then a pop. The hallway dark, she kept her hand on the wall to guide her. *THUD*. This time it was louder, closer than before. Melanie's heart is racing, her tears disappeared. The feeling of loss was replaced with panic. She decides to turn back, but quickly realizes, there's nothing there. The wall that was guiding her is now lost in the void of black. She frantically searches all around but found nothing. *THUD*. It was right in front of her but she couldn't see a thing. Her eyes fully dilated, scanning the scene in front of her. Her palms start to sweat, knees become weak. She can hear her heart banging from inside her. *THUD*. It was right next to her...