Ghost Flowers

Tears of the Dead

She blinked open her eyes. She was hanging upside down, her hands and feet bound by strong ropes. She tried to force the ropes off of her hands, but to no avail. She heard footsteps enter the room and an unseen hand flicked on the lights. The girl squeezed her eyes shut as the bright lights temporarily blinded her.

“It’s been a long time, Mariana,” a female voice commented.

Mariana looked around, searching as best as she could for her captor, though she already knew who the woman was. She began to tremble with fear as she realized what was to come.

“Melissa,” she whimpered. “I’m so sorry. We didn’t think-”

“Damn right, you didn't think!” Melissa sneered. “Do you really think that your apologies will save you? Are you really that stupid?”

Melissa walked towards Mariana, a cruel glimmer in her eyes. Her long, dark hair fell down her back in a single braid. She was wearing black leggings and a black hoodie, and in her hand she held a large knife.

“You ruined my life!” she screamed, causing Mariana to flinch backwards.

Mariana shook her head as Melissa raised her arm. The knife glinted in the cold, fluorescent lights.

“No!” Mariana screamed.

Melissa stabbed the knife into Mariana’s abdomen, level with her hips and sliced down to just beneath her ribs. Mariana gagged as her intestines spilled out of her body, landing on the floor with a sickening squelch. Blood poured down Mariana’s body, forming small puddles on the floor. Melissa laughed a loud, chaotic laugh as she watched the life leave Mariana’s eyes.

~

Laughter filled the air in the sorority home. Melissa sat on the plush queen sized bed with three other girls. One had long blonde hair streaked with pink, and her green eyes glittered with flecks of gold. Her skin was beautifully tanned and free of acne. The second girl had electric blue hair kept in a short pixie cut, her eyes an unnaturally dark blue. Her skin was fair, and she clearly spent most of her days indoors. The third girl sat quietly, a small smirk on her chocolate colored face. Her dark brown hair was in braids, and her brown eyes held a deep sorrow hidden behind her smile.

“Come on Melissa,” the blonde girl whined. “Don’t you want to be an official sister?”

Melissa mock glared at the blonde girl. 

“Of course I do, Kenzie!” Melissa stated.

“I don’t believe you,” Kenzie frowned. “Do you, Mariana?”

The blue-haired girl shook her head.

“Jade?”

The chocolate skinned girl shook her head with a playful smirk. Melissa scoffed and lobbed a pillow at Jade, then another at Alexis.

“Come on you guys! You know I want in!”

“Then show us!” the sorority cried almost in perfect unison.

Melissa’s smile faded, her joking manner gone.

“I just don’t want to get in trouble…”

“Then don’t get caught, Lissa,” Mariana sighed. “It’s not like we’re asking you to kill him.”

“Fine,” Melissa sighed, “but if I get caught-”

“You won’t,” Mariana interrupted. “Trust me; it’s all going to work out. Right, Kenzie?”

Kenzie nodded, smiling in excitement.

“Of course! I’ve worked everything out! As head sister of Alpha Delta Pi, I promise that you won’t get caught. I watch out for all my girls. So, are you in or out?”