"Hey,"
It was silent, we're both sitting there, starring at each other.
I look over at Chris, still frozen.
"He'll be okay once I leave." Mark speaks, his arm around me.
I glare at him and stand, facing away from him, starring at the door, his arm falling. "Then just go already." Although my voice was calm the anger was clearly evident.
"I can't," I paused.
I spun around and stared at him. "What do you mean you can-"
"Until I deliver the message to you I can't leave." he didn't turn to look at me, just starred at Chris. "And trust me, after seeing you all sweet with Chris, I'm sick to my stomach." he finally turned to meet my gaze. "I'd want nothing else but to leave."
I sighed. Fate just loved fucking my life up. I lazily walked over and sat next to him. "Alright then, talk."
He nodded and began with no hesitation. He spoke like a record player, his voice emotionless, no flaw, perfectly memorized. "Message to Melody: I know the sight of me alive and breathing must be a shock to you. I am only here to deliver this message. Afterward, I will leave forever, and you will be my cause. Know that this is all I want."
I knew what he meant and I had no objection to this whatsoever.
"As to the message. In a few weeks there will be a new moon."
How this pertains to anything he gives no explanation. He simply just continues on with the message.
"It has been confirmed that a demon is on the lose. Alongside this demon are it's minions, lost souls attached to demented bodies and natural hazards targeting heroes. You with the assistance of many others will be under that title in some time. It will be after you discover their secret."
Secret, what secret? And who is he talking about?
"Rest assured, all will become clear on the twenty fourth. Moving on, you will know when you are about to be faced with the demon. This will be after the secret is shared and after you and your companions have been transferred."
I listen intently on what he is saying, soaking in every last detail, knowing that if it wasn't important I wouldn't have needed to hear it from my X who I thought I killed. However, I had no idea what he was talking about.
He must have noticed my perplexity for he paused to add the comment, "Just listen, I promise I'm almost done and with time all will be made clear."
"Thanks," I whispered.
He nods then continues with the message. "First, one will become drugged, outcome, one death. Second, one will be lost in priorities, outcome, two deaths. Third, one will be seen, outcome, unknown. Forth, four will protect, outcome, deaths are certain. Fifth, two will deduce, outcome, hazy, secrets are discovered. Sixth, vision, hazy, many deaths, tears. You won't be alone."
He stopped.
"Is that all?"
It took me a while to deduce he was doubled over in pain.
"Mark what's-"
"Chris- wake him," he grumbled. He's leaning over, clutching his stomach.
"What?" my eyes grow large and I soon realize what he means. I turn my gaze to Chris and I nearly die. "Dammit!" I yell, a tear sneaking its way out but I cuff my face in my hands before any more can fall on the bed. I start to scream. "No!"
Chris is no longer frozen in his shocked expression, instead he's fallen over on the bed, his body limp. His chest was not rising and falling like it should be, in fact it wasn't moving at all. I crawl over to him, panicked, not even trying to hold back the tears. I sit next to his dead body and stare into his lifeless eyes.
"No, not this, not you." I sob, leaning over and cradling him in my arms. "Not now, don't die!" I cry, "Don't leave me."
I hear someone trying to come up the stairs, Renee yelling at the top of her lungs.
"We don't have much time. Here," he tossed me a dagger. "Kill me,"
"I can't,"
"Now!"
"No!"
"If you kill me he may be able to live!"
I lifted my head at the sound of hope. I stared at him, he was dead serious. I grabbed the dagger, "Fine."
I paused before acting, the tears trailing down my cheek.
"Hurry!"
I cried, my eyes closed yet sobbing miserably. I pulled my arm back and screamed as I thrust my arm forward, the dagger cutting through the air.
I heard a moan, a sound of skin ripping apart and a loud crack, then a thud. I opened my eyes and reluctantly crawled to the edge of the bed and peered over.
Mark lay on the ground, the dagger jutting out of his chest, blood gushing out of the wound. My first thought was if I could do that with my eyes closed, imagine what I could do if I was actually looking. He was sure as dead.
Dead.
I fumbled back over to Chris and cradled his face in my hands.
"Chris, don't die, breathe, please, wake up." I felt the tears returning and I hugged his limp body. "Wake up," I whispered desperately. "Wake up!" I yelled.
Nothing was working, till I thought of it.
I lay him flat on his back and tilt his head back. I proceed with the steps to CPR, and even though they (whoever is in charge of making this discovery) claimed it was unnecessary, I still used mouth to mouth in hope it may help.
I try to calm myself as best as I can and I manage to stop panicking, the tears falling occasionally. I'm at this for about ten minutes straight and no progress yet. I'm about to give up and rip the dagger out of Mark and stab myself, and I almost do.
The dagger is soaked in blood yet I completely disregard this. I'm sitting next to Chris on my knees, the daggers point right over the spot where my heart is. I gulp and try to avoid looking at Chris, but just as I'm about to cut my line I glance down and I burst into tears, dropping the dagger next to me. "Shit- why can't I do this?" I yell angrily at myself.
I look back at Chris and I lean over him. I stare at his limp body and become determined to try once more.
I repeat the steps once more and I pause, but not for long before breathing into his mouth.
No response and I give up.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Chris." I leaned over and kissed him.
His lips were warm. I felt a hand on my back, no, two. They slid tighter around me and soon I was lying on top of him. I was still caressing his face in my hands and his skin became warmer. His chest began rising and falling and I felt a wave of joy overcoming me.
I pulled away, still crying, but now out of joy. "You're alive!"
"You mean I've been dead?"
I nod, "For the past half hour."
His eyes widen. "Are you okay?"
I stare down into his eyes, now full of life. "I tried to kill myself." I began to laugh. "It was actually quite pathetic."
But when I looked down, he looked as if someone had just shot him. He looked about to cry, but managed to hold them back. "Melody, what happened?"
I rolled off of him and helped him sit up. He reminded me about the glass (at least he had some recollections of what happened before he passed out.) so instead of talking outside on the balcony, we stayed on the bed. He sat up, his back against the head set, I sat across from him, hugging my knees.
Turns out, he remembers everything but what happened after Mark revealed himself.
"So, you don't remember anything past that point?"
He shook his head. "No, I see Mark's face then black. I woke up to this pleasant rush and realized it was you." He blushes as if it was a bad thing. "Wait! I remember a voice."
"What did it say?"
He took a breath. "It was too muffled to understand."
I sighed.
"But-"
"Will you stop making me so tense!?"
He laughs. "Sorry, but I do remember two voices, one deep and almost robotic and the other as sweet as an angel. But when the robotic voice yelled, I heard plenty of screams, then it felt as if someone was dropping a weight on my chest, the angel crying."
It takes me a while to decipher what it was and a smile spreads across my face. "You were hearing us. The robotic voice, Mark, the -angel, me." I blush. I never considered myself as glorious as an angel.
"Of course it was you." He smiles and I return one to him.
"Now I guess that just leaves all the details."
He nods and I start from Chris freezing and end at the kiss.
"So am I the only one utterly confused?"
I shake my head. "I have no idea about the new moon shit and as for the 'Sixth, vision, hazy, many deaths, tears.' I have no idea what the fuck that was all about."
He nods in agreement then looks over at the broken windows.
"It's sunset, we should probably head down stairs-" he speaks as he jumps off the bed and heads to the door.
"Uh, Chris?"
"Yeah?" he turns around, hand on the door nob.
"Shouldn't we get some clothes on?"
He looks down and snaps his head up, his cheeks red. "I guess I kind of forgot about that." He smiled guiltily.
"It's okay," I glanced down at my outfit guiltily. "I hope Mark didn't care about how slutty I look."
Chris laughs. "Don't worry, anyone who's met you knows that you would be perfectly happy to die a virgin."
I smile. "It's true, it's number ten on my wish list." I giggle
He smiles back then walks back over to me, picking me up, his arms under my knees and on my back, my arms around his neck.
"Just outside the door, the first door to the right is the bathroom. Drop me off there and I'll take a five minute shower and change."
"Where will-"
"Rebecca always leaves spare clothes in the closet in there."
He nods in understanding.
We quietly exit the room and he putts me down in the shower.
"I'll wait in the bed for you."
"K!" I holler out.
I wait till I hear the door close before I strip off my clothes and start the shower. I give a sigh of relief as the warm water runs over my skin. I reach for the shampoo and squeeze out the instructed amount, quarter of you palm, and lather it into my scalp. I repeat and do the same with the conditioner, grabbing a comb and combing it through. I reach for the loofah and poor an excessive amount on it, rubbing the loofah over my skin so thoroughly I'm surprised I'm not bleeding. I turn off the shower and the faucet then ring my hair free of the excess water. I do this in five minutes, just as I promised.
I pause in front of the mirror when I step out of the shower. A yellow envelope is tapped to the mirror. I cautiously approach it and read the name.
"Melody, you done?" I hear Chris holler from outside the door.
"Ju- just a minute!" I respond, grabbing the envelope and holding it in my mouth as I run to the closet.
"K!" He responds.
I find dark blue jean shorts and a black tube top, a tan, strapless bra, and ect. (No further details required) I hurriedly put them on and run the comb through my hair one last time.
I open the door and nearly run into Chris but I notice him at the last second.
"You all done in there already?" He looks at me, surprised.
"Yup, everything is all set!" I rush past him and rush to the bedroom.
"Uh, okay," he enters the bathroom, clearly confused.
When I hear the shower start I'm sitting crossed legged on the bed, the yellow envelope in my hands. The name on the front reads M-l-d- -i-e-o- . "Meldieo, who the fuck is Meldieo?" I flip it over curiously and notice the lettering on that side. " -e-o-y P-n-r-d. E-oiy Pn," I groan. "Ugh! No ones name is all consonants!" I throw my head back in distress and groan.
I hear footsteps and I immediately look to the door. Chris is standing at the threshold in jeans and a thin, black short sleeved T. He's drying off his hair with a black towel and starring at me with a perplexed expression on his face.
"Everything okay?" He walks towards me, sitting next to me on the bed.
I glared at the note. "No, I can't fucking solve this damn puzzle!"
He looks at me confused. I hand him the envelope and he stares at it for a moment. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Find who this note goes to."
He stares at it for a minute, flipping it over. "Melody Pinerod."
I looked at him in amazement. "How the hell did you solve that!?"
"Simple, on each side is the letters in your name. One side has half the letters, the other side the remaining letters. See, on this side they start at M, and they skip every other letter. The letters they skipped are on the other side."
I stare at him, befuddled. "I love you." I eagerly wrapped my arms around him and he laughed. I kissed his cheek before turning my attention back to the envelope.
"Open it." I speak eagerly.
"Alright, hang on." He slides his finger under the hood but it won't budge. "Shit, what is this?"
"I don't know, maybe it's-"
"You guys are alive!"
We both stare at the door. Jessica and Rebecca stand at the door with the most exuberant expression, their smiles radiant with joy. I see Julie run to me from in between their legs followed by Mask. Julie jumps to me and I catch her in my arms. Mask leaps at Chris and he falls on the bed on his back, Mask licking his face. Julie is purring as I hug her and she licks my cheek.
Chris is laughing as he strokes Mask. "I missed you too boy!"
I look over at him and give a little laugh. "Looks like I've got some tough competition!"
He looks over at me, a smile on his face. "It would seem the same for me!"
Julie lets out a happy meow and licks my cheek and we both laugh.
"As, what a beautiful reunion." Rebecca sighs.
"Yeah, but we all should be heading back down soon. Mask, Julie, let them up."
Julie and Mask jumped off the bed and Chris sat up, wiping his face clean with his towel. "Blech!" he laughs and I hugged him.
"What, do I have to drag you down the stairs? Get over here!" Jessica yelled, walking down the hall.
"Well, we don't want to keep them waiting." I said, unwrapping my arms from around his neck and starting towards the door.
"Wait-" I spun around to face him. "What about the envelope?"
"Take it with, maybe Joe can open it." I laughed.
He hopped off the bed and threw his towel on the bed. "I'm just as strong as he is," he whimpered, joining me at my side.
"I know, I was just teasing." I smiled.
We walked together, his arm around my waist.
When we entered the living room down the stairs, I felt the mood drop and we became serious. Renee gestured to the black couch and Chris and I took our seat, he on the end, me on his lap.
"So," Derick began. He sat on the love seat with Rebecca.
"The message," Mathew spoke, arm around Renee.
"You get it?" Jessica, who was cuddling with Joe under a blanket on the couch next to us.
"Yeah, she got it." Chris started.
"Well, should I start from the glass breaking?"
Renee nods and I start almost immediately.
* * * *
"Yeah, I was hoping Renee could decipher the steps."
She begins by repeating them. "First, one will become drugged. I think that means someone will become horribly drunk, that's easy. Outcome, one death. Someone will die because of this. Second, one will be lost in priorities, no clue. Same with the rest. They're all to vague to be clearly defined. Sorry, but it could mean anything."
I sigh, then remember the letter.
"What about this?" Chris holds up the envelope.
Renee's eyes widen. "Holy shit, it's the seal of light! Who's it to?"
"Melody." Chris says my name as if it's the most beautiful name he's ever heard of, it flowing so sweetly, the sound of his voice pleasant in my ear. I close my eyes and start to drift.
"Yo!" Joe screams and I'm alerted, eyes scanning the room nervously.
"What?" I ask.
Chris hands me the envelope. "Turns out only you can open it."
"Why me?"
"When it comes to the seal of light, only the name printed on it can open it." Renee kindly informs me.
"Oh," I take the envelope and when I place my finger under the corner of the flap, it unfolds itself completely. "Damn,"
"Cool!" Joe stares in awe, his expression matching the others.
"I've never seen one opened in front of me before!" even Renee stares in awe.
"What the fuck-" Chris and I are dumbfounded.
"What?"
I turn the letter so they can see. "It's blank."