Via Dolorosa
/ˈvēə ˌdäləˈrōsə,ˌdōlə-/
noun
a distressful or painful journey or process
Melissa's POV
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I lied in the dark, still staring at the ceiling at three in the morning. Since Luke had left my room, I couldn't sleep, and even when I tried, my body would jolt me awake screaming for heat in the cold room I had barricaded myself into due to my aching heart. Although I knew it was my fault, I couldn't get past the anxiety that filled me from Luke's departure. Was he really going to leave so easily?
I couldn't blame him though. Who would put up with someone who could never make up their mind? He was an angel and I had treated him as nothing even close to his worth. He was only trying to explain himself and I let my pride hurt, not only him, but myself as well. Now I was stuck in this endless maze of my mind, trying to find a way out and screaming for help even though no one seemed to hear a thing.
Memories of my old life seemed to cloud my mind as I remembered vividly the amount of times I would lie awake like this, stuck in my own thoughts until the early hours of the morning. It had been over a year since I had those kind of nights. Part of that had to do with Luke. That boy seemed to be the answer to everything.
He was the source of my problems, yet the only source of light in my dark life. He was the epitome of beauty while also being the definition of a disaster. He was my rising dawn and setting sun; nevertheless, I had ruined my happiness with him all to prove a point that, at the moment, was moot to me.
As my eyes began to close in another vain attempt to get some rest, my ears heard an all too familiar scream from the room next to mine.
"No!" the voice said. That was the only syllable leaving his mouth, but it was repeated and frantic. Without processing anything, my body rose and ran for the room as my ears could recognize that cry any day. My numb arms managed to open the door and walk inside only to discover the boy that held my world in the palm of his hand curled up in a small ball, arms wrapped around his knees slightly to keep him warm despite the sweat coming from his forehead.
"Melissa," his raspy voice whispered out. Pain and anguish were easily detected in his voice as I hurriedly sat on his bed, trying to cause him to gain consciousness and wake him from this nightmare.
Luke's POV
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My whole body ached as I walked down the alleyway, I couldn't even remember how I got here. The only thing running through my mind was to keep my eyes open and to not make a sound. Something inside told me that someone was after me, but I didn't know how I could know that.
My entire mind was blank as to what was happening. Was this a dream? Of course it wasn't, this alleyway was too real and the tension was too palpable to be a dream. You could hear my heart beating wildly in my chest as I turned the corner, hearing a shrill scream from around the corner: Melissa.
Her voice was one that I could never forget or miss. My feet carried me down the street, making a left to go down a dimly lit passage between two buildings. Screams still filled the air as I traveled as fast as possible without being heard. It was a typical training technique I had been taught since I could remember, never run faster than silent. That was one lesson that kept me out of trouble for the longest time in my career.
"Luke!" Melissa's voice radiated through the four way intersection I was currently located. My mind raced as I analyzed the situation. She could be down any of these streets, but which is the most logical. Despite the urban setting surrounding me, only one street lamp was on, leading me to follow the path laid out before me.
My breathing grew ragged and my chest felt as if it was going to collapse from the pressure it was undergoing as I kept running through the pain, not caring if I hurt myself. Sweat dripped off of me, not that I cared. All my mind could process was the thought of Melissa in danger and being able to find her.
As I followed the path, the reddish brown bricks became more and more familiar. Glass skylines filled the sky as I came closer to the center of the urban downtown. It seemed odd that no one was out at this time of night, but my mind didn't pay attention to that observation as my feet slowed gradually.
Dejavu hit me like a truck as I saw the familiar street corner sign that I could never forget. It was a simple bar and grill sign, but it was the memories behind it that sent my mind into overdrive as my legs suddenly moved forward, more fearful than before I had seen it. Images of my younger sister's body lying in front of me haunted me as I continued running.
My young, chubby frame tried to run to her side only to find that she was too far gone to be saved. The unforgettable sound of a gunshot still rang in my ears as I remembered the slick feel of the cool metal against my finger and the slight tension pressed against my finger as I pulled the trigger. Feelings of the kickback still riddled my arm despite having fired millions of firearms since. Guards shouting after me as I ran away from them and their dead comrade who was lying in the middle of the alleyway, a suitable distance from Cynthia's body.
When my feet finally brought me to the alleyway where Cynthia's body had been left, my eyes met with those of a soldier. The scene was familiar to me, the only thing changed was the fact that Melissa was here and instead of her body being behind mine, like Cynthia's had been, it was pressed against the soldier's, her back to his chest. One of his arms wrestled her neck, holding her steady against him, while the other held a pistol to her head. Her arms held the secured arm around her neck, trying her best to move away. This only caused the soldier's arm to tighten his choke hold on her and press the pistol to her neck harder, causing her to whimper from the thought of her impending death.
"Look who finally made it Melissa," the brunette snarled, his slight scruff scratching her porcelain face like only mine was allowed to do. "Luke is finally here to save you darling." His voice was like nails on a chalkboard, but serene at the same time. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought that he was mentally unstable.
Melissa's eyes connected with mine, lighting up with fear as she saw the gun turn from her towards my body. "Luke!" her tired voice screamed, tears falling down her cheeks as her raspy voice echoed in my ears. "Luke, run!"
Her voice, although it was telling me to go, was somehow pleading for me to stay in the undertones. It was as if all that she said, she didn't mean. Despite this, her hands still shook in fear as she continuously shifted, trying to get away from the maniac man, only to whimper when her attempts failed.
"I think you should listen to your girlfriend Lukey," the brunette challenged with eyes glinting of happiness. His entire being made me rethink my first conclusions about him. Maybe he wasn't a soldier, maybe he was actually crazy and there was a danger beyond my capabilities here.
My heart increased in speed as the gun suddenly moved back to Melissa's head, causing her to let out another ear piercing cry. "Wait!" I shouted, beginning to beg for the shooter to redirect the gun. "We can work out a deal," I projected my voice down the street, taking a tiny step forward.
As I crept closer the man began to feel uneasy and back away, shouting for me to stop where I was. Of course, I respected his wishes, catching a better glimpse of Melissa. Her cheeks were cut up badly, lower lip open, left eye blackened, and clothing slightly torn and battered from an obvious fight she had put up to him. I felt a swell of pride as I stared at her, knowing she defended herself until her body finally shut down and could take no more.
"What do you suppose I do?" the soldier countered, still holding the love of my life against himself tightly. The smirk was evident in his tone, but I had no choice; I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Take me instead," I offered, holding my hands up in surrender. "You just have to let her go, and she needs to be a distance away, but then you can do whatever you want with me. Just let her go."
Melissa's complaints filled the air as she argued about being able to take care of herself and not needing my bravery and interference, none of which I listened to. I was far too protective of her to allow her to make her own decisions at this point. She was in danger and I would be damned if I let her make a decision that resulted in her death.
"How precious," he sneered, setting me on edge. I shook slightly, scared for my well being slightly as I stared at the brunette male solidly.
"Do we have a deal?" I asked, unsure as to where we stood. My eyes casted constant looks toward Melissa, reviewing her injuries, looking into her beautiful gray eyes, memorizing her features as if it were my last time to see her.
"Unfortunately for you, we do not," he mocked me, laughing maniacally as he pressed the gun against Melissa's skull, cocking the gun as he did so.
My feet moved quickly down the street, taking matters into my own hands. I was a quarter of the way to Melissa, sprinting at full speed, not minding that my legs felt like they would fall from underneath me, when the familiar echo of a gunshot was heard. Blood poured out from the wound in her head as the man dropped her from his arms, allowing her limp body to hit the floor.
"No!" I yelled, stopping my sprint as I struggled to breath, my lifeline being detached from me.
The man ran off in haste, but I was too traumatized to chase after him. When I finally snapped out of my daze, I ran over to Melissa, scooping her small frame in my arms and holding her close to me.
"Melissa, you need to wake up," I murmured quietly. "Please baby? It's all just a dream; we are gonna make it okay?" I whispered, trying to assure her that everything was fine.
However, by the way her body was cooling, I knew she was far from fine. My arms began shaking her, trying to get a response out of her, anything to bring the only woman I had loved back to me.
"Melissa! Wake up!" I screamed.
"Luke?" Melissa's voice filled my ears.
"Yeah, baby? I'm right here," I say, searching for a signal from her limp body that she was alive, but none was there.
"Luke!" Melissa's shrill voice interrupted my thoughts. "Luke, wake up!"
Suddenly my body jolted upright, my bed was covered in sweat and my clothes were dripping from it as well as I looked into Melissa's concerned orbs in front of mine. My hands cupped her face gently, bringing her body towards mine, desperately wanting to hear her heartbeat to signalize that she was fine.
"You're okay?" I asked her, holding her petite frame tight to mine as I felt her breathe and her heartbeat against my chest while her lips let out short spurts of air into my neck, giving me the knowledge that she was breathing.
"I am now," she whispered clinging onto me tightly. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, murmuring how terrible she was and how she didn't deserve me. My arms simply tightened around her body, trying to quiet her as she burst into sobs.
"Let's forget about it love." Currently, my mind was screaming as to how we needed to work through our problems, but my body told me that just holding Melissa close to me would be enough to mend the broken pieces.
"I love you," she spoke, her eyes connecting with mine when she said those meaningful words. My heart fluttered at the notion as I stared into her eyes, taking in the words that she failed to say to me only a few hours earlier. "And I was stupid and immature. I should have told you I loved you hours ago," she threw her hands in the air, exasperating her words before continuing, "but I was just trying to prove a point, but I realize how fucking stupid that was and-"
"Babe, let's just go to sleep, yeah?" I asked her, cutting off her rant.
"Of course," she murmured, a smile setting over her face as she cuddled into me and let out a sigh of relief mixed with content. Likewise, a smile filled my face as I held her body tight to mine, not minding the covers strewn off the bed as she provided enough warmth on her own.
"I love you too," I whispered in her ear as she slowly closed her eyes, the smile never leaving her gorgeous face. A few minutes later, I joined her in her sleep, my thoughts finally calming down and allowing me the same blissful smile to take over my face as my head snuggled into her hair and my lips left soft kisses on her neck.