 
The end

of Forever

Melody Ichigama

The end of forever

### My mother once told me fear will eat you away...and it's true. People will never stop fearing things. Fear is a mystery, that nobody gets. This world...this planet, is all a mystery. And I like it that way...

### My friends tell me I'm stupid. My mom tells me I'm special. My brother tells me I'm weird. My dad tells me I'm different. I tell myself I'm crazy...and it's true.

### I can't read. I can't write. I can't listen. I can't learn easily. I can't cook. I can't hold my anger. I can draw. I draw all day, everyday. My pictures talk to me. People who see my pictures doubt I drew them. But I did. I can draw. I will.

### I always dread the first day of school. People see me and start to be my friend, then when they find out the real me, I'm alone again. Tomorrow is the first day of school. I'm not ready. I never will be! Why can't my mom see my pain? She's a teacher but she won't home school me! I will never understand her, she will never understand me.

### I couldn't sleep at all. I tossed and turned in fear. I don't care what my mother says! Let the fear eat me! Let me go and rot! Nothing is worse than what I go through every day. How can this world...This town...this city...be so horrible?

### I take all my chances. I climb rock walls with no helmet. I jump into ice cold lakes. I jump off my roof. We will all die someday...so why not do fun amazing things in life?

I wish...for one thing. Every time I fall off my roof, every time I jump into lakes, and climb rock walls. I fall, or get frost bites. But...they hurt my body, but not my soul. I wish to feel, real pain. It's a crazy wish. But I want...to feel my soul in pain. Whenever I see people with that kind of pain, I feel bad. Not for anything as nice as your thinking. But simply feeling bad for myself. People take pain for granted. Do they know that somebody out there is wishing for their pain? Do they know I cut myself everyday, hoping for their pain? No...of course not. Nobody understands. Nobody ever will. Like they all say. I'm special, specially CRAZY!

### I woke up to a frightening dream. I was alone. In a dark room, waiting for something...someone. I don't remember what. I was sitting in a chair. Tied up I think. I heard somebody talking, but I couldn't see them. They told me I was worthless, stupid, and unwanted. Then I found it was my mothers voice. I woke up, shuddering.

### I trudged into the kitchen, eying the time. It was 2:30, but I knew if I went to bed, I wouldn't be able to sleep anyways. I found a box of strawberry pop tarts. I nibbled on my pop tart, not hungry at all. Finally I just threw the pop tart away and got ready for school.

### I went over my list for the hundredth time.

### 1.Clothes (jeans, and green tee.)

### 2.Backpack (black with purple flowers)

### 3.Folders, pens, pencils, etc.

### 4.Myself

### I put a check by each thing. I sighed. I'm not ready for another year of rejection.

I scanned through my mom's jewelry and make-up. I found a heart necklace, with a fake glass blue diamond in the middle, and glossy lip gloss. I also found some bangles. Maybe if I just tried to fit in more, I wouldn't be that rejected.

### My bus skipped my stop, so I had to walk the whole way. Great, I thought, I'm already off to a bad start, I hope it doesn't get worse. I sighed again.

### Then I started to run. I didn't run too school. I don't even know why or where I was running to. I just needed to run. I ran fast, and I didn't stop. I didn't stop when I knew my body was tired. I didn't stop until I ran at least 5 miles. I never looked back, and I knew, I never would look back again.

### I looked in my spare wallet I keep in my coat pocket. $60.00. This could last me 2 weeks, maybe 3 if I'm lucky I thought. Why did I even have $60.00 on me, I usually only keep 10 or 20. Hmm maybe I just knew today was going to be a bad day.

### I walked down to the cheapest motel around, something called Sweet Escape. I trudged in and set my backpack on the floor. It came down with a thud, it was really heavy, but I just realized how heavy it was.

### The old man at the front desk peered over at me, only realizing I was there, because of the thud of my backpack.

### "You with your rents?" He asked curiously.

### "No, I'm by myself, is that a problem?" I asked nervously.

### "Reckon you ran away?" He asked ignoring my question.

### "Yes..." I said blushing, and avoiding eye contact with him.

### "What's your name? Never mind, I'll sell ya a room for 20.00 for 2 weeks, best deal I can give ya." He said going back to his book. "I reckon you didn't bring much with ya." He said, fully in to his book, not even looking at me.

### "Yes, thank you, thank you very, very much. By the way, my name's Melody." I said. He set a key in front of him.

### "Nobody's been in this old place in a long time, I don't remember what keys go to which, so you'll have to find the room on your own. There ain't much room's here, so I reckon you'll find it easy."

### "Yes, thank you." I said not caring that I have to find the room.

### He was right. There where only, like, 15 rooms. So it was pretty easy. I was room 5. The room looked cleaned, and new. It looked so fancy, it should have been, like $40.00 per night!

### I set my bag on my bed, and sighed for the third time today. I realized, for the first time. I don't miss any of it. I don't think I ever will. I starred at the wall. The walls where covered in flowered wallpaper.

### I heard a sudden knock at the door.

### "Who is it?" I asked. I expected to hear the old man, saying I forgot something, or welcome.

### "The police...open the door" came a low voice, not sounding at all like the old man. I felt my heart thumping.

### I don't know why, but I knew I shouldn't open that door. I carried chairs, the bed, and shelves over to block the door. I was pretty strong so it wasn't that hard.

### "OPEN UP, NOW," came the voice, "OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

### "You do that." I said, yawning. I knew it for sure wasn't a police man then. Police don't say things like that. Anyways, I'm not scared of death. Death is just a fact in life. So I told him, I yelled, "I'M NOT SCARED OF DEATH, YOU STUPID SISSY!"

### Then I knew I shouldn't have said that. Because he responded with, "I'll give you torture, so much worse that death, you'll wish you were never born." Then I knew I was in trouble.

### I pulled out my cellphone, locked myself in the bathroom, and dialed 911.

### "911, what is your emergency?" came a voice, sounding like a young woman.

### "I'm at the Sweet Escape Motel, and there is a fake policeman trying to kill me." I said chocking down tears. I didn't say torture, because it would've just made me more scared.

### "We have some people in the area, just hold on, it will be OK." the voice said. But I knew it wouldn't be OK.

### I'm not scared of death, but the thought of being tortured scared me, for some reason. I shuddered and cried in the corner of the bathroom. And I wouldn't stop no matter how hard I tried.

### I heard the door break open. I screamed as loud as I could. I heard yelling, hand cuffing, swearing, and gun shots. Then I heard foot steps coming toward the bathroom door.

### My heart skipped a beat. "STOP, WHY ME?! DON'T TAKE ME! DON'T TORTURE ME! I'D RATHER YOU KILL ME! PLEASE!" I wailed, crying harder than I ever have.

### Then the door broke open. A woman and a man, both in their 30's came in wearing police uniforms. Then ran to me, hugged me, rocked me, and told me it was OK.

Then I told them everything, about being special, about the first day of school, about running away. And they listened.

### "It's OK, honey, don't worry, it's OK." They repeated.

Finally I asked, "Where is he." I asked meaning the stranger, who wanted to kill me.

### "On his way to jail." The woman answered, slowly. I weeped some more, thinking of torture. The woman knelt down to hug me again.

The next thing I knew, I was in a police car, on my way home. I must've fell asleep. But is this place where my mother lives, even my home? No...they don't accept me there. My mother has never hugged me. All she does is say how bad I am. No...this place isn't my home. They aren't even my family. Families love each other. But there is no real love for me, only sympathy.

### "No, don't take me there, that place isn't my home, they don't love me, please...don't."

### "I'm sorry, she is your mother, shes responsible for you, we have to." She said.

### I felt my eyes filling up, so I starred out the window, hoping she didn't see me.

### I trudged into the place where they live.

My mom saw me, ran to me hugged me and yelled between weeps, "OH, I'M SO GLAD YOUR OK! NEVER LEAVE ME AGAIN! OH, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" she said hugging me. I froze, she was hugging me. She was hugging me. And I hugged her back.

### "Where is father and brother?" I asked.

### She looked away and was silent for a long time before answering, "They, left, walked out on us. And they aren't coming back."

### "Oh..." I said, thinking it over.

### "You don't have to go to school tomorrow. You should rest." My mom said softly.

### "No, I'll go, it's OK, thanks anyways." I muttered.

### "If your sure..." she said.

### The whole day I was trudging around, waiting for the day to be over, then, as I was trying to fall asleep, I was wishing it would never end. Because I knew one thing. Tomorrow...was going to be bad.

### I shut my eyes, and tried to go to sleep as best I could. But a little voice in my head wouldn't let me. No I couldn't get it out! "You know...this could all be over. Nothing would every worry you again. You would only feel 10 seconds of pain, then everything, is done!" The voice in my head said. I turned and tossed, trying to get the voice out. I cried, "Stop! I don't care if I die! Just stop!"

### The next thing I knew, my mom was shaking me awake, telling me I'll miss my bus if I don't hurry up. I knew any other kid would have been annoyed of their mother or father for doing that. But...it made me happy, my mom never wakes me up, or cares about what I do, or if I'm late. By caring...she made me feel special, only in a good way.

### "Thanks, mom..." I said quietly.

### "For what, honey?" She asked, not sure if I was being sarcastic or not.

### "For...being my mom...for caring." I said reaching over to hug her. "Mom?..." I asked wondering why she pushed me away and wouldn't hug me. I couldn't see very well what happened next because my eyes where blurry from tears. All I knew was...she didn't love me as much as I thought.

### I distracted myself by getting ready for school. I scanned through my closet. Hmm, nothing good. I found an old black t-shirt, some black jeans, and a black hair tie. I wasn't in the mood for anything bright.

### I found my white sneakers. I ran downstairs and got some black paint. I painted my sneakers black. But it wasn't so easy. I started to make small black flowers on them, but I messed up, so I painted them all black.

### The new me was ready for school. Or maybe I really haven't changed at all. Maybe...I just needed to find out more about myself. Maybe I've never understood myself. Maybe everybody's seen me, but me.

### I sighed and ran out the door, just before the bus left. I felt myself blushing for being late. Then I remembered the new me. So I just smirked, and found a seat in the back. Everybody was still staring at me though. As if they where trying to figure out who I was. I could see their minds trying to figure out if I've been in their class before, or if I was the new girl. The ride to school was living hell. But I knew, I could only expect worse, at school.

### Finally, after the bus stopped at the school, and the kids piled out, the day began. I looked at the schedule they sent in the mail. OK, so I have science first. Science, science, science, what room are you taught in?

### I must have wondered that aloud, or the teacher looked over my shoulder and saw my schedule, but the next thing I knew I felt a soft tap on my shoulder, and a light voice saying, "Hi! I'm Mrs. Wills! I'm the science teacher for eighth grade. I'll show you where my room is!"

### "Uh...OK...um, thanks.." I heard myself whisper.

### "No prob!" She answered, as she was showing my down the hall to her room.

Oh no, the day has already gotten worse! And it's only 1st period! As soon as I walked in the door, I heard snickers, and whispers saying, "There she is, the stupid goth girl who tried to make bus 5 late." I felt myself blushing more, until I remembered the new me again.

### I held my head high, as I walked over to the chair Mrs. Wills was pointing to. I even managed a small grin at Grace. Grace Hamks. The girl who swears she's going to be a super model.

### At my school, we don't have one popular girl, who everybody loves, and wants to be BFF's with. At my school we don't have groups who sit at separate tables. Or at least not too many. We don't have one popular girl or boy. We have popular people. But lots of them. Grace is pretty popular. But not everybody knows who she is.

### Anyways, when she saw me smile, she made a face like I had just stuck the sourest candy in the world in her mouth, took it out, spit on it, then shoved it back in her mouth again. Seeing her face so utterly ugly made me smile even bigger.

It struck me. As soon as I sat down, it struck me. If I'm supposed to be being myself, why doesn't it feel like me? Maybe, I'm all wrong about this. Everybody was shocked when they saw me, because it so wasn't me! Maybe this is all happening, so that in the end I find my real self. Well I know know thing. I won't stop until I find out who I am. I won't ever stop.

### I made up my mind. I would try out different personalities for a short time period. Then I would switch if it didn't feel right. It was the best I could think of. I hope it works.

### I told myself over and over, in the end I would find myself. But what if in the end, all I become is a friendless nerd, who everyone hates? What if I just screw up my life even more. WHY DID I HAVE TO BE BORN SPECIAL! WHY DID I HAVE TO EVEN BE BORN? I HATE MY LIFE! I HATE EVERYTHING! The thoughts wouldn't stop.

### On the way back home, I was quiet on the bus. I tried to be as unnoticeable as possible. I didn't want anyone to know that I'd been crying. No such luck. Brad, the meanest boy who's stepped on earth made sure EVERYBODY saw me.

As I slid through the bus, to a seat toward the middle of the bus, Brad just had to shout, "Cry much, stupid? I didn't know your kind even could cry. You stupid animal, you shouldn't even be allowed near us humans!"

### Everybody burst in to laughter. They mouths where opening so wide, I could see their molars. I glared at all them, especially Brad. Brad saw me, and smiled his crooked smile, with his uneven teeth. I felt my anger rising, by the second. If only I could I would wrap my thin fingers around his neck, and strangle the life out of him!

### I trudged out of the bus, full of rage, cussing under my breath. I barely managed to mumble "Thanks..." to the bus driver.

### "Mhm..." The bus driver replied.

### I threw my backpack over my shoulders and ran into my house. I ran because I could feel tears forming in my eyes again. I wanted to scream, I wanted to hit, I wanted to kill. What the heck was Brad thinking?!

Tomorrow, I'm going to be girly. No, I'm not trying to be like Grace. But who knows? What if my real self is super girly? I've gotta try. And I'm going to start by planning my clothes tonight. I found a hot pink spaghetti strap tank top, that's about a size big, so it's long. Then I found a big t-shirt that said Pink is the new Black, my mom bought it for me last year on my birthday. I put on my tank top, then I put the t-shirt over it. I bundled up the bottom of the t-shirt, so I could see the lace bottom of the tank top. Then I got a purple hair tie, and tied my hair back. Next I found some skinny jeans, with rhinestones on the pockets.

### I scanned myself in the mirror, and I have to admit. I like this look better than the black. I nodded at myself approving myself.

### I reminded myself that if everybody was shocked to see me in black, this would be a huge difference, and I would get more stares. I shrugged, the new me isn't afraid. No matter how I dress, or act, I will not be afraid anymore. That is one thing that is going to change, and stay changed. And that's a fact.

### I climbed into bed, rubbing my eyes. After half an hour, I heard my mom come into my room, she hovered over my bed for a good 5 minutes. I pretended to be asleep. I don't know exactly why. I heard her mumble something, but I couldn't make out the words. Then I heard her walk out of my room. After that I must've fallen asleep.

### I woke up on the ground. I must've fallen off my bed while I sleeping. I squinted my eyes to barely make out what the time read. 6:00. A little early, but if I'm going to add some makeup, I better get an early start. I slipped on my clothes quietly not to wake up my mom. Then I headed for the bathroom, my hands full of all my mom's make-up I could manage to find in the dark.

### I decided to start with my eyes. I found some green eyeshadow. I put some on, and checked myself in the hand mirror. Perfect. I found some eyeliner then. I lined my eyes in black. Whoa! It sure makes my eyes stand out. But I liked it. I rummaged through the pile of makeup. I found a bottle of mascara. I had put it on once. So I knew what I was doing. I looked up into my hand mirror. Whoa. I looked so different. It makes my eyes stand out. I like it!

### Next, was lips. My lips where a really light color. I found some pink lipstick. I knew not to pick the really bright pink that stands out, because then people accuse you of 'trying to hard'. This pink looked more natural. I covered my lips in it. Then I found some clear sparkle lip gloss. I smeared that over my lips also. I lined my lips in the same shade lip liner. I smiled. This was getting better and better.

### I didn't need any blush, because my cheeks where naturally pink. Maybe too pink...No I'm keeping my cheeks the way they are.

I took final inspection of myself. I was shocked. I looked...pretty. I've never thought of myself as someone pretty before. Wow, makeup sure does a lot. I loved my eyes the most. I was expecting the best day of my life today. Only I wasn't expecting the weirdest.

### As soon as I set foot on the bus, all the chattering stopped. Even Brad stopped picking his nose. I held my head high flashing a grin at all the people who I thought needed one. I even flipped my hair once.

Someone even asked me if I was new here, then the girl sitting next to her stabbed her in the ribs and hissed, "No! That's Melody, obviously!" She rolled her eyes.

### I couldn't believe that girl knew my name! I didn't even know her name! How on earth does she know my name? Usually people don't even talk to me. Let alone remember my name! Things sure are changing!

### I was heading for my locker when I saw Grace walking up to me! What does she want now?! I haven't done anything to her! I hope she isn't mad at me for putting makeup on, I mean why should she care? Why does she even-

### "Hey, Melony, right? I love that outfit! Wanna hang with us at lunch?" She asked nodding her dead toward Courtney and Britney.

### "U-um, y-yeah! I'd u-um love to! T-thanks! By the way, I-I'm Melody.!" I stammered, shocked she invited to to sit with them at lunch!

### "OK, see ya, Melody." She said, with a small hand wave. Courtney and Britney also gave the little hand wave, before flouncing off.

Whoa...now that was a little weird. I don't know if these clothes or this makeup was having effect on my brain, because I've never wanted to sit with Grace before. But now nothing seemed better than doing that! Maybe, just maybe, this is the personality for me.

### As I was walking to science, people who I didn't even know were all "Hey Mel! Sup?"

### As soon as I walked into science, people got out of their seats, and greeted me! I felt as if I was the first lady or something!

### "Well, you've sure changed, Melody!" Mrs. Wills said with a small smile.

### "Um...yeah..." I whispered, but Mrs. Wills somehow still heard me from way across the room.

### Through 4 many great periods, lunch finally came! I got in line, grabbing my tray so fast, another fell below it.

### "Here! I'll get it!" Said Brad, while grabbing the tray.

### OK, now that was weirder than Grace asking to eat lunch with them! I was still in shock, so he gave me a small push, so I snapped back to life, moving along. Corn, oranges, or apples. Blah, they all look brownish. I decided on corn, it looked better than the other two. I grabbed a hamburger, put some mustard on it, then speed walked over to Grace's table.

### "Hey." I said, smiling, and taking a spot next to Grace.

### "Hey, whats new?" Grace asked, returning a smile.

### "Nothing much. Ugh, can you believe how much homework we got in math? I mean, don't they think we have anything better to do?" I asked, rolling my eyes in Disgust.

### "OMG! IKR! It's like seriously! Give us kids a break! I have dance lessons tonight!" Grace responded, flipping her blond ponytail.

### I stared at her lunch. Just a simple salad. I scanned all the other girl's lunches at the table. Everybody had a salad! I should have known! These girls are probably on diet! I should have gotten a salad to. Gr I'm so stupid!

### Grace must have noticed me, scanning their lunches, because she said, "We're eating salad to try to get thinner, but you obviously don't need to eat all this gross green stuff! Your so lucky your so skinny!" She said in a pained voice.

That totally threw me off. Her Jealous of me?! I was in utter shock!

### "How did you get so skinny?" She asked, a begging plead in her voice.

### "Um, I guess I eat healthy for breakfast, and not that big a dinner?" I said cautiously.

### "Can you have a sleepover tonight, so you can show us exactly what to eat, and how much?" She asked.

### "Course! Let me just Check with my mom! I'll sneak into the bathroom and make a call now!" I said, grinning.

### "Good idea, you're so smart, Mel!" She said, adding a super cool hair flip at the end.

### I grinned and headed for the bathroom. I scanned the stalls, good, the whole bathroom's empty. I hid in one stall, and hit speed dial home. Mom picked up on the third ring.

### "Hello?" she asked.

### "Hey, mom, can I have a sleepover with Grace to- just hold on mom I'll call you back in a sec!" I hung up the phone immediately, hearing footsteps, right by my stall. I held my breath and flushed. Hopefully they didn't know I had made a call!

### "Hey, It's Grace! I'm going to call my mom to ask if you can come home with me on the way home, k?" She asked.

### "OK, I thought you where a teacher at first!" I said, breathing a sigh of relief.

### I heard a laugh, then I heard Grace say, "Hi! Mom can Melody come home with Courtney, Britney, and I? ...Mhm...Yeah...OK, Thanks! Bye!" She said hanging up the phone.

### "So...?" I asked.

### "She said yes!!! I hope your mom says yes too!" She said.

### "I'm sure she will, she never says no." I responded.

### "OK, I'll wait in here while you make the call, to make sure no teachers really do come in!" She said excitedly.

### I hit speed dial again.

### "Hello?" I heard my mom ask again.

### "Hey, mom it's me again sorry, so can I go home with Grace, then sleep over?" I asked sweetly.

### "Sure! Remember to call me when it's time to pick you up!" She said, sounding too cheery.

### "Oh, we can drive you to school tomorrow!" Grace whispered.

### "It's a weekend!" I responded giggling.

### "Oh!" She said giggling also.

### "OK, bye mom!" I said, still giggling.

### "Bye! Have fun!" Mom said, giggling, even though she didn't even know what we where laughing about.

### I hung up my phone, shoved it in my pocket, then Grace grabbed my hand, and lead me back to the table. Everybody was staring at us laughing our heads off.

### "Whats so funny?" Courtney asked, sounding pained, and left out.

### "Oh, nothing!" Grace said, flipping her hand, as if that was that.

### For the rest of lunch, Grace and I shared looks, trying not to laugh, while Britney and Courtney shot us looks. I felt a little bad, but I figured we could tell them at Grace's house. I feared if I opened my mouth, I would burst out laughing again.

### I raced onto the parking lot, following Grace. She pointed to a silver Toyota.

### "That's my car!" She said proudly.

### The car was amazing, it looked like her mom had just bought it this morning! I peered inside, it could fit seven people! My car could only fit four!

### "OMG! That is like, the, best, car, EVER!" I squealed.

### "I know." Grace answered smugly.

### "My car is better! It's Blue, and a Ford! Ford is better than Toyota!" Called Britney.

### Grace yawned before answering, "OK, now can we just get in the car, Fords SUCK Britney!"

### OK, now that was a little harsh, but it was harsh of Britney to say her car was better. I mean what kind of friend does that? Anyways, I heard my mom telling my dad Toyota was actually better than Ford.

### As I climbed into the car I said happily, "Thanks for letting me sleep over tonight Mrs. Hamks!"

### "My Pleasure!" Mrs. Hamks replied, even cheerier than me.

### Grace grinned over at me, and I returned the grin, I couldn't wait for tonight. It was probably going to be the best night of my life...EVER!

### As we climbed out of the car Mrs. Hamks called, "Cookies are on the counter! Help yourself! I'll be in my room!"

### "OK." We call called back.

### We raced out of the car, knowing that Mrs. Hamks always makes the best cookies for class parties, or bake sales. Mmm, we could smell the cookies as soon as we set foot into the house.

### "We got her-" Britney started.

### "Shush!" Grace hissed back, interrupting Britney.

### "Got...who?" I asked dreading the answer.

### "Nobody! Britney is just being stupid! Typical!" Grace said, flipping her hair, and rolling her baby blue eyes.

### A ping of fear started up into myself. I could tell Britney meant me. And Grace shushing her was NOT a good sign. They where hiding something. I had a feeling they wanted to hurt me. But there was no turning back now. I was trapped, trapped in her house. I had fell for her tricks.

### "Aren't you going to take a cookie?" Grace asked, looking hurt that I don't like her mom's cooking.

### "Nah, I'm not so hungry anymore..." I said, because I had completely lost my appetite, and I didn't trust these cookies.

### "Lets have a dance competition!" Grace called out, happily.

### Courtney bit her nails, "I-I'm not good at d-dancing." She stammered.

### "Fine, well you can be the judge." Grace said rolling her eyes in annoyance.

### Grace rolls her eyes so much, I'm shocked her eyes haven't fallen out of her head yet. I giggled at the thought.

### "What's so funny?!" Courtney snapped, thinking I was laughing at her.

### "Oh I just remembered something funny that my mom did! Let's get on with the competition!" I said over happily.

### "Fine..." Courtney said, raising one eyebrow at me.

### "Britney first!" Grace said.

### Britney trotted to the door, then came out, walking with her hand on her hip, she bounced her skirt, fell to the floor, got up, spun, and did a bunch of awesome moves! After her dance, she ended in a pose, twirling her hair, with a smirk on her face. We all clapped, eying Courtney scribble on her paper rapidly.

### "Mel, next." Grace said, no expression on her face.

### I also walked over to the door, I cartwheeled in, adding a few flips here and there. I was dancing to the song Walking on sunshine. I did a bunch of flips, flipping my hair, pulling all my best moves. I glanced at Grace, and Britney. Their mouthes where hanging open, and so was Courtney's. I did the spinflipcart, (my own made up move) for the finally, and my ending pose, was a handstand, with my legs, shaping a heart. They all clapped wildly, and I caught Grace whispering something to Britney, then Britney nodded.

### "My turn, now!" Grace called, already on her way to the door.

### Grace twirled, and spun, rolled her eyes a bunch, and did a bunch of kind of lame moves. No offense, but Grace wasn't cut out for dancing. Her ending pose, was her blowing a kiss to us. We clapped wildly.

### "OK, everyone! I have made my decision! Mel wins!" Courtney called, glancing at Grace to see if she was mad. Grace's smile had dropped ever so slightly, but then she replaced it with her superstar smile.

### "Good job!" Grace said in a fake happy tone.

### "Yeah, you deserved it!" Said Britney, in a real happy tone.

### "Awww, thanks! But you guys where great too! OMG the moves you guys did! SO awesome!" I gushed, kind of shocking myself for saying OMG, because I never talk in text talk.

### They both smiled modestly and said, "Thanks!"

### About six hours later, after many pillow fights, food fights, makeovers, and boy talk, it was time for bed. Or so I thought.

### I climbed under my sleeping bed, catching a glimpse of what seemed like Britney winking at Grace, and Grace winking back.

### I woke up about an hour later, not able to breathe. I was gagging, my eyes filling with tears. I felt my hair, but it was just above my ears! And my ear was BLEEDING! My lips where cut, my cheeks where drawn on with Sharpie, and my leg felt broken. I looked down to see my whole leg covered in blood.

### "Help!" I wailed, crying my eyes out.

### I Could barely see Grace, Courtney, and Britney come in, because I was crying so hard. Grace was smirking, along with Britney, Courtney looked nervous, and was biting her nails.  
"How could you!" I screamed, anger rising.

### "Pfft! You where the one who actually thought we LIKED you! As if!" Grace said rolling her eyes, and laughing meanly.

### "Yeah, like we would like a loser like YOU!" Britney called.

### I've got to get out of here! They'll kill me if I stay! I know they will! I looked around, they where blocking all the doors.

### "PLEASE! LET ME GO!" I cried, sobbing.

### "Shut up!" Grace snapped.

### "Let me go to the bathroom, or the accident will be all over your pink carpet." I said, trying to sound calm.

### "Fine, Courtney, go with her."

### Courtney nodded, racing after me.

### "Courtney, your not like them, your nicer, Please, don't let them kill me!" I begged.

### "I'm going to help you. It's true, they are beasts! They plan to kill you, but I must warn you, it's not going to be easy! Grace is smart, she planned to behead you. And if I didn't do what she asked, I would have been killed years ago." She said, while wiping up my blood.

### "Courtney, it's OK, I'll be your friend. I'll be by your side, everyday, so she can't hurt you! And if she tries, I swear I'll save you like your saving me. It's OK. I don't know how to thank you right now though!" I cried, my eyes filling with tears of joy.

### Courtney's eyes, I noticed where also filling with tears as she replied, "Melody, those are the words, I've been waiting for someone to say for four years. But we haven't won yet, If we don't hurry Grace will come looking for us!" Courtney said nervously.

### "The window! We can get out the window by the sink!" I whispered, hoping Grace or Britney hadn't heard us before.

### "Great idea!" Courtney said, sliding the window open.

### "Courtney!" Grace shrieked from the other side of the door.

### "Hurry up!" I hissed.

### "It won't open!" Courtney cried.

### "If you don't open up NOW, I'm coming in! I have the screwdriver to unlock the door with me right now! I also have the knife!" Grace yelled.

### I pushed Courtney aside, and slammed my hand as hard as I could against the window, just as Grace broke the door open. Sure enough, she did have the knife in her hand. One final slam from my hand and the window broke.

### Courtney scrambled on the floor, hurrying to get up. But Grace cut her thigh, just as she was running.

### "No!" I shrieked.

### Grace grinned, raising her knife, just above Courtney's neck. I ripped Courtney from her grasp, her knife, stabbing my wrist, instead of Courtney's neck.

### "RUN! RUN COURTNEY RUN!" I cried!

### "No! I won't go alone!" Courtney took the glass bottle of soap, and banged it against Grace's head, she picked me up and threw through the window, she jumped out after.

### "Courtney...my hand..." I said weakly.

### Courtney picked me up and ran, I don't know where she was running, because my eyes where so full of tears I couldn't see.

### The next thing I knew, I was laying on a white bed, in a hospital gown, my mom pouring over me.

### "Your alright!" She cried, hugging me.

### "Courtney? Where...where is Courtney?!" I asked jumping up.

### My mom shook her head, "She didn't make it, if you mean the girl who carried you here...she shouldn't have been running. She hurt her leg bad, she must have fell, and her her thigh more hurt as she was running. It's a shock she made it here. I'm so sorry honey!"

### "It's all my fault! She used her energy on ME!" I cried, feeling tears run down my face.

### "It's not your fault." My mom said hugging me.

### I pushed her away, "IT IS! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" I wailed.

### I knew things would never be the same. Maybe I shouldn't plan how I act. Maybe I should just look through my closet and pick whatever looks best to me. Then I'll start acting like my true self.

### I laid down in my own bed, and I saw Courtney.

### "We'll always be friends, thank you, I am free now." Courtney said, slowly fading away.

### And I realized, I was free now too, or so I thought.

### I had the dream again. I was alone. In a dark room, waiting for something...someone. I don't remember what. I was sitting in a chair. Tied up I think. I heard somebody talking, but I couldn't see them. They told me I was worthless, stupid, and unwanted. Then I found it was my mothers voice.

### When I woke up, I looked for my mother, a hug from her, and the dream would maybe be forgotten. She wasn't in her room. I ran down the hall, no sign of her! Then I saw it, the note on the door.

Melody,

I can't take it anymore. I can't stand to look at your face anymore. Your nothing more than a piece of filth. I never wanted you. Your not good for anything. I wish you would just die, maybe then things would be better.

-You know who (I won't let someone as useless as you call me mother!)

### I looked over the words. I read them over and over. I felt like somebody had just lit our house on fire, and just as I was leaving, my mother pushed me back into the house. I wanted it to be over. Maybe...I should just die.

### Just as I was crying, I saw something, someone.

### I heard a faint voice whisper, "Melody, do not be afraid, it is I, Courtney. I have come to help, and warn you."

### I felt my eyes sting with tears, "S-s-she, m-mom, s-she-"

### "I know, it's OK." Courtney said, gently.

### "Thanks." I whispered, choking on my tears.

### "Now listen, Grace isn't done yet, there is something you must know about her, shes...not human. When she was just a little girl, something, someone, overpowered her, you'll learn more about that later. She won't stop until she kills you though! You have something she wants. I'm not allowed to tell you what, but I know you'll figure it out." Courtney said, in a straight tone.

### "NO! It's all a joke! Please! Don't! Can't I just die?! Then it'll all be over!" I cried, hiding my face in my hands.

### "Be brave, Melody! I have faith in you! And I'll always be with you. Friends are always there for each other. And two more things. One, remember that guy at the motel? He can help you. The last thing is, your mother didn't leave that note." Courtney said, staring at me.

### "Wait, how can that guy help me? And who left that note? Where is my mother!" I asked, urgently.

### "I can't tell you, I would if I could, I swear! But I can only say so much, I'm lucky they let me here. Please, you'll find out on your own, don't give up." Courtney said, sounding scared, as if she thought I would hate her because she can't tell me.

### "I understand, I'll find out anyways, and also, you'll be with me! Thank you, Courtney! Thank you!" I yelled, hugging her, my eyes filling with tears of joy.

### Courtney let out a sigh of relief and hugged me back grinning while she said, "That's what friends are for!"

### I was walking back to the motel, when I saw a woman staring at me. I had a feeling I knew her, but I wasn't quite sure. She has perfect brown hair, and ice cold blue eyes.

### When I finally got to the motel, I found out that the man was actually expecting me!

"Courtney told me you where coming, before you start asking questions, I'll give you answers. I can't tell you about how I know Courtney, that is for later. Grace really wants to kill you. This is war now. Grace isn't human, so she wont go easy on you, and she's way stronger than any other 8th grade girl. So it will be hard defeating her." He said, scratching his white beard.

### "NO! I DON'T WANT WAR! I WANT PEACE, PLEASE, DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS!" I cried.

### "You see, Melody, she'll kill you if you don't fight. And even if you don't care if you die, your not just fighting for yourself! Grace has hidden your mom, and she has many other people in hostage. If you win, she'll let them all go! Please, my brother, my sister, they're all held hostage! Please." He said, his eyes filling will tears.

### "OK, I'll do it, but I'm going to need some help!" I said, trying to be brave.

### "Oh, Thank you, prin- I mean Melody!" He said grinning.

### "WAIT, why where you going to call me princess?" I demanded to know.

### "That is also for later." He answered calmly.

### "Fine." I growled under my breath.

### "About the help, I will be there when your life depends on it, Courtney will be with you, and Courtney has gotten many of her friends to help. Dead people may seem like they can do very little, but you'll see what these ghosts can do, here is a vile of wake. If you should get hurt, drink it. Don't ask about it, just remember when you're hurt, drink it." He answered, handing me a small vile.

### I took the vile without answering, nodded my head, meaning thank you, and walked out the door.

### Thoughts raced through my head. Was this really war? Would I die? Who really is Grace? Is Britney human?

### When I got home, I found an email. From Grace. It said to meet her in 4 days for battle. And not showing up will cost me my life.

### Only 3 days of practice! I buried my head in my arms, wondering if I should just die. NO, I told myself. What about all those people? I'll loose if I tell myself I'll loose. But I'll put up a darn good fight, if I try!

### I checked the mail. A package had come for me. I found an armored dress, along with a shield and sword. What is this, medieval fighting? I wondered while rolling my eyes.

### I tried on the suit, it was perfect.

### I knew I always tried hardest with music. So I went to the store, found running headphones (headphones that don't fall out when your running really fast.) Then I spend my last 70 bucks on an ipod shuffle. I downloaded my favorite songs.

### I went to my room, and practiced using my sword, and blocking with the shield. I was doing pretty good. The music helped so much. I cranked up the song Whip my hair, and practiced dodging people throwing swords or daggers at me.

### One day left. For the last two days, I've been nonstop practicing. Today was the day I was supposed to go to the motel to see who would be fighting with me.

### I packed my armor in my duffel bag, and started toward the motel. Same creepy lady staring at me. Only this time her eyes seemed like she wanted me to help her. I was in a rush so I couldn't stop though.

### I ran into the motel panting. Then I gasped at my team. I expected to see 10 maybe 20 girly ghosts, putting on nail polish during this meeting. But instead I saw 50 men, strong men, weapons in their hands, looking readier than ever for battle.

### "I uh- you-" I stammered.

### "We can't fight with our hands, but when we're holding human objects, those don't just disappear through your skin. You can feel those when we hit people with them." One with a gruff voice answered.

### Courtney hovered over to me "Your probably really nervous, but I know you can win." She said with an encouraging smile.

### "You'll sleep overnight here. She could attack any minute, so we all need to be with you." The motel guy said.

### I only nodded, because I was still in utter shock.

### That night I couldn't sleep at all. Courtney even tried to sing me a goodnight lullaby, because I needed my rest tomorrow, but I couldn't. Sometimes, after letting my fears eat me, I fell asleep.

### I woke up to a bang, and yelling.

### "I COME WHEN I WANT, AND SHE BETTER BE READY IN 5 MINUTES!" I heard Grace shriek.

### "FINE! 10 MINUTES THOUGH! YOU DON'T HAVE TO SLEEP BUT HUMANS DO!" I heard the motel man snap back.

### I raced over to my duffel, threw on my clothes, and got ready.

### "Good your ready, we only have 7 minutes, then its battle time." The man said, fear in his voice.

### "I know." I answered flatly.

### 7 it seems like hours later, I saw a bomb come at us in slow motion, the black blob hovered over to us. I couldn't move. I saw the motel man ushering people out. But my legs wouldn't support me. Then I felt someone pick me up. It was Courtney. Once again, She saved my life. As she was rushing out, I saw the whole place collapse in flames.

### Grace and her army, (about 40 strong men also) ran toward us. My army and I charged toward them. I dodged a bunch of them, killing some on the way.

### The next thing I knew, Grace shrieked, "EVERYBODY! STOP FIGHTING! THE FIGHT WILL NOW ONLY BE BETWEEN MELODY AND I! IF SHE WINS, I'LL LET EVERYBODY GO, AND DIE MYSELF. IF I WIN, I TORTURE HER, THEN KILL HER, UNLESS ONE OF US KILLS THE OTHER NOW!"

### I froze, nobody had ever told me I would have to fight Grace alone! Then I remembered not be be scared, and nodded. I saw Courtney shoot a nervous glance my way. Just as I was turning around, I saw Grace, charging at me, a dagger in her hand. It's all over. I knew it was. I closed my eyes and waited.

### I heard a loud scream, so I opened my eyes. My hands flew to my mouth. Tears coming out, so fast, and so many, that my whole dress was soaking. Because there, in front of me, was the motel man. A dagger in his heart.

### I fell on my knees, holding him in my arms, crying no, over and over. I don't care if Grace kills me. But killing my friends, that is going WAY to far!

### Courtney came over, picked up the motel man, and carried him inside. Then I remembered.

### "COURTNEY! WAIT! GIVE HIM THIS!" I cried, trowing the vile at her.

### She started to protest, then she saw my face, and nodded.

### The motel man looked up. "No, please no. Keep it, keep it! It's my time..." He said, slowly closing his eyes.

### I knew, this was his choice. The tears started coming again, until I saw Grace, smirking at me. I wiped away my tears.

### I glared at Grace, and mumbled, "Bring. It. On."

### She smiled, and started skipping toward me. I knew she expected me to stand still, then when she got to me, to lunge at her, but I surprised her, by running toward her, and piercing her in the heart with my sword.

### "You...won." She said, pushing a button, on her watch. Causing her to explode.

### The button, I soon found out, also released the prisoners, because the next thing I knew, hundreds of people where running toward me, but I didn't see my mother.

### "Where is the man who owns the motel? Where is my brother?" An old man and woman asked, their eyes shining, hoping to see their brother again.

### "He...died." I said, starting to cry again.

### Their faces fell, they slowly walked away, silent tears, running down their faces.

### The creepy woman walked up to me. She whipped off a mask, and I came to find she was my mother.

### "I HAD TO GO INTO COSTUME TO WATCH YOU! IT WAS THE ONLY WAY!" She cried, hugging me.

### I tried to, but I couldn't hug her. I couldn't even smile. I was a murderer. Not only one, but TWO people. Images of Courtney and the motel man, popped into my head. I buried my face in my sleeve, while running away from my mother. I found myself, in the middle of the destroyed motel. I noticed the motels mans brother and sister there, too.

### "He helped me so much, I'm so sorry." I said, walking toward them, not knowing what else to say.

### They nodded and smiled, "He was a great man." They said at the same time, while going back, and looking at his stuff.

### I walked back out, toward the remains of Grace.

### "Thank you. You gave me new friends, you showed me real pain, you made me braver, stronger, a better person. For that I thank you." I whispered.

### That night, when my mom was asleep, I tiptoed into the kitchen, and pulled out our longest sharpest knife. I hesitated. Then I decided, I had too. No more guilt feelings.

### In ten seconds, I knew it was all over.

### I woke up to the gates of heaven. Courtney, and the motel man where there.

### "It's not your time." Courtney said, but I saw worry in her eyes.

### "What's wrong?" I asked.

### "Grace." Courtney said, shivering.

### "Grace is gone. She died, remember? You where there..." I said, wondering what Courtney was so scared about.

### "No, shes not..." Courtney said, her eyes gleaming with tears.

### "W-what?!" I stammered.

### "I'm sorry, you have to leave, now." She said, the tears, streaming down her face.

### I nodded, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up, in a forest. And I saw the motel man! But... I had just seen him, in heaven. And here is is, looking full of life! I felt my heart thumping. I looked at him again, he was holding out his hand to me. I slowly walked toward him.

### I looked into his eyes. And then I knew. The real motel man's eyes, glimmered with happiness, golden rings, surrounded his bright green eyes. The eyes I looked into where a pale green. Grace.

### Just as I was glaring at Grace, Courtney appeared at her side. Grace ripped off her disguise, and ran.

### "Courtney, why are you here?" I asked, wondering if another had died.

### She didn't answer, she only smiled.

### Just then, Courtney's words run in my head. Her voice full of fear, saying "Grace, Grace, Grace." Over and over.

### I ran over to Grace, disguised as Courtney. I ripped the mask off her face, then screamed in terror. For I had not seen Grace's face behind the mask. No, it was my mother's.

### "Surprise."She said, nearing toward me, as I was backing away.

### "WHAT HAS GRACE DONE TO YOU!" I wailed.

### "Nothing, I am Grace." She answered, smiling.

### "NO!" I yelled, over and over.

### She kept smiling, as she pulled a dagger from her pocket.

### Courtney should have let me stay dead. I was dying now anyways. I closed my eyes, one more time. Nobody was here to save me this time. Courtney and the motel man, had given up their lives, only for me to die anyways.

### "Hurry up!" I screaming, crying.

### Mom kept smiling, as she plunged the dagger in her own heart.

### I screamed and ran over to her. I hugged her, as her body grew cold. I watched as the smile, faded off her face. My tears, streaming down my own face, fell on her cheeks.

### Courtney, and the motel man. Hovered above me, both had tears in their eyes.

### Suddenly I grew angry, "YOU KNEW ALL ALONG! YOU KNEW MY MOTHER WAS GRACE! WHY DIND'T YOU TELL ME?! YOU KNEW! I HATE YOU!" I screamed, as I wiped away my tears.

### They both hung their heads, "To protect you."

### I didn't understand, but I wasn't going to ask.

### They answered anyways, "If we told you, we would have broken a law, and you would've been sent straight to hell."

### I stiffened. They had done it for me... and here I was blaming them for what they had not done. I smiled, and they knew everything was OK.

### Was it finally over? Was it really? The answer was no. It was not.

### The next day, I packed up my old stuff. Just as I was doing that, someone burst through my door. Nothing scared me anymore, so I didn't care what happened. Heck, I wouldn't care if they killed me.

Actually, I wouldn't care, but I wouldn't let them. Courtney and the motel man gave up their lives for what? For my life. For me. They gave it up for me. Everyday, I try to figure out why. They are the reasons I live. The only reason.

### "Who is it?" I called out, sounding bored.

### I heard footsteps coming, nearing my room.

### I looked up, and saw a face. The face was my dad's.

### "D-daddy? Did you come to finish mom's job and kill me? Did you know she was Grace?" I asked.

### "Don't worry, your coming home, thats all you need to know." He said, his eyes looking sad.

### I followed my dad out the door. We rode in the car in silence. Sometimes I would look at him, and he would look back and smile.

### "So are you ready to go back to school tomorrow? I could put your stuff in your new room while your there." He said.

### I had entirely forgotten about school!

### "Sure!" I said, for the first time looking forward to school.

### My dad drove up the driveway to the closest thing to a mansion I'd ever seen. My eyes where practically popping out of my head. My brother, Jacob, raced out of the garage in his red and black bike.

### My dad must've seen my shocked face, because he said, "Wait until you see your room." He was very proud and happy that I liked the house.

### As soon as he said those words, I raced in the house. The house looked 10 times bigger on the inside than the out!

### "Which ones my room?" I asked, barely able to breathe.

### "Look upstairs." My dad said, grinning.

I groaned, normally I liked having to find stuff, but upstairs there looked like there was 100 rooms! And I wanted to see my room PRONTO! I wandered upstairs, looking in every room. 10 doors down, I saw the door and knew it was mine. I don't know how I just knew.

### I creaked the door open slowly. Then I screamed at the top of my lungs when I saw inside. Chain saws, knives, guns, you name it! They where planning on killing me! My heart stopped cold. Then I felt a tap at my shoulder.

### "We get robbed a lot, so just in case the police don't do good on their night shift, guarding our house, we have these." He explained, locking the door with his key, then handing the key to me. "Your room is 3 doors down to the left.

I peeked into the room he pointed out to me, hoping to weapons where in this room. I was astonished by what I saw. Neon colors where splashed everywhere! My bed looked super fluffy, covered in neon bedsheets. My dresser was lime green, my closet florescent yellow, my carpet bright purple, and my dad filled the room with all sorts off stuff he knew I would like! I opened my closet door. He had marked different sections with; Happy days! Bad days! Tired days! Normal days! Popular days! Under each label, clothes that fir that mood where hanging on hangers. It was absolutely perfect. Too perfect...

### My blue alarm clock woke my up in the morning. I threw off my covers, then headed downstairs, I wolfed my breakfast down, excited to pick out my clothes.

### I raced upstairs and threw open my closet door. As I picked out some popular clothes, I tripped, and fell through my closet! When I got to my feet, I realized there where stairs, rainbow stairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't believe what I saw. One of those make-up dressers, the famous people use with the spotlights at the top, sat in the middle of the small room. The prettiest dresses I've ever seen hung at the walls, around the whole room. In a small corner, I noticed a small perfect jewelry box, and in the opposite corner, a small safe. I raced to the make-up dresser first. I turned the lights on, and smiled at myself in the mirror. I opened the drawers, and every different one had a different make-up. Lipsticks, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip liner, nail polish, hair curlers, you name it! I couldn't stop smiling. Then I raced over to the jewelry, all sorts of diamond bracelets and necklaces sat in a pile in the box. I couldn't figure out if they where real or not. I opened the safe, and hundreds of dollars sat inside! I would figure that out later, but a long curtain caught my eye. I opened it, and it was a dressing room!

### I felt a tap at my shoulder. I looked behind myself.

### "Mel, you better get ready, the bus will come any minute!" my dad said.

### I raced upstairs, threw on some popular clothes, and ran out the door just in time.

### Brad smiled at me, as soon as I set foot in the bus. He motioned for me to come over and sit by him. So I did. Other boys eyed us, it might have been just me, but they looked jealous. I pulled at my areopostal shirt.

### "You look nice." Brad said. "Too nice!" He said, throwing his soda all over me!

### "BRAD YOU INGRATE!" I shouted.

### A girl motioned for me to come sit by her, so I did. She helped my wipe off most of the soda, along with other boys, and a few girls. Brad actually looked kind of sorry, but I didn't care.

### "My names Kelsey." The girl said. She had wavy brown hair, and blue eyes. She was tall and skinny.

### "I'm Melody." I said.

### "I know, everyone has been talking about you." She said.

### "Oh, haha, good things or bad?" I asked nervously.

### "Well, the popular girls thought u where gonna take there place, so there where happy you haven't been at school. The boys all like you now, and they've been sad. Everyone else is eager to be your bff." She said.

### "Ha ha!" I said, not believing it.

### When I got to school, I found out though. Everyone wanted to talk to me. Everyone acted like I was the new Miley Cyrus or something. And I hated it. Usually I hate when people who have everything still want more, or hate their life. But now I finally know how they feel. Being normal is so underrated! Everyone wants to be your friend, so you don't know who's loyal! I was almost positive Kelsey was loyal, though.

### Finally lunch rolled around, and I was looking for a specific person to sit by. Yep, Kelsey. But as I was looking for a seat 5 people followed me. I say 5 people, because it wasn't just girls. Boys tagged along too.

### Finally I spotted Kelsey, by herself, but not by herself. She sat toward the middle of the table. Everyone sat at one half of the table. If you didn't look close, it would look like she was with those people. But I could tell by the way she picked at her food, and looked at them, with a lonely stare, that she wasn't.

### I made my way over to her, "Hey!" I said.

### "Uh, hi!" She answered, confused by why I had chosen to sit by her.

### Just then, Amy sat down next to me, "Hey, do you and Kel wanna come to my sleepover tomorrow?"

### "Sure!" We both said at the same time.

### Kelsey's eyes widened as she pulled my away to the bathroom.

### "Amy is the most popular girl, like, ever! It's mainly because of her sleepovers! I've always wanted to go to one! Thanks! Hey after school, do you want to go shopping for dresses after school? It sounds weird, but usually people wear dresses there!" Kelsey said, rapidly.

### "Ha ha! OK, we can call now!" I said flipping open my cell. Of course my dad said yes, and so did hers.

### "Oh, one thing! We don't have to go shopping for dresses." I said, remembering my closet, "I think I'll have what we need!"

### "OK!" She squealed.

### I couldn't wait for the day to end, and when it finally did, Kelsey and I where all ready.

### When we got to my bus stop, we walked over to my house.

"Dang! Look at that house its giant! I wish I lived in that house, don't you?" She asked.

### "I live there!" I said, giggling.

### We both doubled over in laughter, as we ran up the driveway. When we stepped in, I lead her to my room. Her eyes where popping out more than mine had, when I lead her down the stairs. She stared at everything, but her gaze always went back to one dress. A purple flowered one, that falls to your knees. It had a halter neck, and was perfect for any party.

### "Pick any one you want to borrow." I said nodding toward the purple dress.

### "I promise I'll return it in just as good condition, the next morning!" She said, already heading toward the purple dress.

### I scanned all the dresses, finally deciding on a red one. It was a strapless rich in color, red dress. It had a big black ribbon around the waist, and fell to your thighs. It had white lace at the bottom, and small hearts on the skirt. It was perfect.

### Kelsey tried on her dress first, when she came out, I have to admit, she looked FABULOUS!

### "That dress must've been like made for you! It looks great! You'll be the bomb at the party!" I cheered.

### "Thanks." She said, modestly.

### I slipped on my dress, and came out, pretending to walk a runway. I Blew kisses to the crowd and did my best strut.

### "OMG! That dress is perfect on you!" She said, too amazed to sat anything else.

### "Thanks." I said, blushing, because it was true.

### Finally the sleepover came. My dad drove both of us there.

### "How do I look? Is my hair OK?" Kelsey asked, nervously.

### "You look great." I said, and it was true. She wore the dress, and her hair tied up in a ponytail. She curled her hair even more, today.

### "Now, how do I look?" I asked, pulling at my loose curls. I had curled my hair also, but I hadn't tied it up.

### "Perfect." She said, with a little nod of approval.

### A little part of me felt mad, because why was she approving me? They where my dresses, and I probably looked better than her! Then I rushed those thoughts away. Kelsey was my friend, and just saying I looked perfect.

### Kelsey was wrong. Nobody there wore dresses. Nobody got dressed up. My face reddened as soon as I stepped in the door. Kelsey's didn't. I felt myself tugging at my dress, wishing I was wearing a tee-shirt like everyone else.

### Everyone there stared at us, like we where aliens. I don't blame them, I mean, who wears dresses to a sleepover? Kelsey, apparently.

### When night came, everyone sat on their sleeping bag, and talked. The subject came to boys. I didn't like any boys, and I hadn't planned to.

### I nervously tugged at my nightgown, (nightgowns where also Kelsey's idea) when Kelsey asked, "Who do you like Mel?"

### My face grew hot, I had told Kelsey I hadn't liked anyone! I could tell by the fake smile Kelsey shot at me, coming here was a mistake. Wait, that smile. That smile looked like-

"Yeah, who, you know Brad has the hots for you!" Amy squealed. I was almost happy she said that, knowing Kelsey liked Brad, so I wasn't mad she interupted my thoughts.

### I almost said I liked Brad in spite, "Nobody." But knowing it would backfire later, I told the truth.

### They all nodded, like it was perfectly normal to not like anyone. But the subject still changed.

### At about 4:00am, Amy's mom came in, and said we had to go to sleep, or she would make us.

### After she left I heard Amy mumble, "Like she could make us do anything." Which I knew she was being sarcastic, but her mom had made her go to sleep.

### I tossed and turned, Courtney and the motel man, always talked with me, until I fell asleep. But they weren't here. And it would seem like I was talking to myself.

I turned myself back to Kelsey. Her smile had been like, like, Grace's. I shivered. Thinking about my mom, and the scene, always gave me goosebumps. But I couldn't avoid this. What if Kel...

### I must've drifted off to sleep, because the next thing I knew, Grace was shaking me, saying, "Your dads here!"

### I rubbed my eyes, was it 3 already? I looked at Grace's clock. 8:00am. His clock must've been fast.

### I got up, and got dressed anyways. I grabbed my duffel and headed out the door, Amy's mom offered me a pancake as I left, but I shook my head no.

### "Why did you come so early?" I asked, yawning.

### "Church, it's Sunday!" She replied.

### "Church?! Since when did we go to church? You woke me up at eight, to drag me to church?" I demanded to know.

### "I'm not dragging you." My dad said, laughing at his not so funny joke.

When we where at church, I swear I saw Courtney in the window, with wings. The motel man, too. But I shook my head, and looked back at the Priest.

### "That wasn't too bad." I told my dad on the way home.

### "I thought so." My dad said, proudly.

### That night Courtney came to me, the motel man at her side. Sure enough, they had wings.

### "Kelsey is Grace, but don't worry we got rid of her, no more Grace problems, Mel!" She said, smiling.

### The motel man cleared his throat, "We can't talk to you ever again until you die, we're angels now, we gave up being ghosts for you. It was the only way to get rid of every Grace."

### Courtney nodded, "I'm sorry." She said, her eyes filling with tears.

### "No! What?! NO!" I said, crying my eyes out.

### I ran to the kitchen, grabbing the first knife I saw. I heard Courtney shriek no, and start to fly over. But the motel man blocked her way. I cried, and I plunged the knife in my heart.

### It did no good. I couldn't become an angel. I would become a ghost. Ghosts can't see angels, unless if it's an emergency. I'd have to do something great to become an angel, like Courtney and the motel man gave up being ghosts to stop Grace.

### I learned how important life was. I learned how great friends can be. I learned how loyal they can be also. I will fight on forever. I will fight to become an angel. And I wont give up. I will never give up again. It's in my blood now.

### I gave up on trying to become an angel. I sighed. I knew I'd never see Courtney, the motel man, or anyone again. Questions rang in my head, why did Grace want me? Why had the motel man called me princess so long ago? How was Grace my mom and herself? How did Courtney know the motel man? Does Brad really like me?

### I wandered into the same forest my mom killed herself in. When I saw Courtney, I rubbed my eyes. She wasn't supposed to be able to see me, so why is she here?

### I must've said that aloud, because she said "I have a message."

### "What?!" I said wondering if I would become an angel.

### "To become an angel, you must find something." She said.

### "Find WHAT?" I said, already knowing she wouldn't tell me.

### She must've known I knew she wouldn't tell me, so she said nothing. Her eyebrows shot up, like she just remembered something. She dug around in her little purple purse, pulling out a lace white bag, tied with a big pink ribbon, and a perfect bow. She handed the bag to me.

### "What's this?" I asked opening the bag, pulling out a perfect yellow rose.

"Every time you pull a petal and eat it, you will journey to a new place. You will be looking for the thing you must find. Don't worry, once you see it, you'll know you've found it. But also, if you take to long, the rose will start to die, and the petals will start to fall on their own. Once they have fallen you will not be able to eat them, therefore if they all fall before you reach the place the thing is at, you will fail and never become an angel. If you find the thing, you will be sent back to this exact spot. If you fail, and all the petals fall first, you will remain where you where last." She said.

### I nodded, promising myself I wouldn't fail.

### "Your journey begins when you pluck the first petal." She said, as she floated away, with a quick "Good luck!"

### I starred at the rose, counting the petals. 15 of them. I closed my eyes, plucked one, and threw it in my mouth. Surprisingly it didn't taste bad, it didn't taste like anything.

### I felt nothing, I saw nothing, as soon as a blinked after I ate the rose petal, I was in a meadow. There where no people in sight. Just a breeze, and some flowers. Immediately I raced around, looking for something, ANYTHING! I found nothing.

### I gave up, and popped another petal in my mouth. I was in a city, New York I think. I heard car horns beeping, and tall buildings surrounding me, a woman, bumped into me.

### "Sorry!" She yelled, tossing me a piece of candy. I grabbed the candy, tossed it into my watering mouth. I started walking down the sidewalk, wondering if I would ever find what I needed to. I wandered into a hotel, after searching for the whole day, I needed a rest. I checked my wallet, I couldn't believe I had 1,000 dollars! Courtney probably gave them to me. People could see me, now that I was human temporarily again. I stayed for another 4 days in New York, finally giving up.

### I popped yet another petal, in to my mouth. I was tired from searching so much. I was at my school, only I was a high school senior. At the prom. And I was prom QUEEN! As I walked upstage to be crowned queen, everyone everywhere chanted my name. I had totally forgotten about looking for the thing. I felt something slip from my hands. The rose. I bent down, slowly and picked it up. I rolled it in my hands, staring at the two petals that had fallen. Immediately I knew what had happened. A diversion was created, so I would forget, well I won't make that mistake again. I made my way through the crowd, all those confused faces. I looked for it, I looked hard. I wandered out of the gym, and went up the school stairs. I looked in the first door, I pulled the handle. Locked. I busted it open, realizing there where hidden stairs. There was dust everywhere, so I guessed nobody had been in it for a long time. I wandered up the stairs, and I heard voices.

### "Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy, ashes ashes we all fall," The small child's voice, grew into a whisper as the girl finished with, "down."

### I wondered who would leave a little girl up here alone with no food, as I continued up the long stairs. As I got to the top of the stairs, the voice sang again. The same song over and over. As soon as I set foot into the small room at the top of the stairs, I screamed. I raced back down the stairs, just as the door to the stairs closed. What I had seen was a small child, dead, covered in ashes. I burst through the door again, and slammed it shut. Just as I realized I forgot the rose in the room. My heart stopped, I didn't want to go up there again.

I closed my eyes burst through the door once more, and ran up the stairs as fast as I could. The singing still continued. When I saw the rose, I was shocked. 5 petals where plucked off. They didn't fall off, they where plucked. I snatched the rose, and raced down the stairs, barely able to breathe. It smelled like smoke, fire, ashes. My eyes watered, and I banged my fists against the door. Nothing happened. I fell to the floor, because my feet wouldn't support me. The singing started again, and the voice grew nearer, and nearer. I forced myself not to look back, and banged my first one last time. The door flew open. I fled out, not even closing the door.

### I ate one of the 6 petals left. I was on a familiar street. I don't remember when I had been on it, but I knew I had. I stood there, scanning everything, and trying to remember where I had seen it, when I saw another little girl. She biked past, on her pink bike, with training wheels.

### "Campfire tonight! Yay!" She squealed in delight.

### I wondered down the sidewalk, until I saw the house. I suddenly realized where I was. Grace's house. I knew she was dead, but I still had fear. I knew if something was in this town, it would be in her house. I walked up, and rang the doorbell. No answer. I felt something weird under the mat. I reached under. Keys. I tried all of them, and the very last one I tried worked.

### Her house was the same. I set the rose down, so I could search with two hands. After I was sure I searched everything, I went back to the door to leave. Grace's mom blocked the doorway, plucking off petals from my rose.

### "NO!" I shrieked in terror.

### I ran up to her, and snatched the rose from her hand. Another petal fell, because of the snatch.

### Only two petals left. Only one left I could use. If I ate the last petal, I would be sent back to the woods.

### I shut my eyes and ate the last usable petal. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was on a road. A narrow road that seemed to lead to nowhere. My rose was dying. Maybe the thing had been somewhere else, but I hadn't looked enough. No I will look, I will not give up. I ran down the road that seemed to never end. I smelled fire.

### I wondered toward where I had smelled fire. I saw a house, burning. I looked in the window. The same girl who'd I had seen at the school, was dying, yelling for help. I realized it was the same girl on the pink bike, excited for the campfire. The last petal started to fall. I thought quickly. Either keep looking for the thing, or help that girl.

### I closed my eyes, and ran in the house. The girl on the bike was a warning, and the girl in the closet was showing me what would become of her if I didn't help. I ran to the room I had seen her in. She was starting to die. I picked her up, broke the window, and threw her out to safety. It wasn't a big fall, but for some reason she kept pointing to the rose. The last petal was falling. Then, it struck me.

### "The rose!" I wailed. "The rose is the thing! The rose!"

### I shut my eyes, and opened them to see the dark forest. Courtney and the motel man smiled at me.

### "You have won." They both said.

### And I knew I had. Or at least I thought I had.

### I starred at the sky, crying for a moment, waiting for Courtney to reach over and hug me. Because thats just who she was. But she didn't. She just stood there, not even smiling, I guess it got to tiring smiling all the time. But it still hurt me. Hurt my heart.

### "Why don't you go rest?" She suggested.

### I floated up to the highest tree. I loved sleeping in trees. I was still a little upset, so I decided to write a poem. Poems have a lot of feeling. When I'm sad or upset I write poetry to get those feelings out. I took out a notepad and pen, and wrote.

### Death, is so easy.

### Life could slip out,

### from under you,

### in just a second

### but death isn't

### the worst.

### If it was,

### it wouldn't,

### be so easy.

### I thought about it. It doesn't rhyme. My poems never rhyme. Feelings don't rhyme. Thoughts do.

### I tossed and turned. Courtney's blank stare, came back to my head, over and over. I tried to push it away, and I shut my eyes as tight as I could. My eyes became little slits, barely there. If Courtney didn't keep flashing in my head, I would barely noticed they where there. I felt wet drops pour out of the slits that weren't there.

I realized, I didn't get wings or anything. I knew I wasn't an angel. So what was all that for? For Courtney to trick me? I looked down at my palms. I reached one hand up, and ran my fingers against my cheek. It felt like flesh. Human flesh. Was I still alive? Had I ever even died? Or was it just Courtney tricking me. I started at my hand. I banged my 100% fleshy hand against my fleshy head. Then I wondered. Courtney and the motel man had died, right? I saw them both die. OK, I didn't see Courtney die, but the doctors said she did. Doctors, and my mom. The motel man, I hadn't seen what he did when he went with Courtney.

No I'd seen them both fly. Fact= humans can't fly. So why was I being so impossible? There must be a reason. I decided to head back to the burnt motel. I wanted to take it all in. Because, fact= there is a reason for everything. To me.

I walked around, pacing in the main room. The fire that happened during the fight burned most of the walls. Leaving what was left black, and thin. I smelled something weird. The motel man. Duh! I thought, hitting my head. This was his room! But it smelled more alive then that. Then I saw him. The motel man. He wasn't dead.

### He sat in a wheelchair, with a blank expression on his face. When he saw me, he jumped.

### "I, you, I, you!" He said, tearing up.

### I stood there not knowing what to do.

### "You died." I said simply.

### "No, I never died. Courtney did. But she didn't die taking you to the hospital. The girl in the burning house. That was Courtney. That was the way she died. She ran off to her house to get something after making sure you where safe. Then Grace started the fire. You basicly went back in time and saved her."

### "WHY DOES GRACE WANT ME?!" I asked, falling to my knees.

### "I guess I should tell you now..." He said, rubbing his temples.

### "PLEASE!" I said.

### "OK, OK! Remember when I called you princess, so long ago?" He didn't wait for me to answer, he knew I knew. "This isn't your first life. In your previous life you where a princess. I was your guard. But then, you died. You where reborn, your memories wiped. Now that's the reason Grace wants you. You look the same, just younger. So if she kills you, and puts her soul into your body, well. You know. She'll go back, when she gets a little older in your body, and..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "She'll become princess."

### My eyes widened, "I'm, a princess?! Me?!" I cracked up.

### "You may think it's funny now, but if you live, you will have to go back and continue to be princess."

### "BUT GRACE IS IM-IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT!" I said, laughing harder. MY eyes watered from all the laughing.

### "There is one way." He said.

### I stopped laughing. "Tell me." I said looking into his eyes.

### He looked away. "Courtney can tell you. I am not aloud to."

### "Courtney died.!" I said shaking him.

### "YOU saved her in the house. She's waiting for you, NOW GO!" He said, pushing me out.

I tripped on my own feet. Find Courtney? She could be ANYWHERE! But it's COURTNEY! She saved me. I have to find her. Great. Another finding something thing. At least I know what to find.

### It seemed almost immediately that the sky turned pitch black. I stumbled over everything in my path. Something was placed into my hand. A flashlight.

### I switched it on, "Hello?" I asked, wondering who gave me the flashlight. No answer came.

My heart thudded. I starred at my feet. Bread crumbs. A trail of bread crumbs. Seeing food made me remember how hungry I was. No how starving. But now was no time for a late night snack. Somebody had made this trail. Somebody gave me the flashlight. But who?

### I sang song my mom used to always sing to me. The song was from a Japanese anime. My moms friend loved anime, so she taught my mom the song. Then my mom would sing it to me. The anime was called Death note. I loved that song.

### I sang, "Careful what you do, cause god is watching your every move. Hold my hand in the dark street-." When somebody's fingers wrapped around my wrist.

### I screamed, "HELPPPPPPP!"

### The other hand, cupped my mouth, "MELODY! MELODY STOP!" I worried voice called out.

### I stopped cold. Courtney had trapped me, "COURTNEY!" I cried.

### She let go of my hand, and smiled at me.

### "You didn't die?" I asked.

### "No, you saved me Mel!" She said, reaching over to hug me.

### I pulled away, "How do I know your not Grace?" I asked cautiously.

### "Look into my eyes Mel." She said.

### I looked. No blank stare, just her smiling eyes. The ones that always shone the brightest. I teared up. Courtney leaned over for a hug again. I cried onto her shirt. She didn't seem to care, because she was crying on mine, too.

### "Where have you been then?" I asked.

### "Oh, Grace locked my in the house in a younger body. Made replica's of my younger body and put them into random places to scare you. And now I'm me because you saved me." She said, as if it where nothing.

### "Oh Grace!" I spit on the ground. I hated her.

### Courtney smiled, "All that matters is now. Your a hero, and we're still together."

### "No, your the hero." I said, remembering all she did for me.

### "We both are." She said, not wanting to argue with me. She knew I would never back down.

### I didn't want to argue either, so I just nodded.

### Grace grabbed my hand, and lead me deeper into the forest. I squinted trying to look around, Courtney had taken the flashlight from me. I wondered where we where going. Suddenly I felt things scraping against my arm. I realized they where twigs. We where going through bushes. I shut my eyes, so they wouldn't get hurt.

### "Open your eyes." Courtney whispered. So I did.

### My eyes widened, "You didn't have to-"

### She put her finger to her lips, "No thanks needed." She said.

### She built a fort. On top of the fort was a sign Fort Melody was painted on the sign. The fort looked like it had taken months to make! It was amazing. There was a snack bar, a sleep bag inside, a TV, computer, books, I was shocked. The fort was painted blue, my favorite color. I ran inside.

### I looked from left to right. When something stopped me. A picture of Courtney and I. On the bottom of the framed picture, there was a sticker that said BFFZ! I teared up. This place was too good to put in words. There was even a neon blue beanbag chair!

### "Can I, can I live here?" I asked, serious, but in a joking tone.

### "It's yours! Can I sleepover sometimes?"

### "ALL THE TIME!" I said, reaching over to hug her.

### "And look, I this whole wall is white board, because I know how much you love to draw!"

### I picked up the marker Courtney handed me. I hadn't draw in forever, and my hand ached to draw.

### I felt my hand, gracefully moving the black marker. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, Courtney was crying. I looked at what I had drawn. I never know what I draw, I just close my eyes, and let my hand do the work. Then I felt a tear slide down my face.

### I had drawn us. Hand in hand with the motel man. But behind us, the motel is burning. The fire looks so real, I feel like I can reach out and touch it. I can smell it. But us in the picture can't. We stay there, smiling our heads off.

### I began to reach for the picture. I wanted to smash it. Get rid of it. I lifted my fist up. Somebody grabbed my wrist, just before it hit the picture. Courtney.

### "Wait." she said.

### She walked closer to the picture. Scanning each line, each detail.

### "Look here." She said pointing out tiny words on her shirt.

Help us! The shirt read.

### "I draw with my heart, not my head." I said.

### "I know. Somebody needs our help. It's still not over, Mel." She said, falling to the ground. We'd both had enough. We both couldn't take it anymore. But we had too.

### I knew whatever was going to happen, was happening soon. I knew, but I wish I didn't. I know a lot of things I wish I didn't know. Some things I hadn't even told Courtney. I didn't trust myself with them.

### "I'm going to bed early, OK?" I said, suddenly feelings a need to sleep.

### "OK." She said.

### I smiled at my bed. It was so perfect. I lied down. I closed my eyes. I twitched.

### "Help me, help us. We need you. We need you." A voice cried out, in a horrified voice, but only as loud as a whisper.

### "Why me." I asked, frozen. My eyes wouldn't close. My blood turned to ice. I felt myself turning pale.

### "We need you..." The voice got softer and softer.

### "WHY!" I screamed, able to blink.

### No answer followed.

### "Mel?" Courtney asked, coming in, with a worried look on her face.

### I didn't tell her what happened. I told myself it was all my imagination. But it wasn't.

### "Huh?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, acting as if I had only had a bad dream.

### She ran down and hugged me, "It's OK."

### Suddenly I felt mad, "I know it is! I don't need you to go all its OK! I'm not stupid! Leave me ALONE!" I hissed.

### She looked shocked, "I-I-I'm sorry." She stammered, before racing out.

### Courtney hates fights. She wants to be as far away from them as possible.

### I ran after her, "Courtney, wait."

### She stopped. I was shocked. Shocked. Blood trickled down her face.

### "Wha-" I started.

### Courtney cried, "I. Was. Shot!" She said, pointing toward the forest.

### I raced over to her. "I'm so sorry." I repeated over and over.

### "It's OK." She repeated, too, before closing her eyes, as her head launched back, like she had lost all muscle.

### I picked her up,and raced her back to the huge fort. Just as she had done for me, going to the hospital. I lied her down, crying. I was nothing without her. Then I did something I hadn't done in years. I prayed. I prayed for over 10 minutes saying the same thing.

### "Dear God, please let Courtney live." I said over and over.

### I closed my eyes, and rested my head on my folded hands. I rocked back and forth, and kept repeating the prayer.

### I was just giving up, when slowly, her eyes opened. But she looked at me, like I was a stranger.

### "Who are you?" She asked weakly.

### "MEL! IM MELODY! REMEMBER? COURTNEY your ALIVE!" I cried, hugging her.

### She pushed me away, "Why am I here? I'm gonna just go..."

### I cried, but I didn't stop her. That girl wasn't Courtney. The real Courtney was somewhere else. And she needed my help. Now.

### I felt my feet running beneath me. I had to find Courtney, fast. I ran into the motel man, knocking him down.

### "Are you OK?" I asked, happy to see him.

### "Fine, fine." He said, as I helped him get back in his wheel chair.

### "OH my gosh, Courtney-" I started.

"I know, we have to hurry." He checked his watch. "She'll be lost forever if we don't save her in 2 days. Her soul was sent somewhere else. Somebody else was put in her body. Or should I say something else. No time to explain the rest, we better hurry!" He said, out of breath, even though it had been me running, not him.

### I followed him. He seemed to know where to go. Hours went by, and my legs where tired.

### "We'll camp here for the night, but be ready to wake up early." He said.

### I was tired, and I needed sleep. I didn't want to wake up early, but for Courtney, i'll do anything. So I nodded. I wrapped my arms around my body because I was cold. I was scared. I was tired. But my eyes wouldn't shut. I lye there, shuddering.

### She was walking toward me.

### "Help me, Mel Help me, only you can help me Mel. Save me." I heard Courtney say.

### I cried out. Realizing it was a dream, I sighed. I felt sweat trickle down my face.

### "What's wrong?" I heard the motel man ask. He was already dressed, and ready to go.

### I rubbed my eyes, "What time is it?" I asked.

### He checked his watch, "4:30am." He said.

### I twitched, "Why are you all ready then?"

### "I told you we where leaving early." He said., leaving.

### I followed him, tripping over my own feet because I was tired. He eyed me a few times, but I gave him thumbs up, to show I was OK. Then I felt myself stumble over something that wasn't my feet. I looked down, and cried out in terror.

I saw that I had tripped over a raccoon with Courtney's face. It looked up at me with big sad eyes. I reached down to pet it. But then I saw it's eyes weren't sad. They where scared. I jumped back.

"Courtney! The evil witch gave you that body?!" I screamed.

### The motel man turned around, "What can we do to help?" He asked, calmly.

### The raccoon ran away. At first I thought it was running, because it wasn't Courtney. But the motel man chased after it. He motioned for me to follow. I did.

### I felt something grab me. I felt my mouth being taped with duct tape. I struggles to get away from the persons grip. I managed to swing my fist at their face, but they obviously where expecting that, and turned away just in time. I cried out in fear. Fear. Something I haven't had in a while. I tried to wipe my tears away, but my hands where tied. I never felt them tie my hands. They were quick.

### I bit at the duct tape. YUCK! I tried to spit, but it only got my my face wet. The raccoon jumped out of nowhere. My eyes widened.

### "HYW CWLDT OU? WIH DU OI LIIK SO MISH LK CWRTNI?!" I yelled, trying to say,

### "HOW COULD YOU? WHY DO YOU LOOK SO MUCH LIKE COURTNEY?!"

### It looked up at me with those big sad eyes. I immediately felt a pang of guilt. How could I be so mean so such a sad animal. But where the animal went...the motel man followed! I knew I was going to be rescued by him.

### I was waiting, when a song rung in my head. Before I could stop it, I was singing, "All my life I've been good, but now! I-I-I"m Thinking what the hell?"

### Then it struck me. I'm always nice, and good. I've been that way all my life! What the hell? Why am I like this? I let everyone control me! Why can't I just be myself? Am I going to be a follower all my life? Am I?!

### I must've said that out loud, because there stood the motel man, "Is that what you think?" He said, actually having tears in his eyes.

### I nodded, I was still thinking what the hell.

### He put his hands on my shoulders, "We are made to follow. Leaving the herd, can get you eaten by a wolf, or lost. You should follow, but also be yourself. Maybe skip while your following." He said.

### I smirked, "What are we? Sheep?!"

### "Yes."He said, totally serious.

### "Oh yeah, and God is our Shepard, right?" I asked rolling my eyes. I didn't believe in any of that nonsense.

### To my surprise he said, "Yes, we need a leader."

### I was shocked, "So your saying...anyone could've been the leader? He just claimed it first?!" My eyes widened.

### "No... It takes someone with a pure heart. And he was here before the beginning. He is our one and only. He sent his son down here to die for us. He loves us more than anyone. He's the person that will always be there, the person you can trust!" He said, crying once more.

### "So you mean... he'll save me?" I asked, sort of getting it.

### "He'll save you from sin." He said.

### "So he's the guy that always forgives us, huh?" I asked, clearly not getting it anymore.

### "Precisely." He said, scratching his hair.

### I nodded, and then he started walking away.

### I knew he left me there for a reason. And I would have to figure that out before I was let free.

### "Don't open the door!" I hollered.

### He whirred around, "What door?!" He asked.

### "I-I don't know, that just came out..."

### He raised one eyebrow, but said nothing, and nodded.

### The next thing I knew I blacked out. I must've been dreaming because I saw a door. Slowly it creaked open. I wanted to run through it, but it felt as if my feet were glued to the ground. I tried to move, but I fell forward, and cut my leg. I cried out in pain, but there was nobody there. I saw a figure moving toward me. I yelled in fear. It neared, but then I realized it wasn't going toward me. It was going toward the door.

### "Help!" I cried, but no answer came.

### I felt my blood rushing through my body, as I grew angry.

### "I SAID HELP!" I screamed, crying.

### The boy, looked familiar. I tried to get a closer look, but fell. I got up, and stared at him. He picked up a lock, and unlocked the door. Suddenly it all clicked in. HE WAS THE MOTEL MAN! The something that made me say don't open the door was a warning!

### "DONT OPEN THE DOOR!" I cried over and over, until my voice cracked.

### I watched him creak the door open, and peek his head through.

### "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I cried, and fell my my knees.

### A girl appeared before me, "Do you want to save him?" She asked, in a soft voice.

### "YES!" I cried, crying.

### "Come." She said flatly.

### "I-I c-can't-" I started.

### "Yes you can." She stated, and started walking.

### I tried to get up, and surprisingly could. I almost took the chance to chase after the motel man. But I thought better, knowing that I would have a better chance going with this girl.

### As if to read my thoughts she said, "I agree."

### I stopped, "What did you say?"

### "I got you unfroze don't underestimate me..." she said, in an annoyed voice.

### I shook my head, "Sorry..." I mumbled.

### She smiled, "That's OK, sorry for snapping at you."

### I smiled back, thought inside I was still upset.

### As time time passed she suggested we make camp for the night. I nodded my head, knowing she would know what I thought either way. I waited for her to say we should make dinner, but she never did.

### The thoughts raced into my mind. The thoughts that it could all be over. And I let myself think that. I slid the knife out of my bag.

### I was just about to end it all, when, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" A voice, I realized was the girl's voice.

### "Melody. My name is Melody, that's who I am. That's who's going to die." I said, closing my eyes.

### "Ugh! Humans! It's always about you isn't it?! I know what you've gone through, and I know it's hard! Other people have gone through worse, but nooooooo it's all about YOU! Everybody gets upset! Everybody hurts! In tough times, in the darkest shadows, light always follows." She said with tears in her eyes.

### "Who's gone through worse, huh? WHO?! I had a mother who tried to kill me, a dad who abandoned me. And now I'm here with no home, running around with a crazy person!" OK, I know those last words were harsh, but I just couldn't take it anymore.

### "Me. I've gone through worse." She said with tears, running down her face, reaching for her neck. "Don't you realize I'm dead? Well, I was never alive. I don't even have a real family! I was made by science! I'm not even human! They stuck my in this world, when I don't even breathe air. Nobody's ever loved me. When they found out I knew, and could read people's mind's... They, t-they got rid off me. They stuck me here. I've never had friends, never had love, or happiness. But I think about the good. And so should you."

### "What's your name?" I asked, realizing it was the only thing I would think of to say.

### "I don't have one, they never named me." She answered, looking down.

### "Can I call you... Jen?" I've always loved that name.

### "Nobody's ever given me a name. I love the name Jen. Thank you." She said, wiping away tears.

### I nodded, "Let's some sleep."

### Then I woke up. I realized everything was a dream. I was still tied up. And the motel man was shaking me. Then I zoned out again.

### Jen saw me again and yelled out "Mel!"

### "What do you want?" I grunted, just wanting to get this dream over with.

### "What do I want? I want... people to care what I say. I want people to feel what I say. I want people to listen to what I say. I want what I say to have meaning. I don't want what I saw to just be words hanging around. I want them to be real, and full of life. I want people to understand me." She answered.

### "Do you know how, do you know why?" I asked.

### "Know how and why what?"

### I knew she knew the answer so I gave her a look.

She looked down, "Yes. How your mother, or should I call her Grace, long ago split herself into separate bodies. She was a princess, then. When she split herself into those bodies, the time went on, and it took hundreds of years for the process. All her different bodies didn't know each other, and had different brains, yet one thing the same. You are the princess. Grace wants the throne. If you die, she becomes the princess. The reason she didn't notice you before, was because, as I said, she had different brains. Grace didn't notice you, because she was to popular. Your mother, well, once Grace found her, she took over. Before that, her loving brain pushed away bad thoughts. Then Grace put some of her soul into your mother and Kelsey. That's why they where evil so much later. That is all I can stand to tell you." She said.

### "So there's more that you just don't want to say?" I asked, in a calm voice, shocked at what she said before.

### She looked up, tears in her eyes. I knew she was trapped in this world. I was the only person to listen to her. Who had ever listened to her. So she wasn't used to saying such sad things. She nodded, and I woke, once again.

### "MELODY! MELODY!" I heard a boy weep.

### "What's your name?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes, not knowing who it was.

### "Robert." The boy answered.

### Then it struck me. It was the same man trying to go into the door. The motel man. He starred at me with big sad eyes. Jen woke me up, because we saved him. Saved him by putting him in his younger body, now.

### "You know me?" I asked, wondering if he had all his memories as a man.

### He nodded, "Yep."

### He even talked like a boy, "Who are we trying to save?"

### "Courtney." He said, with a distant look in his eyes.

### "Well lets get moving then, I said, remembering just now to save Courtney.

### "Melody." I heard a voice, Jen's.

### Just when I turned around, she collapsed, and the motel man turned back into his regular body.

### "To save me, she broke herself." He said, chocking down tears. I didn't ask anything, because I knew he was upset.

### "I know." I lied.

### Then he trudged on. Seriously, he didn't look back. Just kept walking.

### "Wait!" I yelled out.

### "What?" He said, sounding like he's been crying.

### "How do you know Jen?" I asked.

### He sighed, "She's my daughter, she was different, so I treated her like an outcast. She ran away. I never named her."

### "Really? Is that why you took me in?" I asked, shocked.

### "Same reason I took Courtney in." He answered.

### "You took Courtney in?!" I asked, I swear my eyes where popping out of my head.

### "Yes." He answered.

### I tugged at my shirt, feeling em embarrassed. I should have known. I'm so stupid. I shook my head in disbelieve.

### Then he started chocking. Really chocking. He wheezed. He cried out in pain.

### "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP! PLEASE! ANYONE!" I cried out. But I already knew I lost him. He fell. He lied there. Silent. No air. No heartbeat. I kissed his cheek, and stroked his hair. I didn't want to believe it. But I did.

### Immediately Jen appeared before me, "Hello!"

### "Jen..." I said, it all kicking in now, "You killed him, so you could get out of being trapped."

### "Well duh!" Jen said, as if it was simple. "I was GOING to kill you, but he was easier. It was me, putting him through the door. "

### "No..." I said, stepping away from her.

### "Yes. But did you think I would tell you that much without killing you?!" She asked, anger in her eyes, as she stepped toward me.

### "NO!" I cried, running faster than I ever have. I ran, racing with the birds above me. Crying. Crying harder than I ever have. Yelling. Yelling louder than I ever have. Then I stopped. I looked back.

### Now I was going to fight back. I raced toward Jen, my heart beating fast.

She snickered at me, "You think you can beat me?! Honestly I have no reason to kill you, now that I'm already free, but I want the thrill of killing a child."

I glared at her, "First of all I'm not a child. Now I'm going to ask you something, since you got to ask me something. Why did you need to kill someone to be free?"

She yawned, "A kid, like you would be too stupid to know. I didn't kill him. I just trapped his soul where I was trapped. And, in order to be free, you have to kill someone, or kill their body. Once they get out, they get it back. Don't ask. The first person who got trapped in that place made a deal with the witch who trapped him."

### "Jen... Now I realize why. Why your dad left you. All anyone does, is give you selfless love. And you don't care. You just don't care." I shook my head in disbelieve.

### She started to bawl, "No!" She cried. "It's the person who trapped me here! They taught me how to hate! It's not my fault! It's theirs!"

### Then, she killed herself, and the motel man was free. Only I realized, her soul now was, too.

### "She...she..." The motel man started.

### He started to walk away, so I grabbed his arm, "It's OK" I said.

### Then I saw the raccoon. I looked over at the motel man, but he was holding something small and pink in his hand.

### "Part of my heart will save you." He said, making the raccoon eat it. The raccoon turned into Courtney, then disappeared.

### "Where did she go?" I asked.

### "Well we saved her, but the curse will separate her from us until we find her.

### I wandered off. I walked for miles, until I came across a small town. I peered into an old bookstore. I picked up a poem book. I looked into the first page.

### I knew a girl,

### she always felt like she was,

### falling.

### Deeper into

### darkness.

### A star from the heavens above,

### came down.

### To save this girl.

### They rose up

### together.

### Then got lost,

### and now,

### the girl is falling,

### again.

### That girl,

### is me.

### Then I knew. This was Courtney's book. I read on.

### You think your sad?

### Try almost being killed,

### by your friend.

### Try loosing the only

### true friend,

### you've ever had.

### Try,

### loosing everything.

### Because,

### I have.

### Only then, did I realize how much pain Courtney had. I was always thinking of my own pain. When had I ever though of Courtney? My heart aced with sadness. I have to find her.

### I put the book back on the shelf.

### "Do you like it?" I heard a voice ask.

### I gasped, "COURTNEY!"

### I spun around, to see Courtney with a tall redheaded girl. The girl was wearing cutoffs, a tank top, and sunglasses.

### "This is My friend Amy." Courtney explained.

"Her best friend." Amy corrected.

### "Yeah one of my best friends." Courtney said, giggling.

"Your only best friend, you told me so. Or you at least said I was your favorite." Amy snarled.

### "True dat," Courtney said, "Anyways, how do you like my book?"

### "How did you get it published when no offense but your not that old." I said, a little upset, because Courtney was my only best friend. And now shes all gaga over this redhead. I wanted to cry. I've known her longer! She should be with me...

### "Oh I was writing when I ran into a publisher. Long story short." She said.

### Now I was even madder, I was supposed to be the one writing books! Here I was feeling bad for her, and she was off getting her dream book, a new best friend, and not caring about me.

### "Is something wrong? You look sad..." Amy said.

### I looked at Amy, I wanted to say, "Of course! You stole my best friend, rubbed it in my face, and she doesn't even care either!" But I couldn't. So I mumbled, "No."

### She nodded, and left well enough alone. I wished she hadn't.

### I felt angry rise up in me as I screamed, "COURTNEY IS MY BEST FRIEND! SHE WAS MY ONLY FRIEND! I HATE YOU!"

### Then I stomped off. I shoved my hand in my pockets, and found a notebook in them. A tiny one. I opened it up and realized it was a calendar. Shortly after that I realized it was my birthday tomorrow. I sighed.

### I leaned on a tree, eavesdropping on Courtney and Amy.

### "Your my best friend, you always will be. This was all a misunderstanding. I hope I can explain this to you later-"

### She was cut off by Amy, "I just met you but you already seem like a ton of fun, there's something you don't know about me. I'll tell you if you want to know-"

### I had heard enough. They had already forgotten about me. They had forgotten about my birthday too! I did the only thing I could think of. Run.

### I felt the tears streaming down my face. I couldn't see anything. Then I ran into someone. The motel man.

### "Oof!" He groaned in pain and doubled over.

### "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" I wailed.

### He fell down, "The part of my heart I gave Courtney, it was the only part of my heart still beating." He said, before closing his eyes. With his last breath, he reached in his huge pocket, and handed me a gigantic present wrapped in newspaper to me. And then, he was gone.

### I set the present down and my tears started that fell onto it started making the paper soggy. Because I knew, this death wasn't fake. He wasn't going to come back. And it scared me.

### Carefully I scanned the present. I opened the only partly closed envelope taped on the side.

Melody,

If your reading this I'm either dead or dying. There is something I've known since I was a child. It frightened me, and I told myself it wasn't true. But it was, and is. We human can do more than we believe. I was a smart child. It may seem impossible, but I did it. I did it without telling anyone. I time traveled to the future. And what I was was almost unreal. What I saw was the end of forever. The beginning of darkness and sorrow. The universe was dying. Human were destroying one another from greed. The fire spread. And the day that this started was today. It starts in Europe. It will spread quickly. If nobody stops it, the end of forever will be in exactly a week. It may seem too hard, but you can do it. The weak people who could not fight, or did not want to fight, were killed off immediately. You can do more than you think. You are an amazing girl. And you are a princess. I believe in you.

### I read his letter over and over. Why me I wondered for the hundredth time. The end of forever, huh? Well what am I supposed to do about it. I looked down at the present again. I opened it. I stared disbelieving what I saw. The motel man's time travel machine.

It was as big as a telephone booth. It looked kinda like one too, from the outside. It was amazing, but it didn't look it. It looked like a big chunk of rusty old metal.

I pushed open the small door, and cautiously walked through it.

From the inside, it almost looked like the inside of an elevator. Big buttons with numbers on them, filled the bottom half of one wall. The top half, was filled with a giant screen.

The giant screen read Year I punched in the year I wanted to go to, which is this year, I wanted to go ahead a few days just before the end came. I punched in the day and time I wanted to go to. Location. Hmm. The motel man had said it started in China, so I'll go there. I pressed the Go Button and closed my eyes.

### I got really dizzy. I feel to my knee's, and grabbed my throbbing head. Suddenly, it all stopped. Slowly I opened one eye. Then the other.

### Immediately I heard screaming. I stepped out of the time machine. Then stepped back in, in horror.

### Fire, dead bodies, and fighting. That's what the world turned into. Water is no longer clear blue, it's blood red. I was shaking with fear. How was I supposed to stop all this? I'm no hero. I never will be a hero. I cried into my sleeve. Hero's weren't supposed to cry.

### I heard a scream, "Help! Somebody! ANYBODY! Helppppppp!" A boy's voice cried.

### "Shut up, stupid kid. We never wanted you. It was a shame to be called your parents! Now you die." I heard a low gruff voice answer.

### I knew how it felt to be unwanted and almost killed by your parents. Nobody should have to deal with that.

### Without thinking I ran out, and stepped in front of the boy.

### "What are we getting out of this? What do human get from war? We will all die if this keeps going on! People put everything before other people! Is a new television, game system, or computer, really worth more than human? We people, we need each other. Everybody needs someone. Everyone is important. But we don't think we matter, so we kill off other people, so we feel strong. But are we really strong when we do that? Or is the strong person is the person, who can hold off the temptation to kill. Who can push those thoughts away. Who can defend a person they don't know. It's so easy to kill someone else, it's hard to defend them." I yelled.

### People turned around, and stared at me. I don't care if I die now. I said what I need too. They may not care what I said, but they heard me.

### "She's right. If we love each other, we all win. We will all be strong." The little boy said, stepping out from behind me.

### The boy's dad dropped his knife, "I will be strong."

### The boy hesitated before running over to his dad. Tears is both of their eye's, they hugged, and hugged.

### "Thank you...thank you." They both said, looking at me.

### Slowly after that, everyone dropped their weapons, and cried.

### A few people protested and shop their guns in every way yelling, "I am strong! Killing people isn't only easy, but fun!"

### One of the bullet's landed in the little boy's back.

### I watched him slowly fall to the ground and die. The dad grew angry, picked up his knife, and headed for the killer.

### I blocked his way, "Would your son want you to do this? Or would he want you to be strong?" I asked.

### He dropped his knife, picked up the boy's body, and ran away.

### The rest of all the people picked up their weapons, and went home.

### Asia down, Europe to go.

### I stepped in the time machine, not believing what I had done. Would it be boasting to call myself...a hero?

### I punched in Europe, and waited.

### I closed my eyes, wondering how to save Europe too. And I noticed nobody was fighting. Everybody was hugging and crying.

### I walked up to a woman, "The war ended here too?" I asked.

### "The war is done everywhere. Thanks to a little girl. She stood up for a boy, and gave a great speech. It opened everyone's eyes, and saved us all. If she wouldn't have done that, we might have all been dead by now. The girl is all over the news and web. I printed out a picture, that I'm going to frame of the girl." She said, digging in her purse for the picture of me.

### She pulled out the picture, looked at it, then looked at me. She screamed, both her hands over her mouth. Then she pulled me close to her for a big hug, crying joyful tears into my shoulder.

### I smiled up at her, "I didn't know news spread that fast"

### She smiled back, "And I didn't know I would get to meet the hero of the world. But I bet you have better things to do then stand here hugging me, now go, a young girl like you must have many things to do." She said, giving me a little push.

### "Thanks it was a pleasure meeting you!" I said, walking toward the time machine.

### I heard a gunshot, "Ya! Yaa! Ya! Time to die, sissies!" A drunken man drove up in his car, shooting anyone he saw.

### It was one thing to convince a non-drunken man to drop his gun, but a drunken man won't listen. I was just about to give up, when everyone surrounded him, took his gun, broke it, and ran back to the family member he shot. Only then did I realize, the end of forever is over. For now.

### It's all over. And now I realize it would not be boasting to call myself a hero. Before I had always wondered who I am. What personality. I am a hero.

### "I am a hero." I whispered again, with a small smile.

### I felt a light tap on my shoulder, "Yes you are." Courtney said, handing me a card and gift.

### Wide eyed, I opened the card.

I was in shock. Before when I overheard her talking with Amy. She was just reading aloud what she had written in the card, for me! I saw another card peeking out of the envelope, and it was the card from Amy!

### I opened my mouth to speak, when Courtney said, "No thanks needed, open your gift, and by the way we saw you spying on us writing the cards," She giggled as my face reddened, "We were looking for you when Amy suddenly turned on me, and ran away. I should have picked my friends better. Melody your a true friend, and the best friend ever. Now open your gift."

Speechless, I unwrapped the gift. I gasped in shock. In my hands I held half of a golden heart locket. It said True on the bottom, and Be on the top, right at the edge. Courtney pulled out her half from the locket. Hers read, Friends on the bottom, and st on top. We put the two halves together and it read,

### Best

### True Friends

### "Oh Courtney you didn't have to-!" I started.

### "Yes I did, your the best friend ever, and I want everyone to know it. I'm lucky to have such a great friend, don't thank me, just hug me!" She said.

### I hugged her, and cried, "Courtney, your a hero too." I said, "A friend hero."

### "Hero's" She said, linking arms with me, "We're two hero's in a pod."

### I laughed, "That makes no sense!" But honestly, I didn't care.

### Years later:

### I sat in the empty field, full of dandelions and sunflowers. This field was where the motel had been. Memories rushed through my head. Courtney had passed away, not to long ago, from cancer. I wore the sunflower crown she wove me a few days before she died. The sunflowers were all dead and soggy. But I would never ever give my crown away. Not for the world.

### Before Courtney died, I sat at her bed, crying that I should be the one dying. Crying that she deserved to live more than I. Crying that nobody but her cared about me, when she had so many friends to live for.

### She only smiled and said, "You are like a sunflower. Stupid people see you as a dandelion, as a weed, because they didn't look close enough. They looked from miles away. But the lucky people that look closer, see that you are a flower. Only the truly lucky and smart people can see that, but it's those people that matter most." Then she closed her eyes, and never opened them again.

### I looked up at the bright sun. Sometimes it's hard to come out of the shadows, and into the sun, but it's the only way to grow. It took me years to realize that. But now I know I can never forget it either.

Run Away

