’Til Fear Do Us Part
A Grim Awakening Series
Book One
By Michelle Gross
’Til Fear Do Us Part
copyright© 2016 by Michelle Gross
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Artwork –© 2016 L.J. Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations
Stock Photography - © 2016Oshepkov
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Author's Note
Dedications
Without the constant support of my sister Tonya and sister-in-law to be (one of these days), Nikki I wouldn't be self-publishing the first book in the series. You have no idea how much it helps knowing you two love this series as much as I do. All the nonstop talking about the characters and ideas I put you both through while writing Melanie's story on and off the past year, I'm thankful for. All the help was extremely valuable to my writing. The encouragement you both gave me is what got me here.
And for all the readers: I hope you enjoy reading Melanie's story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Prologue
How long does it take to change a person’s life from happy to terrifying? How long was I normal before that part of me was taken away? How long would I live in fear after that?
I hummed quietly, chewing on my pen as I did a word search. I was short for my age so my feet swung out from my desk and occasionally hit Steven’s seat—the boy that sat in front of me. He turned and gave one of those knock-it-off looks. I smiled, squinting my eyes together in apology and he turned back around.
“Okay, let’s have recess outside today,” Mrs. Wright told the class and excited glances were exchanged between everyone. They hurried from their seats and followed Mrs. Wright to the door.
“What are you doing? Hurry up Melanie!” Kimberly gestured with her hand for me to hurry, I smiled and stood up. My foot caught on something as I tried to walk. I looked down and saw that my shoelace was untied. I bent down to tie it. “Melanie!” Kimberly grew impatient.
“Go ahead, I’m coming.” I didn’t bother to look up. The room went quiet. I could hear their laughter trailing down the hallway.
By the time I had my shoe tied, I noticed the room seemed darker. As I stood, I caught sight of the windows in the classroom. Behind the alphabet curtains, it was pitch black. I tilted my head confused. Unease crept up my spine at the thought of bad weather. I never did like storms, but this darkness was unusual. I couldn’t see anything outside. Something was wrong... How were they outside playing when it was so dark?
I needed to find my class. I started walking toward the door when the lights started flickering. So, it was a storm? I was starting to get scared. I hurried to the door, but it slammed shut. Alarms went off in my head. How did the door shut when no one was around it? I stopped walking for a minute, looking around. The lights weren’t flickering for now. I ran to the door deciding it was okay if I was freaking myself out as long as I got out of this creepy room by myself.
I grabbed the doorknob and twisted. It turned for me, but wouldn’t open. I pulled hard against the door, it wouldn’t budge. The lights started again. My mind always went back to the weather, but I heard no wind outside. No noise at all despite the rising sound of my breathing. I told myself to calm down. “Um, Mrs. Wright? Anybody? I’m stuck inside the classroom.” I tried not to sound too afraid as I spoke through the door. I didn’t want to look scared in front of my friends.
I turned around when the lights stopped flickering. The back row went out. My heart pounded and roared in my ears, my panic was becoming more than I could handle. Something told me this wasn’t right. What was happening didn’t make sense. Real fear was setting in. Another row of lights went out.
I started pounding my fists against the door. I yelled and screamed for someone to get me out of the room. I didn’t know why no one could hear me. Something hissed in the room. I froze in place, hands still placed against the door. I went silent trying to listen for something in the room. Had I imagined it?
I studied the back of the room. Now that half the lights were out and the outside windows were dark, I couldn’t make out anything beyond the darkness. My whole body went numb. I felt something in the room with me. I just knew...
I felt like I was being watched by something, a sickening presence. Pinpricks of fear broke out on my skin. The next row of lights went out. That left one more row before I would be in the dark. I studied the lights above me. Please don’t go out. Why was this happening? It didn’t make sense, yet... I squinted my eyes at the dark, it was closer. Too close.
“I found you.” Never have I heard someone sound so sinister. It didn’t sound human.
The last row went out. It was pitch black in the room. I couldn’t make out my own hands. I brought my hands away from the door and covered my mouth. I felt my tears and knew I was crying, the sound echoed in the room. I felt something breathing in front of me. I froze, unable to move. I was paralyzed by my own fear. I couldn’t even speak.
My feet were yanked from beneath me and the back of my head hit the floor. I lost my breath for a moment before trying to get back up. I didn’t get a chance when something moved above me. That’s when I found my voice. I screamed. I reached my hands out above me. I felt the presence trapping me. My hands touched something. A laugh that I will never forget erupted in the room. It wasn’t a laugh; it was the sound of evil. My hand moved over what felt like a face. It latched onto my leg and pulled me closer. I flung my hands everywhere trying to protect myself. I hit something that was connected to its head and my panic grew. Did it have horns? I was going to die. I cried, tears running down my face. Why was this happening? How? I never realized I didn’t believe in monsters until now.
Something scratched my chest twice. I cried out in pain. The pain turned to burning. My chest was on fire where it touched. It hurt so bad. I heard the turning of the doorknob in the distance. It released my leg and I felt the presence leave the room.
The next thing I knew the lights turned on. A boy my age stood at the door. He looked shocked and ran to my side. He bent down next to me. “Are you okay?” he asked worried. I didn’t recognize the boy, but I had never been so thankful for anyone. Before I could reply, the burning on my chest intensified. I grabbed my chest and cried out in pain. “What’s wrong?” He panicked.
“My chest, it burns,” I told him.
“Let me see.” I didn’t have time to think that he was a boy and I was a girl. We were only nine anyway. I let him pull down my shirt until we both saw what was causing me pain. A glowing red X seared my skin.
He touched it and flinched away unexpectedly, gripping his hand. “Ow.” I stared at his hands as he held it out. The X drew itself onto his skin. The pain in my chest spread throughout my body. My vision grew dark until I lost sight of everything around me.
Chapter One
>
Nine years later...
Morning.
The word itself was ugly. I hated mornings. They were for happy, bubbly people who loved everything and everyone. I knew how to smile. Occasionally. I barely slept last night. Not that I sleep much any night.
I walked out the bathroom with a toothbrush wedged in my jaw and went to my brother’s bedroom. “Alex, time to wake up.” I flipped on the light and used my foot to kick his blanket onto the floor. He pretended to sleep. His eyes squinted as I walked closer, giving him away. The stream of sun coming from his window was in his face.
I sighed, “Get up. It’s Friday then we’re off for two days.” He continued to ignore me. I brushed my teeth for a second as I watched him. I smiled before kicking him off the bed.
“Will you stop? Gosh, you are so annoying.” I grinned at his tantrum. There was something cute about seven-year-old brothers.
“Get up,” I said through gurgles. I could barely speak with all the toothpaste in my mouth. I ran to the bathroom to spit it out. When I came back, he slammed the door in my face.
“You better be getting ready.” I yelled through the door. I went to my room and got dressed. I slipped on a rock band t-shirt and worn jeans with a pair of old Nike’s. I put my blonde hair in a ponytail and looked in the mirror. My blue eyes were big and bright compared to my pale skin. My pale skin always caused me to look sick, which probably had something to do with lack of sleep.
Oh, well...
Thirty minutes later, we left for school. I always dropped Alex off at his elementary school. He was too much of a brat to ever ride the bus. “Is Mom off this weekend?” Alex asked, sounding hopeful.
I pulled in at his school. “Yeah, I think this was her last day for a few days.” Our mom, Tina, was a nurse and worked night shifts so I took care of Alex a lot. Dad passed away a few years back.
“Good, I’m sick of your face,” he mumbled as I pulled the Ford Focus to a stop in front of the school and he hurried out. He slammed the door before I got the chance to speak.
“Yeah, I love you too,” I grumbled.
_________
Ryan Jones's big red Chevy was easy to spot in the parking lot. I smiled, knowing that meant Tess—his twin sister—was also here.
Thank goodness.
I hated walking around the school building alone. I had a way of catching people’s attention. Not in a good way. More like I was the crazy girl.
I sighed getting out of the car. The letter ‘C’ in Campbell High School was missing above the entrance of the school building and the rest of the letters were faded and dirty looking. The school looked worse every year, and every year there was always rumors of the school shutting down. It never happened, which I was glad for. This was my senior year and I liked that it was small. The thought of going to Ridge High, a much bigger school and the next closest school, made me sick. It was three times as big as Campbell's, which meant that there were many more people to question my sanity.
No, thank you.
Denver, Kentucky was a small town that only grew smaller. Decline of jobs and layoffs were destroying our region. Families were moving. It was slowly becoming a ghost town.
Speaking of ghosts...
I walked up the chipped steps that led to the entrance. To my right, several giggling girls walked through the grass next to the apple tree. There was a huge gust of wind that only ever blew there, and was currently blowing now. One of them wore a skirt and the wind picked it up revealing pink laced panties. She squealed all girly-like and held it down. Another one lost some papers she was carrying and ran to catch them while the others laughed, holding down their hair from the wind. A boy squatted behind them sneaking a peek at the one in the skirt. I rolled my eyes. His hair was permed and he dressed like he came from an eighties movie. His skin was sickly white and black circles framed his eyes. A blood stain covered a part of his blue shirt. I couldn’t hide my annoyance when I watched him.
“This stupid wind,” the skirt wearing girl grumbled. I didn’t recognize any of them so they were probably freshmen. Poor girls, they were getting harassed by Fred. I was pretty sure that was his name since it was the name on the jacket he wore. Either that or he was wearing someone’s jacket when he died. That was right.
Fred was dead. As in a ghost. I'm Melanie Rose and I see dead people. Did I forget to mention that?
Fred caught me staring and stood up. I shook my head and went inside. I searched the hallway for Tessa or Ryan. Everyone was still in the cafeteria besides a few loitering by the lockers. I went to my locker and grabbed the book I needed for my first class. I stared at the ugly green color of our lockers that needed an upgrade. Even the floors were cracking.
I closed my locker and turned around, feeling my eyes go all buggy as I jumped back surprised.
“Jesus, Ryan. Don’t just pop up like that. I didn’t even hear you,” I warned him. He flashed a brilliant smile with equally perfect teeth. He was hot. He knew he was hot. The whole school knew. Sandy-brown hair and dark dreamy eyes. Of course, he was my best friend along with his twin sister.
“What’s wrong? Did you think I was a ghost?” He smirked. He also knew how crazy I was. That I could see dead people. Or that I was delusional and messed up. I went through a lot of painful years of therapy in the past before realizing that I couldn’t keep telling my parents that I saw them. So, as I got older, I started lying to the therapists and my parents until they were convinced that I was cured. Now the only ones that knew of my secret were Ryan and Tessa.
“Actually, yeah,” I replied.
He scratched his chin as he leaned over me. I could smell the fresh scent of his aftershave. I inhaled deeply without meaning to. “So, is the couple lurking around today?” He was referring to the dead prom couple I told him about. They've been roaming the halls since we entered high school. I constantly caught them making out any and everywhere. I glanced over his shoulder and down the hallway then back toward the entrance.
“Not yet.” That made him smile. I could never understand him. He never seemed bothered by the way I was. He stayed interested in everything I told him about ghosts.
“But I did see your sister and Mike disappear into the janitor’s closet.” I lied and grinned as his smile disappeared. He turned quickly, eyeing the janitors room. Mike was Tess’s boyfriend for several months now.
I finally snickered. “Joking.”
He turned back around. “Why you—” The bell sounded and students poured out of the cafeteria. The hallway crowded.
“Saved by the bell,” I teased.
“There you are!” Tess grabbed my arm and pulled me away from her brother.
“What is it?”
“I’m mad at Mike.” She shrugged her shoulders pulling me to first period. “I’ll tell you about it later.” I sighed, if only she wasn’t mad at him every other day of the week.
________
I stared blankly holding my tray of nasty cafeteria food at Tess eating Mike’s face off. Well, okay, they were making out, but it looked like they were eating each other. She didn’t stay mad long. I never understood couples. I felt embarrassed just watching them kiss openly in the cafeteria. I’d never dated. Not that I wasn’t asked, a few brave souls over the last few years found it in them to ask, despite the levels of weirdness I carried with me. It was like I was the broadcaster of weird.
I was more likely to end up with a dead boy at the rate I was going. I could taste the bitter jealousy in my mouth.
“Hey, Melanie.” I turned to see Josh standing behind me. I looked nervously over his shoulder and felt the dread seep its way into my bones. Yes, she was always there. He looked over his shoulder trying to figure out what I was staring at. He frowned, confused. “You're always jumpy.” Then he smiled. He was cute and sweet, but he wasn’t the problem. He had a dead ancestor following him around.
She was a crazy old hag too.
“Oh... Yeah,” I stammered, avoiding eye contact with the dead. His great-great
-great—I don’t know how many greats—grandmother glared at me. She placed her hands on her hips and tipped her nose up.
“Your hips are too small. How do you plan to bare children when you are so skinny?” She always said that. She never had a good word for any girl Josh spoke to. I ignored her.
“Melanie?” Josh gave me a puzzled smile. It was hard to have a conversation with him. I could never focus on just him.
“What do you see in this one?” she huffed at Josh, but of course he couldn’t hear her. I rolled my eyes and realized too late that Josh was looking at me. This was why people thought I was weird. It was only going to get worse if I kept running in to ghosts like this one.
“Uh, my eyes are killing me.” I tried to explain the eye roll. I needed away from these two. As sweet as Josh was, I couldn’t handle his relative. “Bye!” I hurried off.
I caught Ryan staring, no doubt enjoying the view. He knew about the ancestor as well. He knew everything there was to know about my unfortunate life. Tess looked furious as she eyed me coming.
Uh-oh.
I took the seat next to Ryan. “Where’s Mike?” I tried at a conversation to avoid her deadly glare.
She ignored me. “Melanie, Josh totally has the hots for you, but you always freak him out when you're in ghost-mode.” I groaned. Here it goes.
“Chill, Tess. He has a dead grandmother hanging around.” I gave Ryan the evil eye for that smartass comment.
“Ryan, please do not encourage this.” She motioned to him with her hands. “She needs to ignore the ghosts when people are around. That’s why everyone thinks she’s a weirdo. A freak.” My evil eyes turned on the other twin.
“Easier said than done. You are not the one that sees them!” I hissed. Tess was gorgeous and perfect. Like her brother, she was both stunning and tall. Sandy-brown hair and dark eyes, bubbly and loud, everything I was not. And she’s never seen a ghost unless it was in a movie. That was a plus.
“Have you ever thought that if you ignore them, they will naturally go away.” I shook my orange juice before opening it. Mike came back with two milks, handing one to Tess.
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