Devouring love

by Serafina Daniel

  It hurt to hear her saying these terrible words when I thought she was my friend. Before I had closed my eyes, we were best friends. We done everything together. I remembered how I talked about Merdian with her. She even helped me to choose dresses, do my make-up... She was only pretending to be my friend in order to be closer to Merdian.

  I wanted to scream at her, tell her that Merdian was not for her to wish. But I just lay on my bed motionless.

  I came back to present. The person in my room walked closer without hesitation. Soon she was next to my bed. I heard her silent breathing.

  “Dear Melody,” I heard her saying. I recognized her voice immediately. It was Katherine. Why was she here? What did she want from me now?

  I started to shiver inside, but I knew that none of those computers could show her how frightened I was of her.

  “It's time for you do die,” she said after some minutes.

  She took my hand. I didn't know what she would do with it, but I could be sure that she won't do something nice. And then I heard how she threw out something. How much I wished at that moment that I could speak or at least see what she had in her hands.

  Soon she put my hand back and I felt how my heart in my chest started to slow down. Did she inject something in me? That was my first thought. That was the only logical reason why computers suddenly started to beep louder and louder.

  Then someone came inside the room and took some steps forward. I guessed it was a man. A man who was confused seeing Katherine in my room at this kind of hour.

  “It's done,” I heard her saying to the man. I didn't hear any kind of emotion in her voice, but I could be sure that she was happy that with every second my heart beat less and less in my chest, letting me leave this world for once and for all. But I didn't want to die. I wanted to live. I craved for a live, another chance to correct my mistakes.

  “What have you done?” he asked. It was my new doctor and his voice sounded scared.

  “She is never going to wake up. She is not better than a corpse, So let her be on,” Katherine answered him in a proud voice. She was happy about what she had done? What kind of person was she?

  “What have you given to her?” my doctor asked her in a loud and angry voice now.

  Katherine took some seconds before her mouth opened.

  “You won't save her,” she hissed and I heard how she moved some steps back while my doctor pushed some kind of button and then was next to me. I knew he was doing something to my body, but I couldn't feel what exactly. I didn't felt his touch, I couldn't even hear him, because soon I was stolen by that darkness which was always waiting for me.

  I started crying in my mind. I didn't want to be with that darkness when I finally understood how much I wanted to be with my beloved Merdian. My death would break him, I was sure about that. But what could I do?

  Live, one word crossed my mind.

  I wanted to live and I would fight for that.

  Caspar

  Poison. It was a close call, but lucky for us...me, Melody was saved. The girl was a fighter and that only gave me hope that maybe she would open her eyes. I really wanted that.

  After one hour after the eleven, Merdian with his father was in the hospital. With them were and a dozen of men in black uniform. I noticed that they all had a weapon.

  My clients didn't seem happy even when I explained that Melody was okay and they could see her soon. For some reason they were blaming me for this accident, although I was a hero in this event. I was the one who caught that woman trying to kill the girl. I was the one who gave her the antidote.

  “You are lucky that she is alive,” Merdian said in an angry tone. He was trying to control his anger, but it was hard thing for him to do. He was in a shock. His beloved almost died today. That girl really was special to him. I wanted to meet a girl like her in my life.

  I didn't know what I could say. I tried him to tell what had happened, but he only heard that she was within a hairbreadth of death. His father, in other case, wasn't so freaked out. He listened to my story and ordered his man to bring Katherine, the woman, into my cabinet that all of us could have one nice conversation.

  I sat next to my table. The Spring were sitting in front of me. I didn't dare to glance at them. I just needed... what I needed? I didn't know, but I was sure that I should try to avoid seeing their faces.

  Soon the door opened and two men walked in with the woman who seemed too calm in her place. She almost killed the poor girl. Why? I didn't understand that, although I perfectly remembered our conversation when she ordered me to convince The Spring family to let that girl die.

  “Katherine Hudson,” Patrick Spring said and stood up. He waved his hand for his men to leave us alone in the room.

  I lifted my eyes up and saw how the men nodded and soon were gone from the room, leaving us four to be here.

  Merdian was standing and shooting anger stares at the woman who was totally ignoring him. I felt really strange here. Something deep inside me was whispering me to leave this room and let those people have a private conversation, but when I tried to walk out, Merdian's voice stopped me.

  “And where do you think you are going?” it was a clear sign for me to sit back.

  “I think I should let you...”

  “Nonsense, Mr. Offman. This conversation touches you, too. After all, you saved our precious Melody,” Patrick Spring said, but he didn't look at me when those words were out of his mouth.

  I nodded.

  “I just did my job,” I said, feeling stupid.

  “You should have let her die,” Katherine hissed and my eyes turned at her face. She was angry now.

  “Die?” Merdian shouted. “I will kill you for even saying things like that,” he clenched his hands into fists. I was sure that he was ready to show that poor woman that she did really a bad thing even considering to kill his girl.

  “When will you finally understand Merdian that she will never wake up? She is dead. You should forget her and live on.”

  “Merdian, please leave us,” Patrick said to his son. He understood that his son would lose his control over himself soon and do something really stupid.

  The guy didn't like hearing his father's order, but he still nodded and walked out. Now, only three of us were left in the room.

  “Mr. Offman told me how everything was,” Patrick begun. “Would you like to tell me the reason why you did that?” he said in a cold tone.

  Katherine shivered, but still managed to nod.

  “I love Melody, but she... she is dead and ...” she lowered her head. Some tears appeared in her eyes, but for some reason I didn't think they were real. She just pretended to be sad.

  Mr. Patrick Spring came to the same conclusion, because soon he frowned and even in colder tone announced that he didn't believe her. The woman didn't seem surprised hearing him telling her that. I only understood that she wanted to fool me.

  I shivered a little. That woman was more that she appeared to be. She was cunning and tried to kill Melody really not because she had good intentions. She wanted to reach something, to get some kind benefit.

  I narrowed my eyes and took a better look at that woman. I tried to understand with what kind of person I shared this room.

  “How many times will I need to tell you, that it is not your business? Merdian can do whatever he wants. And how I know, he will do everything to wake her up. Mr. Offman will do everything what is in his power to wake her too. What you have done today...” he stopped and glanced at me like asking me to say something, but I wasn't sure what I should say.

  “This time I will let Merdian decide what to do with you. This is too much, Katherine. It was the second time you tried to kill her.”

  I opened my mouth. It was the second time she tried to send that girl to the cemetery? No surprise that Merdian was so close to beat her to the death.

  “What?” she asked surprised.

  “You have been warned. Now, I can't help you,” Mr. Patrick Spring took some
steps back and after some minutes the same men came inside and took Katherine out from the room. The woman tried to resist, she yelled that she did the right thing, that the girl must be dead.

  I was really shocked being the witness of all this event. I had never imagined that some thing like this could happen in my life.

  “I am really sorry that you had to meet her and go through all this. I will make sure nothing like this could happen again. I will hire other men to guard her. I also will give you a reward that you saved her life,” the man talked, but I really wasn't in this world anymore. I was lost in my thoughts at the moment.

  “I am really glad I was in the right place at the right moment,” I said in a serious voice.

  “Katherine was like a mother to Melody. It's really hard to understand that she dared to do...to try kill Melody,” he continued to talk, although I wanted him to leave me alone. I was tired. I wanted to sleep. Really sleep.

  “What will happen to her?” I dared to ask. I knew it wasn't my business to know that, but I was just curious. The woman seemed really frightened when Mr. Patrick Spring said that she will receive Merdian's punishment and that was really strange for me. Why didn't they give her to the police and end this thing?

  “Mr. Offman,” he started carefully, “I will warn you only one time,” his eyes met mine and I knew that he was just giving me a piece of advice. Then why did I feel like he was treating me? I nodded, like I perfectly understood his warning.

  “I am sorry. I was just curious,” I confessed.

  “I understand. But still, it would be only for the best if you don't give questions which won't help you to do what you are paid for,” and he walked out, leaving me alone in this room.

  I sighed. That was a close one. I should really control my tongue before something bad could happened to me. I needed to be a professional.

  After an hour, I left the hospital. I was back in my home, but I didn't rush to take my place on my bed. I sat on the couch, trying to remember every detail about how Melody acted when she was dieing. For some reason my brain was telling me that something important had happened.

  So, I closed my eyes and let the memories hug me. I saw myself surrounded by many people, computers. Everyone was yelling, doing something, while I was just holding that poor girl's hand and pleading in my mind for her to stay alive.

  Her hand in my grip seemed colder and colder every second and computers only proved that her heart would soon stop beating in her chest forever.

  “Please, stay alive,” I whispered and quickly injected something in her. I didn't know what it was. I just did what other doctors ordered me. And I was relieved when the numbers started increasing on the screen. That stuff was working.

  “Everything will be okay,” I repeated over and over next to her. But it was more for myself than for her.

  Suddenly I felt her fingers stirring in my grip. I wasn't sure if I imagined that or not. Also, I didn't have time to look at her hand and make sure if it was true. And soon I forgot that something had even happened during that awful time. But now, when I thought about it... she moved? I really wanted to believed that it wasn't just my imagination.

  I walked to my bedroom and tried to get some sleep. Something in my head said to me that I would really need to be peppy.

  Melody

  I was left alone. It was really a miracle that I wasn't dead. I should be happy about that, but I felt confused. I remembered that some moments I could hear what was happening around me. But what it really stole all my attention was pleading to stay alive, to fight. It was my doctor's voice. It gave me strength when I thought that I didn't have it anymore.

  I sighed in my mind. It was getting really strange. That doctor had some kind of effect on me and I wondered why.

  Then I started to search for a memory. A memory when I first met that devil.

  I was walking along the street. I didn't look around, because I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't care where I was and who was next to me. After all, I was an angel. I could easily to be off the hook. Mr. Spring made sure that I knew some special moves to defend myself.

  So, I was walking. The weather was... not very nice. Heavy and dark clouds were above my head, warning that every minute it could tear and small water drops would touch my body. But I didn't care. I loved rain.

  I took a deep breath when I bumped into something or someone. I lifted my eyes and saw a man in front of me. He was somewhere round twenty five or maybe older. He had dark hair, chocolate color eyes and big smile on his face. The man was wearing a dark leather jacket, jeans and shoes.

  “Oh, sorry,” I said quickly and tried to walked around him, but he gripped my hand. I wasn't happy about that. I looked at him, frowning.

  “Hello, little angel,” he said. His voice sounded surprised, like he couldn't believe himself that I was next to him.

  I shivered. He knew who I was? It was the first thought in my head which turned on alert. Mr. Spring told me many times that I must never tell who I really was. Angels were powerful, but not when they were alone.

  “Sorry, but I need to go,” I tried to rescue my hand from his hold, but it was pointless. He only gripped it tighter.

  “You know, it was a long time before I have met an angel as pretty as you,” he stared at me with big eyes, like he wanted to eat me.

  “Please, let me go,” I asked him in a whisper.

  He seemed pleased to hear me pleading for my freedom. I didn't like that.

  “I am Marcus,” he introduced himself and took one small step forward. I could smell his perfume which reminded me of burning paper.

  “Melody,” I said and I didn't understand why I told him my name.

  “Melody,” he said only to try how my name could sound in his voice. “It's nice to meet you.”

  I gulped. I quickly glanced around, trying to find someone who could to help me. Marcus noticed that. He wasn't happy that I wanted to escape, to leave him.

  He quickly imprisoned my other hand and pulled me after him. I tried to struggle, scream, but my body didn't obey. It seemed almost to me that he could control it. I knew that it was impossible, but at that moment I couldn't think straight.

  Marcus pulled me into some kind of house. It smelt strange in the room. I didn't like that smell. I tried once again to force my body to move, but the fail met me and I had to stay next to that man.

  “Don't try,” in the end Marcus said. I looked at him surprised. He was staring at me again. “You know, that it isn't safe for an angel who is so pretty to walk where devils leave,” he said and let my hands go, but he didn't walk away. He just stood two feet away from me.

  “Why ...why are you calling me angel?” I heard myself asking him in a trembling voice.

  My parents once, really long time ago, told me that if there are angels, there should be and devils, demons, but I had never believed in that. Now, I knew that there were these thing. One of them tricked me.

  “Because you are,” he answered simply. “And I should say, that you are the most beautiful angel I have ever seen, Melody,” he took a step closer to me.

  “Who are you?” I found myself asking. A fear was starting to grown in me.

  “A devil or a demon. You can choose how you want to call me, angel.”

  I took one huge step back. Marcus didn't like that. He step forward again.

  “What...” I lost my voice. I knew that I shouldn't let fear control me, but because I was such a shy girl, anything could scary me.

  “Why do your eyes look so sad, my pretty angel?” he asked and put his fingers on my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes, which I tried to avoid.

  “Please, let me go,” I repeated my request.

  He shook his head. It was his answer. Marcus didn't want to let me go. Why? And how did he know who I was? What would he do to me? Why? All those questions were in my head, making me even more scared that I should be at that moment.

  “You can trust me,” he said in a soft voice and I almost wanted to
believe in that.

  “Please, I want to go home.”

  “My angel wants to go home? Okay,” suddenly he nodded and took some steps back. His fingers dropped from my face and I felt relieved. But still something seemed strange. A few minutes ago he didn't want to let me go, and now he was giving me my freedom. Did I miss something?

  I glanced at the door through which I entered inside, then back at Marcus who only nodded and waved his hand toward the door, giving me a sing that I can freely go out.

  Without a minute to spare, I ran out. I didn't glance back, although something in my head told me that I should make sure, that Marcus wasn't following me. But I just couldn't force myself to glance back. I was so freaked out. I had never felt so scared in my life and the only thing was to be back at home where no one could ever touch me.

  I found my sister at home. She was in my room, playing with her dolls. I was so happy to see her. I instantly grabbed and hugged her. She didn't resist, although I noticed a complaint in her eyes. She wasn't of those angels who loved hugs, but I wanted one at that moment. I needed to know that I wasn't dreaming, that I was far away from a devil.

  I still didn't know how he found me and knew who I was, but I would like to.

  I didn't tell anyone about Marcus. For some reason I was afraid to mention about him to anyone. Somewhere deep inside me I knew that if I speak about him with someone, I would understand that it had really happened and he was somewhere, waiting for me in a dark alley. So, I just tried to forget that I had ever met a demon.

  I didn't get out of the house for two months. Merdian noticed that, but didn't ask what had happened and I was glad, but Mr. Spring was another thing. He noticed my strange behavior and ordered to tell me what had happened.

  I didn't like to lie, but at that time it seemed the best thing in the world. I just told him that during one day I saw a tragic accident and it scared a live of me. Because of that, I was just afraid to leave the house.

  He narrowed his eyes after hearing my explanation. What I really knew about Mr. Spring, that he was really a smart person. It was really hard to trick him and I knew, he didn't believe me. But for some reason he didn't push me to tell the real reason. After all, why should he? I was spending my time at home, where nothing bad could happen to me.