"Melody you ugly hag get your tosh out of bed and go make breakfast!", Melody’s mother spoke. She had waited momentarily for a response but did not receive one. Melody knew what she was ordered to do, but she was distracted thinking, “Why?” “Why would mother tell me that she was dead?” "Is she dead? What if she is, and that letter was from a long time ago and she's dead now? Why does everyone get pleasure out of making me feel like a crappy idiot, UGH!" She wiped away her tears with her arm, then sat up in her air mattress.

That Morning:


Melody noticed her mother had left dishes for her to clean. Still sobbing, she put the dishes in the dishwasher. She made her mother a bowl of oatmeal with soft sweet plump purple blue berries and her father an omelet with a side of juicy bacon. She left her parents’ breakfast on the kitchen counter and got dressed for school. Melody brushed her teeth, and washed her face. Her chest was feeling heavy. She couldn't breath. She couldn’t bear the pain. “Where is it? Melody said feeling choked and shaky. She meddled through the bathroom cabinet , pulled out a blade and slid it slowly on her skin “I need this. It’s less painful than my nightmare of a life”, she said in a soft voice. Melody took a heavy deep breath. She tightly squeezed her eyes shut and said, “ow”. Thick dark blood dripped down from her wrist into the white polished sink. Melody opened her eyes and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She stared at her straight black hair, her grey eyes, and her pinkish-red pale skin. A hideous troll like me deserves to bleed and die! she thought to herself. It’s better to die rather than to live and suffer”she said to herself. “I guess a stupid horrid girl deserves to be miserable!” Melody said. She felt a sting in her wrist. A tear fled down her cheek and she looked down at her wrist. She clenched her hand into a fist and repeated, “I deserve this, I’m sucky and ugly and I deserve this. I deserve misery she said still talking to herself. “Aaah she said breathing in, her voice shaking. She clenched her wrists into fists again. A girl like me shouldn’t dream because for people like me, hoping gets you no where. Look where I am, I work for my mother! I’m forced to work against my will, she thought.Melody couldn’t stop the tears. She couldn’t stop crying and she couldn’t stop thinking to herself, I deserve pain. Then she said in a low strong voice, “ I DESERVE PAIN.” Melody stood there. Now silent. In the wide-spread bathroom with shinny detailed tiles, Melody got lost in her thoughts. But she finally shook up, and glanced at the dark-wood colored clock on the bathroom wall. 8:00 "Oh man,I gotta go or I'll be late!" Melody said. She quickly washed off the deep dark blood from her wrist and the blade. Then, she ran towards the basement and grabbed her black combat boots out of her shoe box. She slipped them on, quickly tied the laces and shouted , "I'm leaving!" As the door shut behind her. "BEEP BEEP" Melody’s phone went off. She had gotten a text message from her mother. It read, "don't be late! We're having a party tonight for Kitty Monty's birthday." The text also read,"and don't screw this party up like last time or no leftovers!”


8:15, fifteen minutes left till' homeroom began at Malcom High. With her head hung to her chest, her cheeks soaked with her tears Melody gripped onto her left backpack strap and walked into school. “Hey look, it’s the pimple faced freak!” a rotten kid named Rodney shouted. “ I guess she forgot to look like a clown today said a girl named Kristen said after him. The main hallway spread with loud laughter. Melody said nothing. She stood by her locker with the same burning question swimming in her head why? A brunette haired women marched out of the room labeled in capital letters, “PRINCIPAL”. “ What is going on here people!” the women said. “Thank god” Melody said with a sigh of relief. The kids in the hallway froze and silently looked nervously into the brunette- haired women’s eyes as she spoke. “This is a school, we are not here for shenanigans.We are here to learn. Now children, get your things and head to class.” Mrs.Channing continued. “But Mrs.C homeroom doesn’t start for another 10 minutes”,Rodney jumped in protesting. Mrs Channing turned to Rodney and demanded, excuse me Mr.Johnson , but need I remind you I am your principal which means I have a right to give you detention if I think you deserve it. And we are not buddies so please do not call me Mrs. C are we clear?” Channing continued. “b-bbut” Rodney said stuttering. Channing’s eyes widened. Then Rodney quickly responded “Yes ma’am”. Mrs. Channing nodded her head “Good, now run along everyone” Channing said. The main hallway cleared fast at Mrs. Channing ’s command. The only person walking slowly with her head still hanging to her chest. “Ms.Cruz’, the principal called out. Melody quivered a bit then looked up, then said in a soft voice “yes?” “I’ve noticed since you’ve started to go to school here, you’ve always been alone. how are things? Are you alright sweetie?” Mrs. Channing said. Melody wondered, “why is she asking me these questions? Should I tell her? No. No I shouldn’t.” She could barely get the words out, “ everything’s fine Mrs. Channing” Melody said knowing that this was a lie.



“Hey your home. How was school? Good? that’s great. Remember Kitty’s Birthday Party? Go plan it! I left the list of everything that needs to happen in the basement. Remember, if you screw it up there will be punishment. So don’t! Now get outta here! If you need me I ‘ll be napping so don’t need me you she-troll!” said Helen Cruz. Before Melody could head towards the basement , her mother said “oh, wait sweetie have you been crying? Aww. Well, whatever’s wrong walk it off. Oh wait no, work it off, hahaha Like you have a choice.” Melody didn’t say a word. She walked to the basement and put down her backpack.Melody noticed a piece of paper on her bed that read Melody’s To Do List” Instead of taking a look at what her mother had left for her to do, Melody walked over to the small brown wooden box that her mother had hid from her. She rummaged through the box until she found the torn piece of paper that read to my beloved daughter from your birth mother. After reading the letter last night, Melody was shocked, when she read the first few lines,
My beautiful daughter Melody,
by the time you read this who knows how old you will be! You were such a beautiful baby girl, the day you were born was one of the best times as my life. Now, I know this might be hard to understand but with everything going on right now I've decided I can't raise you. I hope you understand. What? no , I don’t understand why she couldn’t take care of me!” Melody stopped reading here. She felt tears running down her face and she felt her skin burning. She couldn’t believe it.










3:30 Melody had just come home from school. She kept thinking about the letter. All day the letter had been distracting her. She got home put her bag down then said, "I have to finish reading that letter. I have to know does she really care? I mean why would she just toss me away? Would she do that? Is she like Helen? What if this was a trick to get me to go to her so she could use me?" Then, Melody's mother walked by to take a peek to see if she was planning the party. She peered her head leaning her cheek on the wall she took a step back so Melody didn't know she was watching. Helen gazed at her good for nothing peasant of a daughter. She examined her carefully."what's that little skank up to? What the heck is she doing?" Said Helen in a low suspicious tone. " Oh no. Did she find out?" Quietly Helen stepped further into Melody's room, "oh man,she did! She found out! That clever little mutt didn't even wanna talk about this! While her mother was talking to herself and observing, Melody continued to read the letter.
I hope you understand. You're only a couple days old, very cute! A lot has been going on. Lets just say that your father passed last week and you were born 2 weeks before your father had died. Lucky for him, he got to see your beautiful flowery face before he passed. So, I want you to know that I have a good reason for giving you away. You are so little right now, and so much has happened I can't let you suffer. Hopefully things will get better soon-
A part of the letter was missing. Her mother was still watching her. And Melody completely clueless, Melody rummaged through the wooden box that she had found the letter in. "Where is it, I have to find it" she said. Clearing out the box one thing at a time. Photos, journals, a small worse out bib and a baby rattle. "What the- She hid all this stuff?" said Melody now furious at her "mother" Helen. Finally, she had gotten to the end of the box, "yes, here it is" Melody said happily yet anxiously. She carefully pieced the letter together. Then continued to read.
I just want you to know that what I did, I did out of love. I wanted you to be happy. All I want for my daughter is what's best for her. All I wish to see in my daughter is that she fight for her happiness, and that she knows that in life, everyone has a voice. I want my daughter to know that she is strong. I want her to be independent, speak her mind, speak for herself and fight for her happiness. I want her to fight for what she wants I wish for my daughter to be a kind hearted person who is forgiving, yet that she is also conscious of who she forgives and trusts.
Just know that in this time of grief I didn't think you would able to be a confident, happy girl. I love you. I really do, and I would love if one day when everything is better that you find a way to reach me. I'll be waiting and hoping....
Love,
Mary Beth Louis.
Melody was crying yet, she was smiling.

Helen Cruz then came marching in and she said , "now sweetie I can explain."
Melody turned red. Melody thought of what her mother Mary had said to her in the letter, “I want my daughter to know that she is strong. I want her to be independent, speak her mind, speak for herself and fight for her happiness. I want her to fight for what she wants, then she said, “explain what that you fooled me into thinking I would have a happy childhood here by lying to my face? That you only kept me as your kid because you loved me and you didn't want to give me away? You and dad use me. I always knew since you made me clean the whole house when I was ten!" Now Helen Cruz did not try to fight against Melody's words at all. Helen just listened. She frowned with her head hung as Melody spoke. "I figured out a very long time ago, that you and dad didn't love me. It disgusts me to even call you mother” said Melody. “sweetie I-” Helen Cruz finally said but was cut off by Melody Melody continued, “sweetie! You’re suddenly calling me sweetie! What about all those times you called me hag and peasant! And the time you called me a mole rat,. I asked you if you would be ok with me sending out one of my stories so I could be an author. Do you remember what you said to me? You said that I’d never make it because I’m too untalented and stupid. You know, I may have believed you all this time about how I’m not the kind of girl who can make her dreams come true, but you’re wrong! And I was wrong to believe you! I guess I was just too scared and dumb to think I couldn’t stand up to you. But I was just plain wrong! I can do anything! I’m never going to let you, or anybody else pull me down! I’m done.” Helen finally got the chance to say , ‘what do you mean? Oh honey this is crazy talk. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you and I’m sorry I haven't been the kind of mother I should have been. Please forgive me Melody, you're all I have. C’mon sweetie” said Helen. Please, I promise I won’t treat you the same as I always have. I’ll change. I promise.” Helen was now begging down on her knees. Melody didn’t speak. Helen just kept pleading squeezing Melody’s legs so tight she couldn’t even move. Finally, Melody gave in and said, “ok, alright. I’ll give you another chance. This time I will not be your maid under any circumstances.” Melody said demandingly. “Yes completely understood.” Helen stood up, her face lit up as bright as the sun. “oh honey, thank you so much” said Helen as she pulled Melody close and gave her a gentle hug. Melody’s eyes wide open she responded, “I love you too.”











TO BE CONTINUED....