MELINA
Melina jolts awake to the sounds of someone screaming. She looks around the room, searching for the source of the voice and the danger, but quickly shuts her eyes as a shooting pain flies through her head. Melina lifts her hand to her temple to massage the pain away, but her limbs protest. Her entire body aches. Melina curls into a ball and clutches her stomach, as if her intestines are being ground. Tears fill her eyes as blood flows from between her legs.
“My baby,” Melina says quietly, her bottom lips quivering.
“My angel,” she says as she tightens her arms around her belly.
“I never got to meet you.” Her heart squeezes as an ache settles in her chest.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry little one. Mummy is so sorry she couldn’t protect you. Please forgive me. “Melina’s shoulders tremble as loud wails begin to rip out of her. Her heartache is worse than her stomachache.
Melina cries and mourns the loss of her baby until she falls asleep, her body exhausted from crying. Melina wishes she could bleed to death and join her little one before falling asleep. She had lost a baby once, and it had taken all of her strength to get through it. She wasn’t sure she could this time because she truly blames herself for the loss of her child.
***
Melina is awakened yet again by the sound of screaming. She wonders where it’s coming from and why someone is screaming so loudly. Melina looks down at her body and sees that the bed she is lying on is stained with her blood. Her eyes well up with tears as she remembers her baby. James must have brought her here and dressed her. Melina lifts her dress to reveal bandages covering her ribs. No, why were my wounds treated? I don’t want to live; I want to die so that this pain and suffering can end.
Melina pauses in her actions as she moves her hand to rip her bandages off. Her eyes widen as she realizes what was causing the screams she had heard. Melina rushes to Franky as they throw her into the room on the floor near the door, despite her limbs protesting as she moves.
“Franky,” Melina screams as she bends to the ground. She’s bloodied from head to toe. “Oh my goodness! What did they do to my sister?”
“Franky, please wake up.” Melina gently slaps her face and shakes her body. She has a black eye that she bets is similar to hers. Melina’s heart sinks into the pit of her belly as Franky fails to respond.
“No! Not you, too,” Melina screams in agony as tears well up in her eyes. Melina can hardly recognize Franky because her entire face is covered in blood and bruises.
“Please, God, don’t take my sister away from me; please, I beg you,” Melina cries as she pulls her battered sister’s body to her chest.
“Mel,” Franky says softly.
“Franky, Franky, you’re alive,” Melina says, releasing Franky.
“Yes Mel, how are you? I hope they didn’t hurt you. I told them I’d take all the beating for you,” Franky rasps, trying but failing to open her eyes as she speaks.
“Oh my God, Franky, why would you do that? Please don’t do that again.” Melina didn’t dare to tell her that what she did was in vain. These monsters won’t spare a chance to harm either of them.
“You sound okay; I’ll take that as a yes. That’s good to hear, Mel,” Franky raises her bloodied hand and searches for Melina’s face. Melina quickly grabs Franky’s hand and places it on her cheek.
“Don’t blame yourself for what happened to me today. I chose to protect you. Remember, Mel, I chose to protect you. I love you,” Franky says, and the hand against Melina’s face falls to her lap.
“No,” Melina screams, seeing Franky’s chest stop moving.
“No, you can’t leave me, no, you can’t,” Melina screams louder as Franky’s body starts to feel cold against hers. Melina presses her ear against Franky’s still chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat. She becomes even more agitated when she does not hear one. She doesn’t give up and grabs Franky’s hand, hoping to find a pulse, but Melina doesn’t. Melina again places her ear above her heart and listens for a heartbeat. She almost throws Franky off her body as excitement fills her when she hears a heartbeat. It’s faint, but it’s there. She’s still alive; Melina just needs to figure out how to save her.
“Somebody, anybody, please, I need help.” Melina couldn’t let Franky die. She refuses to lose her sister in this manner. Gently dropping Franky’s head on the ground, Melina walks to the door and starts banging on it, screaming for help. Melina is unconcerned as her skin scrapes the door while hitting hard. She is unconcerned about the blood trickling down her arm; as far as saving Franky is concerned, she will keep banging on the door until her hand can no longer handle it.
The door finally opens after what seems like forever; Melina immediately drops to her knees before the person.
“Please, I beg you, get someone to treat her. I’ll do anything you want.” Melina pleads before James.
“Anything?” James asks, grabbing her hair and forcing her head up. He has an evil smirk on his lips as he looks down at Melina. She knows he must be basking in her misery.
“I’ll do anything, I swear. Please save her.” Melina clasps her hands and begs him.
“Do you know how beautiful you look right now?” James says, tracing his disgusting finger across Melina’s shoulder. Goosebumps appear on her skin as his hand trails up her face. Melina is disgusted by his hands on her.
“Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it, but please save her.”
“Kill Thomas.”
“What?” Melina heard him, but she hopes she misheard him..
“You heard me, kill Thomas, and I’ll save your sister, I said.”
“I-I ca-an-n-n’t” How can he ask me to kill Thomas?
“Then your sister dies.” He turns to leave the room, but Melina grabs his leg.
“Wait,” Melina says, looking down at her dying sister on the ground. Swallowing hard, she says, “I’ll do it.”
“Really, you will kill Thomas?” James says, crouching to her level. He places his hand on her chin, lifts her head, and smirks at Melina. James’ face is only a breath away from Melina’s. She can detect alcohol in his breath. Her hands itch to slap the smirk off his face. Melina has never hated anyone in her life as much as she hates James. Her blood boils as she stares at him.
James killed my unborn children, hurt my sister, and now he wants me to kill Thomas. Thomas is the only man who truly loved me. He may have hurt me recently, but before that, he was the only man who had ever made me feel loved. I couldn’t believe I’d just agreed to kill him. Could I pull it off? No, I couldn’t, but I didn’t have a choice. Franky is on the verge of death, and that’s the only way to save her. At least they’re not asking me to do it right now. When the time comes, I’ll deal with it.
“Yes, I will.”
“Great, I’ll have someone come and attend to your sister’s wounds.”
“Really?” Melina is surprised that he believes her.
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“No, Melina, thank you; you just made things so much easier for me,” James says as he walks out of the room with a big smile on his face.
Melina’s shoulders sag and her head falls forward as the door closes behind him. When will this torture end? Tears start to flow again down Melina’s cheeks as she comes to terms with what she just agreed to do. She throws her head back and lets out a frustrated scream from the depths of her soul. Melina’s body and soul are both in excruciating pain. She couldn’t even mourn the death of her child because she needs to be strong to save her sister. Because of her, Franky was beaten to a pulp. Melina is completely exhausted and wishes she could just vanish into thin air right now. Hopefully, she reasoned, everything would be over soon.
***
After changing her tampon, Melina steps out of the bathroom and walks to the bed where Franky is lying down. James wasn’t cruel enough not to offer her tampons after causing her miscarriage. Melina sits on the small chair beside the bed and takes Franky’s hand in hers. It’s been a few hours since the doctor came to patch Franky’s wounds. He said Franky would survive, and all she needed was a lot of rest. Melina is aware that being held here will make that difficult, but she hopes for the best.
The wind lifts Franky’s dress, exposing her legs. As she sees the bandages between Franky’s legs, Melina bites her lips to muffle her cries. Her thighs have slash marks. Franky was tortured and raped. Melina couldn’t bear the thought of Franky’s ordeal while being beaten. She feels so guilty for what happened to Franky. None of this would have happened if Franky hadn’t followed her to the Bahamas. Melina blames herself for her sister’s ordeal and the loss of her unborn child.
Running away turned out to be a huge mistake. Melina can’t help but wonder if her baby would still be alive if she hadn’t fled, believing Thomas would kill her child. A part of her knows Thomas isn’t completely heartless because during these past months, she’s seen his worst side, but she’s also seen the good side she once fell in love with. Thomas was there for her every time she needed someone. Her eyes well up with tears. Melina cries, blaming herself for all the horrible things happening to the people around her. She snaps out of her thoughts when the door behind her opens. Turning around, she sees one of James’s goons.
“Thank God,” Melina says quietly, exhaling a sigh of relief. She assumed James had come to take her to kill Thomas. Even though Melina has no idea how he will force her to do it, she is concerned that he will come at any time and say it’s time.
“Come with me,” the man says.
“To where?” Melina asks, rising from her seat. She wonders if another round of torture is about to begin. Perhaps James would finish the job this time, and she can finally find peace.