Childhood
Dark clouds hung low
over-head, blackening a world where sunshine usually dominated. The windows shook slightly as a cold wind
blew, eerily catching among the rooftops and sending echoing messages through
the manor. Melinda sat silently on her
bed, curled up against the headrest and facing the wall. She stared directly at the white wall,
losing herself in a world of monotonous colour and blocking all else from her
mind.
Prue approached her open
door, standing still and watching her niece for what seemed like eternity. Finally she cleared her throat and wiped
away the tears that had fallen and approached Melinda's bed. "Melinda? Sweetie, we have to go."
Melinda shook her head
determinedly, hugging her knees tightly to her chest and keeping her eyes
fixated on the wall. "No."
"I want you to look at
me Mel; I need you to listen to me."
Prue gently rubbed Melinda's back and twisted her messy plait through
her fingers.
"No." Melinda stated strongly again. "They're going to be back in a few
days. Mom just went up there
with Dad." Melinda cast a quick
glance to the ceiling.
"I wish that were true
too, but it's not Melinda." Prue
said softly, bringing a trembling hand to her mouth.
"Yes it is. Mom said they'd be back on Friday. Remember?
You and Aunt Phoebe have to take care of me." Melinda insisted; turning to face Prue's
tear stained face. "Stop crying
Aunt Prue, you're scaring me."
Prue sighed deeply, taking
her nieces tiny hands in hers.
"I'm sorry Melinda."
She whispered, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Your mom and dad aren't coming
back."
Melinda's eyes narrowed and
she withdrew her hands. "Yes they
are!"
Prue shook her head
again. "Please come with us Mel,
you can see your mom and dad one more time."
"I don't
understand."
"You will, I
promise." Prue stood, pulling
Melinda to her feet. "We'll find
something for you to wear and I'll do your hair okay?"
"I want to do
it." Melinda stated firmly,
untying her hair and pulling it back into a ponytail. "See, I can do it myself." Prue nodded as Melinda strode over to her closet and pulled out a
dress to wear. "Why do I have to
change anyway?"
"There's going to be
lots of people there, Mel. All of Leo
and Piper's friends."
"Why?"
"They all want to say goodbye,
just like us."
"I don't want to say
goodbye. They'll be back soon, just you
wait and see."
Prue was about to
reluctantly reply when Phoebe poked her head into the room. "Ready?"
"Yeah." Prue muttered, reaching her hand out for
Melinda's. "Lets go
sweetheart."
Melinda nodded, crossing her
arms and hugging herself tightly; following her aunts down the stairs.
They arrived at an old
cathedral a little while later, the street already lined with cars and people
standing outside quietly talking. "Why are we at a church Aunt Prue?"
Prue held the door open to
Melinda and stood behind her, her arms draped over her small shoulders. "This is where we say goodbye."
"Then where are Mom and
Dad?"
"They're inside
Melinda."
Melinda face broke into a smile. "Then I want to go see them! I told you they'd come back soon." Phoebe turned away and Prue turned Melinda
to face her, kneeling down to her eye level.
"They're not going to
be like the Mom and Dad you know Mel.
They're going to be lying down and they're going to look a lot
different."
"Like what?"
Prue held her hand up and
enclosed her fingers around Melinda's forearm.
"See how my hand is warm?"
Melinda nodded. "They're
not going to be warm. And their skin is
going to be really white and maybe a little blue."
"Can they talk to
me?"
"No." Prue shook her head. "Their hearts have stopped beating Mel,
that's what helps us breathe, talk and walk."
"I want to see
them."
"Okay." Prue agreed, standing and taking a deep
breath when Melinda gripped her hand and hugged her arm.
Slowly and silently they
walked towards the viewing area, grateful when the few others in the room left
them alone. Releasing Prue, Melinda
crept towards one of the coffins, standing on her tiptoes and trying to see in. She turned to face Prue, her eyes wide. "I can't see; I'm not tall
enough." Prue nodded and reached
down to lift her, Melinda quickly wrapping her legs around her aunt's back and
her arms around her neck.
A loud gasp escaped
Melinda's mouth when she peered into Piper's coffin. "She's just sleeping Aunt Prue. Can we wake her up?"
"She's not sleeping
Melinda." Prue whispered,
"touch her".
Melinda shook her head
strongly before promptly bursting into tears, her fists gripping chunks of
material from Prue's shirt. "I
don't understand." She choked out,
her eyes fixated on her parents.
"I know Mel. It's going to be okay."
"Why do they look like
they're sleeping? Why can't they wake
up? I want them back!" Sobs escaped her throat and her body shook
in time with her gasps for air, her eyes not once losing contact with Piper and
Leo.
Prue hugged her tightly,
gently rocking her.
"Shhhhhhh."
"They're going to come
back! I know it! They wouldn't leave me, they said they'd
never leave me!" Prue had no reply
as her tears fell to Melinda's shoulder, softly kissing her cheek. "They said Aunt Prue! They said!
Why would they lie?"
"They didn't want to
leave you baby. I know they
didn't."
"But they did! They lied to me! And they're never coming back!"
"Childhood is the kingdom where nobody
dies." - Edna St. Vincent Millary
… Then it's a harsh initiation into adulthood when
someone we love and trust leaves us forever…
The
End
All
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