Max and Lyle stared with their lower jaws dropping at the sight of the furious girl before them. She looked about their age yet she is more closer to Milo's range. Her curled hair is a lovely shade of tangerine and her eyes are deep, light blue. If she isn't so angry-looking, one would have found her natural appearance beautiful for her young age.
Milo raised his head at the newcomer in curiosity. He flinched when the girl set her eyes on him - The blue pools are filled with extreme pity and they returned to Max and Lyle, the fire regaining combusting once more.
"What are you doing to him?" The girl demanded in referring to Milo. "Tying him up and stabbing a pitchfork into him? Are you crazy?!"
Max and Lyle scowled. "Who said that we're gonna stab him?" Lyle growled. "Quit jumping into conclusions kid. You're being the pathetic wannabe you are again."
Melissa narrowed her eyes in a death glare. While she would normally cry at the past insult used on her again, the words only acted as fuel to her anger.
"Oh I'll gladly do that if I wasn't confronting you guys!" She dangerously stared into Max. "It's already bad enough that you know how to worm your bad ways into my self-esteem and crushing whatever hopes and dreams I have but this?" She shook her head in disgust and pointed at Milo, never taking her eyes off of Max. "How could you do that to an innocent kid? He didn't even do anything wrong!"
"Innocent kid? Didn't do anything wrong?" Max simply scoffed incredulously. "Are you seriously defending this jinx Melissa?" The girl gave a confused look. "Jinx?" She tilted her head in a frown at Max sadistically explained.
"This is Milo Murphy we have here and he's the one outsider who causes things to blow up or break down around him! Now that's beyond not doing anything wrong!" Max pounded the end of the pitchfork right beside Milo, making him yelp and Melissa's rage boil.
The girl stood silent after Max's little explanation as Milo whimpered in betrayal. His prediction is true. She's not doing anything anymore. Now she's gonna join them in beating him up...
"Max and I are simply doing the village a favour Melissa! And don't worry, you can thank us later when we're done." Lyle snickered and he and Max high-fived, before Max picked up the pitchfork, smirking at Melissa. "Now why don't you get out of here and go back to your daddy and forget what you saw."
Melissa growled. "I'm not leaving you here to torture another kid!" She eyed the pitchfork with disgust. "You'd better not be taking it too far, Max, or someone's gonna regret it for the rest of his life!" She mentally facepalmed - she could have said something more threatening than that. Unfortunately she too is running out of harsh things to say as she felt fear rising for the boy.
Max saw through her sturdy mask and snickered. "No need to over-react Lissa, sheesh! All we're planning to do is give him a little scratch and let him go crying to mom - until you came about!" He looked devious. "Oh but you know what? On second thought, last minute change of plans!" He enjoyed the look of pure horror on Melisa's face. "Thank you for the idea Weakling!"
The horrified Melissa grew stiff with sickening rage. "You wouldn't dare…!" She raised a shaky fist and opened her mouth but no words came out as she was overwhelmed with a flurry of wild emotions.
Lyle glanced at the leader in awe. "No way are we really gonna?"
"I don't see why not!" Max held the pitchfork and casually twirled it as if it were a baton. "Instead of a scratch, let's just poke him real deep to make him cry for days!" He paused dramatically. "Then we can let him go."
The two chuckled nastily as they surrounded the now trembling Milo. The terrified child let out a gasp and madly shook when seeing the pitchfork in Max's hand. He frantically tried to scramble, use his knees to bring him forward only for Lyle to pin him down by the neck, sending even more panic to the poor boy and making him cry out loud from impact.
"To think that jinxes are so scary, tough. You're nothing like what the old people say in their dusty pages," Max chuckled and the sharp pitchfork ends glistened in reflecting the barn's little sunlight, sending Milo into another wave of panic as he knew what's coming next.
Lyle tightened his hold on Milo, pressing him hard to the ground to prevent him from getting up. "What's the matter Milo? Can't get up and fight for yourself?" He taunted. "Oh right, you're tied up and pinned down! How lamely pathetic. Oh well,"
I'm dead. I'm so dead! Milo's pupils shrunk to pinpricks. Now when the pitchfork is fully raised over him, in a readying strike motion. For some reason, this sent a sensation of Déjà Vu coursing through his mind. Instead of Max inside an old barn, all Milo saw is a forested background with a bespectacled female glowering down at him.
She was raising a weapon looking very similar to Max's; Only more sharp and designed to appear threatening. Beside her are two more dark figures - one big and the other thin and lanky. He can't see their faces clearly but strangely, they looked familiar... Where and when did he last see them?
No time to think as his mind flashed to reality and the pitchfork was being brought down. Milo froze in horror when the sharp edges neared...
It never came down.
Instead of him screaming in pain, all Milo heard is that coming from Max. From Max's pain, the pitchfork was flung away and barely missing Lyle, stabbing an unlucky bale of hay. The blonde boy gasped in shock seeing Max backing away, hands clutching the left side of his face in pain.
"M-Max?" Lyle rushed to the kid as he stood up, his expression of clear disbelief and his hands pulled away from his face - Lyle cringed in seeing that Max had a blackened eye.
In front of them, Melissa stood her ground, face showing no remorse and her fist remained hard despite having done its task in making contact with the bully's face.
Max growled and his and Lyle's eyes were filled with venom is they glared at Melissa. "How dare you-!" He raised his voice angrily to speak only for the girl to completely cut him off.
"How dare I? How dare I?! More like how dare you, Max and Lyle, for doing a morbid thing like that!" The words came out in a tone so dangerously low and threatening that Max and Lyle actually backed away from the angry girl.
"You idiots make me sick! Are you really that stupid to the point where you don't see where your deed is leading to? You could have killed an innocent life!"
"He's not innocent! No jinx like him is!" Max roared but he regretted it when Melissa came up close, Her nose touching Max's and her hand made a vice-grip on his collar.
"Listen you heartless freaks," Her other hand went for Lyle's center region and pinched some flesh hard, Lyle crying in agony and he dared not escape while under Melisa's glare. "The only ones who are not innocent is you two. No Melvin, no Sean, nobody else but you."
She didn't care to acknowledge the two said LumberMaxes peer out from their hiding spots in listening.
"Don't think I don't know what the LumberMaxes are up to. You're crushing innocent kids so you can work your way to being the youngest miscreants Swamp Hamlet has ever had to deal with!"
Max looked baffled, insulted from that being said about his group. "No we're not-!" His outraged bark was silenced when Melissa's piercing glare landed on him. "You're not huh?"
She placed her hands on her hips with narrowed eyes. "Well I don't see any of the other village kids saying otherwise. Look around, the LumberMaxes have been existing for ages and yet you're only four members!"
She cocked a brow. "Speaking of four, what ever happened to this Underwood member I hear you had?" She looked around in false concern. "And where are your other two lackeys? And not to mention the dozens of other kids you recruited into your little cult?"
It was only now when Max and Lyle noticed that Melvin and Sean are nowhere to be found. "Melv and Sean must have run off," Max boredly shrugged. "Like I ever care about those cowards." Melvin and Sean's faces flashed with hurt in behind their hiding spots. "And FYI, it was Underwood who left us. The others are simply could-have-beens who never passed the initiation-!"
SLAP!
Max's head jerked to the side and he gasped in refacing Melissa, whose hand is returning to position after the swing. "More like he left you because of your group's horrible ways and the others are scared off traumatised because of you torturing them like what you're doing now!"
She hissed as she pointed at Milo once more. "No wonder the LumberMaxes are so low! No wonder no one else goes near you! Gosh I'm surprised that Chief Jefferson hasn't even signed execution papers for you guys yet!"
In her rage, Melissa didn't notice her body emitting an orange glow as nearby objects in the barn, including the pitchfork, started levitating from their places. "I'm getting tired of wasting my time here." She lowered her head before speaking very lowly. "You two. Get your murderous butts up and beat it! Before I tear out your windpipes and have the executioner hang you with them!"
At her vile words, the floating objects suddenly flung forward like arrows shooting towards an enemy.
Milo watched it all in disbelief as he thought his eyes are playing a trick on him. Melissa glowing and objects suddenly floating then going right at Max and Lyle, the two shrieking in terror as they ducked, the objects striking the wall and slicing off strands of brown and blonde hair. That was close...
The two boys gawked in horror as Melissa growled threateningly, before they quickly dashed for the door, screaming their lungs out. The girl snorted. "Yeah, go and run away screaming like the cowards you really are you Mad Max and Lousy Lyle!" She is completely unaware of how objects were suddenly able to lunge at the boys - whatever it is, she is beyond grateful for it taking place.
Remembering the boy she's sticking up for in the first place, Melissa quickly knelt down before Milo, hands reaching out for the knots of rope. Before she could touch it however, the boy cried in terror.
"Get away from me! Get away!" His terror-stricken voice sounded broken, it hurt Melissa just hearing him. He whimpered and curled into a tight ball. "Don't hurt me!"
Milo is deeply shaken. Being tied up and nearly stabbed by Max caused quite an impact - even Melvin and Sean dispersed from their hiding to aid the frightened child.
Unfortunately for them, Milo is yet to recover fully. He screamed at the sight of pink flannel, bawling uncontrollably in his terror. Melissa growled at the two. "What do you want?!" She snapped. "Can't you see he's scared enough already?!"
"We can see that!" Melvin backed away slightly but neither he not Sean showed any menace like their leaders did earlier. "But look! We didn't expect Max and Lyle to take it this far I swear!" Sean added albeit shaky with shock. "They usually tell Melvin and I everything they plan to do..."
Melissa shook her head, her hands gripping on the rope, carefully as to not stress Milo any further. She tugged, tried to undo the knots but to no avail - tied up very tight. "Look." She glowered at the two boys but with lesser hostility. "If you really don't intend to hurt Milo, prove yourselves." She released the knots and stood up.
"Untie him." Was her simple instruction.
Melvin and Sean immediately did so with no question and were hands-on working to loosen the horrible binds that trapped Milo. The younger boy was slightly surprised to say the least to see the two LumberMaxes helping him - Melvin and Sean. Not the cruel monsters that are Max and Lyle.
He gave a loud cry when he felt a hand touch his cheek gently. Milo froze and he now found himself gazing into the sympathetic blue eyes of Melissa. "Milo, it's alright, I'm not gonna hurt you - No one is." Milo shook as he frantically looked around. "Is Max gone?"
"They ran off." Sean muttered aloud enough so he can hear. "Melissa scared them big time!" Melvin added. None of them dared to mention it bring up the flying objects and Melissa's glowing. Though inside, the whole sight baffled them to the core, made them think really differently of the girl now. "They're really freaked out. I doubt that they'll come back to mess with you again."
Melvin and Sean lowered their heads at they worked. "Sorry we didn't do anything to stop Max and Lyle, Milo," Melvin softly spoke. "We wanted to but you know how scary they tend to be." He actually shivered. "Trust me, you wouldn't want to mess with them."
I can see that. Milo thought and he sighed shakily as Melissa's hand brushed his cheek. The girl continued her gentle gaze into Milo's petrified eyes. "Look at you, Max and Lyle scared you badly..." I'm gonna kill them and pin their heads on my wall. "You don't deserve this at all." How could they do such a thing?
"Yes I do," Milo whimpered. Melissa rose a brow. "What was that?" The boy said nothing for a while as he started to sniffle. "I deserve this - Max said so himself. I'm a jinx. Everything goes wrong around me and nobody will ever be my friend because of it." He sobbed. "Besides, he and Lyle won't be the only ones - anyone else once they meet me might do this too!"
Melvin and Sean rose their heads up in horror. "That's not true!" They both said at the same time. Melissa was utterly disgusted in hearing what came from Max's mouth.
"Melvin and Sean are right Milo-!" She gasped when Milo started to cry in high-pitched wails. Oh Milo. She pulled him in for a hug, the other boys shifting him to a comfortable position with his front facing Melissa's gentle expression. "Max is bully and a lying jerk!" She shot a look at Melvin and Sean to urge them to work quickly, which they did. "Whatever garbage he and Lyle told you just now is not true! You're not jinx or an outsider…"
Her words drained at the last word for she had a sensation of painful relating. "Plus, whatever wrong that happens around you isn't your fault, Max is just lying so he can hurt you easy." Her voice became a whisper. "Max and Lyle are awful guys. They're bullies. They just love to hurt people. You shouldn't listen to them."
Melissa frowned at Milo's still quivering body. He's still scared. She felt sorry for him. I'd better do something. "Hey Milo?" Milo raised his head so he is facing Melissa. "Whenever you're scared, what do you do to feel better?" She asked very gently, silently praying that Milo will at least trust her a little as to pay attention to her words.
To her relief, Milo answered quietly. "I go to my dad and big sister for hugs. They...They talk to me too, saying that it's gonna be okay." He sniffled before continuing. "I also like to listen to my mama's singing. I like my dad and sister's singing too. They make me feel better."
Just like me. Melissa nodded understandingly and she smiled. "My daddy sings to me when I'm scared too!" She giggled when Milo gave a look of awe.
"Really?"
"Yeah! Really!"
She tilted her head as a thought came to mind. If anything, Milo looked painfully desperate for some calming down. Some singing. "Would you like me to sing for you?" Milo blinked. "You? Sing for me?" Melissa smiled eagerly. "If it'll help you, I will."
Milo thought this over. He gave Melissa a nod of approval and she started to sing a little tune - A tune that she grew up sleeping to every night when Richard would put her to bed. The lullaby made Milo's stress slowly drift away as ease took over.
The girl's voice sounded oddly perfect. He never heard another little girl sing with a voice as angelic as Melissa's before. Her voice is low but smooth. Like a calm wave that moved with no rock to splash onto. She hit every note smoothly. No pause, nothing.
Milo closed his eyes and he found himself nestling into Melissa's arms. "Please keep singing," He mumbled softly. "I like your singing so much…" Melissa got the message and she kept singing. She felt happy to see Milo starting to warm up to her. Her fingers ran across Milo's chocolate-brown hair as he laid on her lap, eyes slowly closing.
Melvin and Sean grabbed the remaining rope on Milo's body and tossed it away. The knots have been complex tights but with Melvin's skillful guiding and Sean's agile fingers, the knots are now undone.
Milo is free. No more ropes left to bind him.
The boy stretched his arms out to release the pressure from the rope's tightness before turning to lie on his side, face lying on his folded arms in Melissa's lap. The girl had her arms around him and she leaned to touch foreheads with Milo.
She flashed a look of gratitude at Melvin and Sean, all hostility gone. "Thanks guys." The boys beamed with happiness. "Just doing the least we can do." Melvin chuckled, eyes casting on Milo. "Wow you sing pretty well, he's already sleeping!" His words held truth. Milo's eyes are shut and he was breathing soundly. Sean looked at Melissa. "Is there anything else we can do Melisa?"
"Nope, that should be about all actually." The girl sighed. "But it could help if you stick for me and Milo if Max and Lyle ever tell their parents. Tell them everything and how I didn't give Max that black eye out of spite." The boys nodded and were about to leave...
"Wait."
Melvin and Sean looked over their shoulders with raised brows. Melissa's lower lip stick out. "By everything, I mean everything. Tell them about the pitchfork thing too. It won't be fair for Milo or me if Max and Lyle go unpunished for that."
"You can count on us Melissa." Melvin smiled and went out of the barn, Sean following suit. Now that she and Milo are alone, Melissa went for the idea of leaving, take Milo back to his mother. She'll have a lot to tell her and her father.
"Milo?" She gently awakened Milo from his napping, the boy opening his eyes halfway. Melissa explained. "I'm gonna take you to your mama back in the village. She's that nice lady who works in designing village houses right?" Milo nodded. "I think she should be close to where my dad's firewood stall is. I can take you there if you want."
The boy nodded as he was helped back to his feet. Milo is swaying slightly and he landed on Melissa's shoulder. The girl was quick to support the boy before he fell over completely. She heard about a thing called panic attacks - Effects include weakness, fainting and so on within the body. And Milo's starting to feel it.
"I don't feel so good," Whispered the boy in a faint tone. My legs are feeling like noodles. " He gave Melissa a pleading look. "Can you carry me?" Milo immediately bit his lip. "If you're okay with it that is..." As unwell as he is now, what kind of person would he be to ask a stranger to carry him of all things?
To his astonishment, Melissa nodded eagerly and she was quick to kneel. "Hop on." She urged heartily. Milo is reluctant. "Are you sure?" The girl fiercely nodded once more. "As sure as an old lady who can run with feeble bones!" Milo giggled at the girl's funny metaphor.
Melissa rolled her eyes from over her shoulder. "Are you gonna hop on or what? Don't worry! I'm strong! Promise!" With a single nod, Milo carefully climbed onto Melisa's back, arms sliding off her shoulders as she stood. To his surprise, she did so quite easily and they were making their way outside the barn.
Milo mumbled quietly and he rested on Melissa's shoulder, his tiredness settling in once more. The bounciness with the girl's every step reminded him of being rocked and bounced in Brigette's arms - it never fails to make him sleep in seconds.
"Aw," Melissa smiled softly in seeing the boy sleeping on her shoulder his arms hanging over her shoulders. To her amazement, Milo even started to let out soft snores in his slumber. He's so cute when he sleeps. She faced forward as the overhead village lamps enveloped her and Milo.
By now, dusk is already starting to fall and the sky is azure with swirls of incoming nightfall. Melissa cringed slightly in hearing the faint shouting coming from enraged parents inside a cottage. She recognized the brown and rosewood-haired silhouette through the window - his head lowered as his mom and dad continued to reprimand him. If one gained a closer look, he or she can see that the downed boy had a small ice pack tied to his black eye - the cloth holding it in place hidden within his hair.
She immediately knew what has happened and she isn't quite happy about it. He deserves worser. Melissa scowled and quickened her pace with a small frown. I wonder if dad and Mrs Murphy know about it... She looked at the sleeping boy. I'll just tell them if they ask for it.
In her thoughts, she didn't hear the frantic voices of Richard and a cantaloupe haired woman call her name and Milo's - The latter coming from the woman the most. Richard stopped in his track when he saw an all-too-familiar figure with tangerine hair and clear blue eyes. On her back rested a brown-haired, pink-wearing boy and the sight of him made Brigette's hands fly to her mouth.
"Milo!"
"Melissa!"
Melissa looked up to find her father and a woman, presumably Milo's mother, run up to her with looks of relieved anxiety. Brigette immediately stooped down on her knee to Melissa's level, her hand cupping on Milo's cheek.
The boy stirred from the touch and he opened his eyes tiredly - He held his arm out as he was scooped up from Melissa's back to the cradling arms of his mother. "Mama," He murmured insensibly and he returned to sleep.
"Oh Milo, Milo... " Brigette's voice wavered and she held her child tightly. Not long ago, she and Richard started to look for their children when the sun began to set. They were halfway looking through the town square only to run into a certain pair of LumberMaxes - the ones they felt at ease with more than Max and Lyle.
When questioned about the lack of the latter two and Milo, the words that came out shook her so hard that she actually stumbled back in her shock. Her boy had been tied up in an abandoned barn. Scared. Nearly stabbed with a pitchfork. It made her sick with horror knowing that the one group of boys she foolishly urged her son to befriend, did this to him.
To her relief and Richard's astonishment, the boys also told them about Melissa's part; How she confronted Max and Lyle in defense for Milo and her giving Max a piece of her mind when things went haywire.
The angry Richard's fury for Max and Lyle literally reached its breaking point in the spot from hearing their cruel deed - But he kept it all contained, putting the poor children as a priority. He can deal with the boys the next day but definitely sooner before they can say ' don't drop the soap'.
The adults were making their way to the barn themselves until Melissa carrying a sleeping Milo came into view. The relieved woman placed a hand on Melissa's cheek, ocean eyes filled with pure gratitude. "Thank you," Her words are sincere. She really wanted to hug the little girl in thanks for saving her youngest child but her arms are busy.
Melissa wore a friendly smile. "You're welcome Mrs Murphy..." Her face grew ashamed. "I know I saved Milo from the bullies but that doesn't mean it's okay to hurt Max." Now that she thought about it, punching and slapping Max in the face didn't make much of a difference - Done in defense yes, but still it's a deed that's just as inexcusable.
She lowered her head in facing Richard who knelt down to her height. "I'm sorry dad. I know you told me two wrongs don't make a right. It's just that-!"
"Don't apologize." Came the simple reply. Richard's muscular arms enveloped around Melissa and picked her up. The man's blue eyes were filled wth impression rather than disappointment. "If you ask me I think Max actually deserved that."
Melissa perked up. "Really?"
"Of course." Richard chuckled as he playfully tapped his daughter's nose, making her giggle. "Besides, who says that a girl isn't allowed to punch a boy? Boy was I relieved when it was you - I swear I will kill Max on the spot if it was him who does first fist but I don't wanna get my hands dirty."
The man reached out to place a hand on Milo's head, his expression one of deep sympathy. "Poor guy, he's been through so much in one day." Melissa leaned forward so she can touch foreheads with him. "I hope he'll be okay." She whispered and tilted her head at Brigette after a brief moment of thought. "Dad told me that your house is the one that's close to ours."
Brigette nodded. "That's right. Why do you say this?" She rose a brow. Melissa looked at her father with a look of pleading - Richard understood at once and nodded, the little girl smiling happily and turning back to Brigette.
"Can I come visit Milo tomorrow?"
Brigette gasped, not in fear but delight. Melissa, she can be trusted with Milo more than any other village kid. Since the incident, the mother learnt that if there were ever a kid she can trust with her boy in making friends with, it has to be Melissa; Her father is a trusted family friend and she helped save Milo's life after all.
"Of course you can sweetie! Milo will love some company!" Brigette nuzzled the little girl, making her squirm with a grin. "You can come first thing in the morning after breakfast. I'll be in the village to pick up Milo's father and sister, so you can play while keeping an eye on each other. Sound good?"
Melissa nodded eagerly and hugged Richard in her joy; She finally has a friend and all she could do tonight is hope that Milo will accept her too...