With Portugal behind her, Melody set her sights east towards France. She remembered what Thunder told her years ago, and knew it was a long shot that they would be there, but it was the only lead she had to go off of. To make matters worse, she arrived in country the same time they decided to fight among themselves. She tried staying to small towns in order to avoid the fighting, but it wasn't long until every inch of France was either at each other's throats or plotting in secret.
She didn't see any way of getting out without getting involved, so she took the skills she knew and used them to get in favor with those in power. It didn't take long before she was accepted into the aristocracy and with those that felt safe. It even benefited her greatly by helping her in her mission. She managed to find her mother and two sisters…moments before the blade of the guillotine came down on the back of her neck.
Melody woke up a month later in a ditch on the outskirts of Paris. She used a nearby pond to clean off the caked on dirt and was able to catch her reflection. It appeared the blade did not fully severe her neck and left a small gap between her new scar, leaving the image of a permanent necklace. She wasn't sure if she survived because a part of her was still connected, or if she would have just regrown a new one, but she could at least check beheading off on the ever growing list of things that she could bounce back from.
She roamed Europe looking for any trace of her mother, and finally caught wind in the mid-1800's that they made their way to England. She hopped on the first boat she could find and made her way back to one of her old stomping grounds…London. She was amazed to find the place had grown significantly since she left it. The streets and buildings had become severely packed, leaving almost no room to walk about. She went looking for the old cabin, but found the location it had once stood to have been leveled to expand the city.
Melody sat on a bench while she thought about what her next plan could be. "I need to find a job soon. I'm getting tired of begging people for money and doing small jobs here and there."
Her specter lounged next to her on the bench, "There's always the world's oldest profession."
Melody followed the other's gaze to see a woman hanging over a well-dressed man as they walked to the shadows of a back alley. "I'd never allow myself to stoop down to that level. It's not only the oldest profession, but the longest running disease. I've seen lives destroyed over it." Not wanting to see any more of it, Melody leaned her head back and listened to the sounds of the city. The clacking of the horses' hooves as they pulled the carriages over the cobbles stone streets, the conversations of market owners and customers negotiating over the prices, the intoxicating sound of a singing woman. Melody's eyes shot open and she sat up looking around her. "Do you hear that?"
"Of course I do. Our senses are attached. The only question is, where is it?"
Melody stood up and wandered the street to find its origin. It seemed to resonate off of the buildings, hearing it clearly over everything else. She saw a flicker of blue skin as it disappeared around a corner, and the singing began to fade. "Found her!" Melody took off in a sprint to try to catch up. When she rounded the corner, she saw the woman walking down the middle of the road with a sack of groceries. Melody watched as she moved, noticing everything matched. Her walk, her shape, and her skin all matched Sonata's; the only thing different was the silver hair. Melody stared her down as she trailed behind with her other self walking next to her.
"It looks like her except the hair. You think age has finally caught up with her?"
"Not a chance. She didn't look like she aged a day when I saw her in Transylvania, there is no way she'd look any different now." The woman started to turn to look back, and Melody ducked behind a parked carriage. The specter looked at her in confusion. "We have the element of surprise. I don't feel like her noticing me until I have a plan." She peeked out from around the carriage and saw the woman looking at the store display in the window and then continued on down the street. Melody returned to pursuit and followed her to a building where the woman walked down into a basement. Melody took a step before her reflection stepped out in front of her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Melody went to answer but was cut off. "That was a rhetorical question. You walk in there, and then what? Talk her to death? You remember what Hecate said? The dagger, the one you lost four hundred years ago, is the only thing that can kill her. Now you have nothing. The best you can do is tear each other apart until the end of time."
Melody saw a hatchet stuck in a plank of wood and yanked it out. "If I can't die, better make life worth living." She silently made her way down the stairs and took a deep breath before busting in through the door. "Time to finally get what's been coming to you all these years." She saw a figure shape hiding under a blanket on a nearby table. "You have to try harder than that." Melody yanked the blanket back and recoiled in horror when she saw the body of a man with his chest flailed out. In her frightened state, she became more aware of her surroundings and noticed more tables with the same set up, some of the bodies uncovered. Before she could run, she felt someone come behind her and put a small blade to her throat.
"Now, I thought we had a deal." Melody could hear that the voice behind her belonged to the same woman that she was following. "You stay away, I stay away. I have no idea where she is, and on top of that, I couldn't care less. I have done everything the Hunters have asked. I've moved, changed my name, and passed any information I found that even hinted to her presence; and still you all bother me thinking I've followed in her footsteps. Now it seems I might have to set an example." The woman pressed the blade harder into Melody's neck.
"Wait, I can explain." The pressure came off her neck and they both stood in silence for a minute. "I believe there has been some sort of mistake. I was looking for someone completely different."
"And that's supposed to excuse your murder plot?"
Melody let out a nervous chuckle, "If you knew the target, you'd understand." The woman remained silent, not sharing in Melody's humor. "Look, how about we forget everything that's happened and we just go our separate ways."
"I was actually thinking about yelling out for the Bobbies and maybe get a commendation for it." The woman removed the blade and turned Melody to face her. "On the other hand, my natural curiosity has found your story interesting." She looked down at the hatchet, "First, I'll bring back Martin's hatchet before he realizes it's gone. Don't move." The woman snatched the weapon from Melody's hand and headed out the door.
Melody grabbed a seat and continued to stare at the numerous bodies throughout the room. "What psychopath did I come across now? She has all these dead bodies in here and was still willing to bring the authorities?" She looked around more and saw several certificates adorning the wall. She stood up to get a closer look and read that they were mortician licenses for someone named Jaqueline Ripe. One caught her interest because one of the names was peeling off. She pulled it away from the paper and it revealed another name: Silent Hill. Melody jumped as she heard the front door open, and she hastily made her way back to the chair.
The woman walked past Melody as if she didn't exist and disappeared through another door, shortly returning with two glasses and a bottle of wine. She filled both glasses and handed one over to Melody. "This is a onetime unique opportunity. Since no damage has been done, I'm instituting a temporary cease fire in the spirit of getting the facts straight. As long as I believe what you say, everything will be fine. You cross me once and I finish what I started." The woman raised her glass, "Deal?"
Melody grabbed her glass of wine and clinked it against the other, "Deal."
"Let's start with the basics. My name is Jaqueline Ripe, but most people call me Jackie or Jack."
"Melody Charm."
Jackie stood still for a moment, "That name sounds very familiar. Have we met before?"
"Afraid not. Very few people I know I have any intention of killing, and most I haven't seen in ages."
"Which brings up a very good point. Who are you trying to kill and for what reason?"
"I was wronged long ago on a monumental scale by someone who was supposed to be like family to me."
"And how do I fit in this mix?"
"The person I'm looking for, looks and sounds just like you. I heard your singing and I've only heard one other person sing just like that."
Jackie closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "I'm afraid to ask, but does this person have a name?'
"Yes, evil does have a name. Sonata Dusk."
Jackie pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a groan, "What did mom do now?"
Melody spit out the wine in her mouth as she choked on the rest mid-swallow. Jackie put her glass down and patted Melody on the back. "I'm sorry, I believe I misheard you. It sounded like you said Sonata Dusk was your mother.
Jackie finished the rest of her wine and poured herself a new glass. "To my greatest misfortune, yes." She took a look around the room, "But then again, she wasn't all bad. She's the reason I do what I do."
Melody looked over the bodies and then back at Jackie. "I've never really known her to get her hands dirty with blood and guts. Always knew her as a hands-off kind of woman."
Jackie looked pensively into her glass as she swirled the wine around. "It was just after my father was killed. I was young and only knew dad was no longer around, but mom was devastated. One day, while walking home from the market, my mother was attacked by two men. They pinned her against the wall and one of them was trying to stab her. I started to punch them with my child size fists, but of course it accomplished nothing. One smacked me and I went flying into the wall. I then saw a side of mom I had never seen before and she attacked them in a fit of rage. She knocked the knife out of the one guy's hand and it landed near me. All I could think of was they were hurting mom, and I took the knife and stabbed one of the in their lower back. It wasn't a killing blow, but enough to let mom do that instead." Jackie looked up and saw Melody wide eyed and hanging on every word, making Jackie chuckle. "You would think a kid would be traumatized from that, and so did mom; but I was perfectly fine, just asking mom if she was ok. She said she was so proud of me and she showed me a smile I hadn't seen in years. We became so close and she actually started to bring me to morgues as a bonding moment. It wasn't until I became a teenager that I learned the truth behind it all." Jackie sat silently, showing the memories were affecting her poorly.
"Which was?"
Jackie's face turned to a grimace, "A part of me I don't like to talk about. Let's just say the truth is the reason I was glad to see her leave."
"Does that also have something to do with the name Silent Hill?"
Jackie went stiff and stared down Melody. She looked over at her certificates and noticed one of the names had been peeled back. She slowly turned back to Melody with a look of anger, picking up the knife and twiddling it between her fingers.
Melody raised her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything by it. I have a curious nature myself, and the name was already starting to peel off. I have plenty of skeletons in my closet as well, so your secret is safe with me. I'll leave and you'll never see me again."
"With knowledge of who I really am? I don't think so. From your outfit, I'd say you're not from around here and haven't been living the best of life." Melody looked down at her outfit and brushed some dust off in embarrassment. "How would you like a job and somewhere to stay?" Melody's face fought between confusion and happiness. "The workload has grown around here unfortunately, so I could use a little help around the shop. Nothing with the surgical aspect for now, just someone to do cleaning and clerical work. You can do that much, right?" Melody nodded her head. "Good. As for living accommodations, there is a spare room on the top floor. How are you doing with clothing?" Melody flared out her outfit. "Money?" Melody shook her head dejectedly. Jackie sighed and motioned her to follow, "Come with me. I think I have some outfits I don't wear anymore."
Melody followed her through the back door and walked into a kitchen you would find in any house. She stopped in the doorway and looked between the contrasting rooms, from normal home to a cannibal's meat closet.
"It makes the commute so much easier. Now keep up." They walked into a bedroom in the back and Jackie flung open the closet doors. Hanging inside was an assortment of suits and casual men's wear. "I should mention, I don't have anything in the way of dresses. They're too cumbersome to wear at work and have just grown more comfortable in men's clothing. If you want more feminine wear, you'll have to buy that on your own."
"As they say, when in Rome." Melody could never understand that saying. Any time her and her family visited Rome, they never acted like Romans. Jackie handed her a couple of outfits and then led her to the upstairs bedroom.
"This is your room. Do as you wish to brighten it up. There's some furniture already here," pointing to a bed and dresser, "Though you might want to clean them since they've been up here since I moved in. Also, not to be rude, but the bath is down the hall." Melody's face blushed with embarrassment. "When you're done, you're more than welcome to join me for lunch." Jackie went to leave, but Melody stopped her before she crossed the threshold.
"Why are you doing this for me? We first met with me trying to kill you, and now it's like we're best friends."
Jackie looked back at Melody, trying to formulate an answer. "I don't know, to be honest. I guess I can't really blame you for your murderous intent. Mom has brought out the worse in the best of people. Beyond that, there is just something about you that I can't shake." Jackie stepped out and immediately returned, "And besides, you know too much to let you out of my sight now." Jackie smiled and headed back down stairs to the kitchen.
Melody sat in the bath and tried wrapping her head over everything that had just transpired; the biggest of which is that for the first time she has a sister. After the bath, she tried on one of the outfits and agreed that men's clothes felt a lot less of a pain than the dresses she was used to wearing. The dresser had a small mirror attached to it and she stared at her face, especially her hair. It had been a while since she had been able to properly style it, and now felt the long hair was too much for the outfit. She straightened it out and hid portions with her hand to see how it would look short. She grew to like it and found a straight razor sitting on the dresser top. She measured out a small strand ran the blade across the strands, hearing it slice through each hair. The clump fell to the ground and Melody looked again in the mirror. She fell in love with the idea even more and proceeded to remove the rest.
Melody came down the stairs and followed the smell of freshly cooked ham and saw Jackie making warm sandwiches. Melody cleared her throat to get Jackie's attention and twirled around.
"Now, isn't that much better? I see you even cut your hair. What brought about that idea?"
"The long hair was becoming a pain to manage. Besides, I think the shorter cut looks better for the style." Melody walked over to Jackie and wrapped her in a hug. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."
Jackie retuned the hug and then guided her to a chair at the table. "I'll take it for now, but you may regret it later. I'm tough to work for and always expect perfection."
"You wouldn't be the first I worked for like that. And speaking of work, I saw that my room has an external entrance as well. I would need to replenish my supplies, but I've been known to make and sell natural medicines. I was thinking at times I'm not working for you, I could sell medicines on the side for extra cash."
"As long as it doesn't get in the way of working for me, and your customers stay out of the house itself, I have nothing against that."
In the following months, Melody made herself useful around the shop ensuring documents were properly filed and the shop remained as clean as it could be. When the days were slow, Jackie would allow Melody to assist with an autopsy. She would show her how to use the utensils and what needed to be removed and inspected. The first couple of times made Melody's stomach do flips, all to the humor of Jackie; but slowly she got used to the idea and no longer saw it as a gory mess, but no different than gutting a recently hunted animal.
On Melody's off time, she would go out and explore the new London area. She lived on the streets for a year before meeting Jackie, but never took the opportunity to really take it in. This gave her an opportunity to check out the market area for new supplies and equipment needed if she was going to open up a medicine shop. Every so often she would find herself wondering if her shop in China still operated, and if it was still under control of the Liu family. She felt she should stop by again in the future to find out.
One afternoon, Jackie decided to go on one of Melody's walks since she had to pick up some new supplies for the morgue. Jackie's shopping was a quick in and out job at a local medical supply store a couple blocks away from the house, so the majority of the morning was spent in plant shops and rooftop gardens. Jackie watched as Melody would meticulously inspect each plant as if she was looking for the right orange to buy from the market.
"It's amazing to watch you work. You really seem to know your way around plants."
Melody stopped to smell a purple flower as she rubbed the leaves below it. "I should; I've been studying them for a good portion of my life."
Jackie laughed out loud, "You're always talking like that too. You sound like some old lady saying how good life was back during the days of the dinosaurs."
"I'm not quite that old, but I'm a bit older than I look."
"Oh really? Then tell me, ancient one; how old are you really."
Melody was about to snap off a witty comeback she caught a glimpse of a house off in the distance. Melody mindlessly walked past Jackie and slowly walked over, her gaze never leaving the house. No matter how much Jackie tried to snap her out of it, she ignored everything else as she stopped at the stairwell of a familiar sight.
"What exactly is your problem? We were in the middle of a conversation and you just walk over to this dump?"
Melody flashed a rage filled look at Jackie, "What did you say?"
Jackie took a few steps back, "Whoa there, sorry I hit a nerve. I'm just saying the house is falling apart due to the menial upkeep. It's a museum for now, but I can't foresee that being the case for much longer. I went in it once a couple of years ago, and even then mold was starting to accumulate and the outside garden was over grown. You could barely see the grave stones back there."
"Gravestones?" Melody's features switched from anger to concern.
"Yeah, the whole family is buried in there. Well, all for except the family matron. It's just unfortunate about what befell them. Hey wait!" Jackie reached out as Melody attempted to run up to the house. "You can't go in there. It's closed."
Melody turned to Jackie and grabbed her with a wild expression, "You need to tell me everything you know about this house and the family."
Jackie pushed her away, "Alright psycho. Let's go grab something to eat and I'll tell you then." They ordered a couple of sandwiches and sat at a table that looked out towards the old house. "So, what would you like to know? The house has some extensive history and I'm fuzzy on some of the details."
"Everything," Melody pleaded.
"Okay then," Jackie took a bite of her sandwich before starting. "This is what I can remember. The house belonged to the Schmidt family. The husband and wife worked over at the College of Medicine just a mile south of us. They had two kids and some other random person that lived with them."
Ms. Penworth Melody thought to herself. A beloved caretaker and friend, not just some random stranger.
"They were apparently a happy and successful family until one day the wife ups and disappears on them. They say she lost her mind and abandoned the family to go gallivanting on her wild delusions."
"That's a lie!" Melody yelled out and slammed her fist on the table. Other patrons stopped and looked at her with concern.
Jackie readjusted herself in her seat and gestured to the other patrons that everything was alright. "Are you mental? I'm trying to tell you what I know about something you apparently know nothing about, and then you accuse me of lying in a violent outburst. Besides, the wife's goodbye letter is in the house sealed under glass. I've read it myself. Something about never aging and outliving her children. Anyways, the news had devastated the family, and then when the church found out, they were ostracized. It was some weird times back then. Eventually the husband lost his mind shortly after losing his job at the college, the son died of a drug overdose, and the girl was found dead in an alley when her throat was slashed by one of her Johns. They say misfortune fell upon the family the moment the wife left. They even say the place is haunted and you can hear the family crying out for the woman to return. I guess if the wife were to ever return, it would supposedly free their souls." Jackie chuckled at the thought, but reached out towards Melody with a worried look when she saw her begin to break down crying. "Melody, what's wrong? Yeah, it's a sad story, but you're crying like you have some attachment to it.
"That's because you do." Melody's doppelgänger was standing behind Jackie with a grin on her face. "You left to protect them, but instead you made it even worse. You've been pretty bad luck for some people in the past, but this has to take the cake." She raised her hands and gave Melody a slow clap, "Brava."
Melody laid her head in her arms and wailed uncontrollably, the same patrons once again turning their attention towards the table with a mixture of concern and anger. She hoped and prayed that they would live on peacefully without her. She never once thought pain and misery would befall them. "Why? Is my pain not good enough for your pleasure? Does everything I care for have to suffer?" Melody looked up and saw Jackie reaching out to her. Melody jumped back in fear to avoid her grasp. "No! Don't touch me! I love you too much to allow you to suffer like they did." Jackie pulled her hands back and her face became blushed. Melody pushed past Jackie and she took off in a full sprint.
-o-O-o-
Later that night, she found herself standing outside her old home. The streets were empty and all of the street lamps had been put out, leaving her in darkness except for the bathing light of the moon. She walked up to the door and tried to open it, only to find it locked. "I wonder." Melody reached over to a nearby window sill. It had an abundant amount of overgrowth on it, but she was able to tear it away and lift the board up with a couple of tugs. Lying under it lay a small brass key. "Best hiding spot ever." She took the key and placed it in the lock. Age had taken its toll on the key, but with a bit of jiggling, she was able to pop the lock open. "Honey…kids…I'm home."
Melody stepped inside and closed the door. Every step she took kicked up a cloud of dust. She looked around, and memories began to flood her mind as if she had only left yesterday. She could still see Joseph and Elizabeth running around the living room as she and Michael sat in front of the fireplace. She looked towards the kitchen and could see Ms. Penworth cooking, even smelling the scent of beef stew. She looked back at the door and held in a gasp as she saw the last time she ever saw them before they left for school. Melody fell to the floor and cried so hard that no sound escaped. The pain in her chest was immense and she could feel her heart shatter. A home that had once been filled with love was now void of everything but despair.
The other Melody materialized in front of her with a wicked grin. "How does it feel? You say you hate her, but you are no better than your mother."
"Please, not now. Can't you see I hate myself enough already? Nothing you say can make me feel any worse."
"You might be right. But the same might not be said about them." Melody followed the other's gaze and looked upon the back garden. Within it, stood four small gravestones covered in brush.
Melody's breath became short as she started to panic. "No, I can't. I don't have the strength to face them."
"You can't even go give your family a proper goodbye?" The specter stood up and morphed into the Grecian Sonata, "Pathetic." With her final words, she faded away into the ether.
Melody kneeled by the front door, never losing focus on the tombstones. She attempted to stand to get closer, but her body felt as if it weighed a ton. Every time she pushed herself up, her arms and legs would buckle. She eventually gave up and laid down on the floor, curling up into a ball. Over her sobs, she could faintly hear her name being called. She looked up and scanned the graves in horror. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I thought I was protecting you; I never thought me leaving would destroy this family…my family." The front door behind her swung and a frantic Jackie stood in the doorway.
"There you are. I have been looking for you all over town." Jackie reached down and yanked Melody off of the ground. "Let's go before the constable finds us and we sit in lockup for the rest of the night." They made their way out the door, Jackie being sure to close it, and hurried back to the morgue. Jackie sat Melody down in a chair and she ran into the kitchen to grab a bottle of whiskey. She returned, poured Melody a glass, and took a swig for herself. "What on Earth were you thinking? I tell you not to go in there and all of a sudden I find you have broken in."
Melody gazed into the glass in shock. "I didn't break in." Melody dropped the key onto the desk. "I used the spare."
Jackie stared at the key and then back at Melody. "Where did you get the key?"
"Under the window sill, where it has always been."
"Riiiiight. Well, I don't know what you're getting at, but I want to get one thing straight. I will not associate myself with criminals or nut jobs. I had enough of both when I was younger and I'm tired of it. Since I can see whatever this is has shaken you in some form, I'm going to let this slide. From now on, you will stay on the straight and narrow. And as for this," Jackie grabbed the key and threw it in her desk drawer, "will never be spoken of again."