Chapter 10

Cuts, Briuses and Questions

'Unheard pleas for help fill the room. Ever soft whimpering can be heard as well. "Please, don't." she pleaded. Black hair sticking to her face. "Why?"

She sat sitting on the floor, crying. She looks up to notice a boy in front of her scowling. He begins to laugh and than started to slowly walk toward. He said something, but she couldn't make it out. Lips moved but no words could be heard.

She became more frightened at every step he took. Thoughts ran through her head. She had loved him so much. She had given up so much. Papa doesn't approve and there isn't anything I can do! But she had to...

He grabbed her by the shoulders, gripping extremely tightly. Picking her up, he throws her against the wall. Hard. She, already tired & in pain, only lets out a small moan of exaustion. He arm and leg bent the wrong way. They were brocken badly.

Once again, he walks up to her, this time slapping her across the face. "No, please Lou..." he kicked her. There was a crack. Another brocken bone, another tear, another snicker. "It isn't my... I don't want to... I want to..." he hits her again. This time, only a low pain filled moan could be heard.

Suddenly, her eye sight becomes blurry & eye lids heavy. Although, just before fainting, she catches a glimpse of light in the corner of her eye... '

Nia shot up, back strait, sweat streeming down her face. She turned to look at the time, 2:16. She was having another nightmare. Another dreaded nightmare, Merlin would they ever stop? Nia was sick and tired, that goes for physically as much as mentally.

She was becoming sick from lack of sleep and was starting to feel weak, so far it was only slightly but she still felt weak. She refused to show it though, they wouldn't see how dead she felt inside. Not now, and certainly not for as long as she could help it.

Nia was supposed to be the strong one, the one who never gave up or looked and felt defeated. Of course, at times she did, but she would never let it show. That was another thing she was determined to do: to keep herself looking heathy and strong.

But the thing that just didn't make sence was the fact that she was getting ill. Almost everyday of almost every year, she would stay up, night after night, working, thinking, playing, talking... and this was nothing compared to the thousands of other times that she had stayed up. So, once again, she was utterally confused.

Never in her life, not even when she fell off her broom that last time, had she ever felt this weak. She got up, and began to walk toward the bathroom. She didn't make it though, and fell to the ground. The sound arrosed Mel, and she turned over. But she aswell hadn't gotton much sleep that night and was easly waken when this happens. Nia gowned, her ribs hurt.

This time, Mel got up, without opening her eyes she voiced something. But neither heard what she said. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Naomi?" she said, stumbling out of bed."Where are you? It's dark?"

And she was telling the truth. The curtans were open, yet it was so cloudy and misty that it was pitch black. A shiver was sent down Mels' spine as she looked out side. She reached for her wand. "Lumos."

Looking around the room she saw nothing... then she looked down. "Nia! Nia, are you alright? What's wrong?" Mel questioned as she nelt down to help her best friend. "I feel so, so... Merlin Mel, I feel like shit. Worse then shit..." Nia answered as Mel helped her onto the bed.

'What's wrong with her? I've never seen her so destressed before?' Mel thought.

Hospital Wing - 7:46

"I just don't know what's wrong, Madame! She hasn't done anything... Nothing's happened... No one would dare..." Mel trailed off, stairing at her unconsous friend. She'd fainted as soon as she hit the pillow. Madame had inspected her and noticed many odd cuts and bruises.

"It doesn't look like anything severe, Darling. There's only 2 things that worry me though... How did she get all those cuts and bruises and why is she so weak that her body resulted to making her sleep...?" Madame Ledoue voiced in a worried tone. Nia tossed and turned once again.

The color in Mels' face had long past drained and she looked tired, sleepy and worried. She was still wearing her pajamas and she hadn't even brushed her teeth and hair yet. Her friend was the most important thing right now. And it was going to stay that way; no matter what, Mel would be there by her side.

"Madame, can I borrow some parchment and ink and a quill?" Mel asked. "Of course, one minute." and Madame walked into her office, comeing back with what was asked for. "Merci beaucoup." Mel said and walked toward a desked of somesort.

This is what she wrote:

Dear Mark,

I don't want to worry you but you should come her quickly. Nia's ill and no one knows how or why. She has all of these cuts and bruises that she didn;t have last night at Diner. I don't undestand how she could've gotton all of them in such a short amount of time.

Please come as quickly as possible, I'm really worried about her.

Melanie

She decided that it would only be right to send a letter to the boys explaining what was going on. She would send her Libby to Mark and then borrow Cody's owl to send the letter to the guys. She breathed deep and started to write.

Hey guys,

I'm truely sorry to be sending a letter so soon and once again so early, but this is important and I thought you should know.

There's something wrong with Nia and not even Madame Ledoue nows what to do. She woke up with all of these cuts and bruises she didn't have last night. And she flinches everytime she breaths, I think her rib cage may be bruised as well. I'm not really sure to tell you the truth.

Well, I found her on the floor at 2:00 in the moring and when I helped her onto the bed, she passed out. But there's something really scaring about it, she wont wake up! I thought she was just tired so I left her to sleep, but when I tried to wake her up for class, she wouldn't even moan.

I don't know what to do... Nias' body is here, but what I want to know is where's her soul, her spirit, that little spark that never dies? She just looks so dead...