There is nothing left to say but this; you are a…

Chapter 39

Burden

She's almost there. She's almost there. The breaths in her lungs are burning, the muscles in her legs aching, but she won't stop running. Not when she's this close. It doesn't take her long to spot the creek. From there, there's but a minute before she sees the cul-de-sac. Her heart beats hard in her chest, from running as fast as she can, from fear of what response she might get when she arrives. Will they help her, or will they look at her like everyone else does, because she's a Kanker, and thus decide that she's not worth the trouble? Will they believe she's trying to fool them into a trap, because she's a Kanker? She has no idea. It's too late to think of that now though. She's already here. She can see the houses growing closer and she hurries up towards them. Her fear and worry begin to make themselves even more apparent to her now, clouding her thoughts, slowing her down. What if they decide not to help? What if they send her away? What if they don't believe her, or think that they deserve what's happening because they're Kankers? What if-?

Her feet pulsate painfully as she stops dead in her tracks at the very edge of the cul-de-sac, the big circle part where the kids tend to play or where the Eds prepare their scams. She feels dizzy, her heart beating so hard it affects her vision, pulsating painfully in her head. She's gotten this far… she's gotten this far…

The sound of a door opening echo among the houses. Kevin's voice sound muffled, though still very recognizable. So is Double-D's. She leans against a fence, taking deep breaths to try and clear her mind, to focus better. When she looks up, she can see Double-D and Kevin, standing by the open front door to Double-D's house. For a moment she's confused; she didn't know they were that close to one another. She leaves the thought at that though as she notices that the redheaded teen is nowhere to be seen yet. But the front door is still open and they're standing by it as if they're waiting for someone, doesn't that mean…? They suddenly turn their attention towards her, confusion and surprise written of both their faces. It's at that moment where she realizes that she's made her way up to them, somehow, without knowing. What now? Her voice is stuck in her throat, and she can clearly see the deep frown Kevin is aiming at her, ready to judge her, but also very confused to see her like this. Double-D's expression is pretty much the same as before, though the worry and concern are much more prominent now.

"May?" his voice sound soft as ever, filled to the brim with worry. "Are you…?"

"Alright, you two, are you ready to go-?" Mel's voice calls out as she suddenly appears from behind the doorframe. She stops midsentence when she spots May, her eyes filled with confusion and worry as she notes her current state, very similar to her brother's. She can only imagine what she must look like to them, for them to look at her like that.

May's not sure what managed to push her over the edge, but she soon finds herself unable to stop the tsunami of tears from flowing down her face, the gasps of broken, desperate screams that escape her as legs finally gives in and brings herself to the ground. She never gets the sensation of hitting the ground though, the feeling of scraping her knees bloody on the pavement and the many tiny stones it contains. Instead, she's met with a pair of strong but gentle arms, holding her up, keeping her from accidentally hurting herself. She looks up at the person who caught her, finding Mel's hazel eyes staring right back at her. There's a strong emotion burning in them, but no matter how hard she tries to, she just can't seem to find any trace of judgment nor hatred aimed towards her. Mel's grip of her is strong, gentle, comforting, supporting. Even though she's unable to hold up her own weight at the moment, she doesn't feel like she's falling. There's someone there for her; helping her. The thought, no, the fact is so humiliatingly wanted, desired, that she can't restrain herself. With one final screech of confusion, pain and desperation, May buries her face in Mel's chest, letting herself cry out her frustration without holding back. Mel doesn't stop her. She just holds her close as she carefully guides them down to the ground, sitting on the pavement in front of their house with May lying in her arms, crying as she desperately clutches at her. There's so much she wants to say to this teen, so much she wants to tell her before she asks her for help. But before that, she just needs to know someone is there for her, to hear her emotions overflow, to see all of the pieces of her fall apart before they help her put them back together again. She just needs someone to care the same way she was hoping Lee would be, instead of receiving the cold shoulder day in and day out. And now that she's found it, she can't contain herself anymore. She falls apart in front of them.

Mel had been rather surprised to hear Kevin's, but especially Edd's, eager to learn more from her with the whole 'learning how to train/defend yourself' thing. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't happy. All she's ever wanted since the start of their parents' marriage was for her to develop a sane and sound relationship with the new sibling she was getting – even if the news struck her the wrong way at first, she eventually couldn't resist the eager to meet the new little fella. Though, maybe aiming for a 'sane and sound' relationship is a bit of an overachieving kind of deal, let's be real. Things haven't exactly gone down that road, has it? But still, it seems like she's finally managed to find something they can bond over, and better yet; Edd might get a new (unexpected) friend out of it as well. That's a big plus in her book. She had prepared the lesson for the day with them and they seemed to be into what she was telling them, especially Kevin, which she found both amusing and not surprising at all. 'Punching down trees' she had told them and honestly; what energetic and athletic kid wouldn't be eager to learn something like that? She knows she was, and the feeling of finally mastering it and actually see the tree fall to the ground before you, the most satisfying one she's ever experienced. Something tells her that Kevin's going to feel the same about it as her. Edd on the other hand… maybe he will too? She hopes he will, but she is still a little uncertain. He seemed okay with it when they talked about it and when they got their equipment and were ready to leave, so-

Her entire mind hit the pause button when she stepped out the front door to join them. There, before them, stood none other than one of the girls that kidnapped and harassed her brother and his two friends. But it was different this time. Severely different, and not in a good way. Her eyes were tainted red from tears burning to fall and tears having already fallen. Gloomy, her face pale from mental and physical exhaustion, grey. It didn't take long before her exhaustion brought her down, falling helplessly towards the ground before them. She could hear Edd let out a choked noise of surprise and shock, and she made her move, reaching the girl before she hit the ground. There was a small pause in her breathing, as if she didn't expect to be caught, and the look she gave when she looked up at her spoke volume, that she didn't expect to be helped. The scream she let out was broken and torn, desperate for someone to hear. She clung on to her as if she was afraid that she would let go of her the moment she got the chance to. Mel held her close, trying her best to let her know that wasn't going to happen. She cried against her chest, and Mel turned around to look back at the two boys behind her. All of the excitement for their plans of the day were gone, obviously replaced with surprise, worry and confusion about what's going on. If only she could tell them, but truth be told; she's just as surprised and confused as they are. She just happens to be old enough to be 'responsible' and that means that if there's ever an emergency, you need to step up and help those who need help. Fortunately, they both seem to understand that as neither of them complain when she lifts the girl up from the ground and motions for them to follow her back inside again.

As Edd closes the door behind them, Mel carries the girl over to the couch and gently puts her down. She apologizes profusely, voice broken and shaky as if she doesn't know what to say or do, where to start. Kevin sits down on the other side of the couch, giving her space as he leans against the armrest. Edd scurried off into the kitchen after he closed the front door and soon appears with a glass of water in his hands.

"Here you go, May," he says as he carefully hands it over to the girl, making sure she won't drop it when she accepts.

Mel listens to her brother as he speaks to her, noting the name he spoke when addressing her. Names and faces have never been her strong suit, but she's going to try and remember this one. It's Marie's sister, after all, and if she's understood the order correctly; May is the youngest of the three and Marie is the middle one. What the name of the oldest one is, well, she doesn't know. Anyway… May holds the glass of water that Edd handed her, with shaky hands, though her grip seems to be firm enough for her to not drop it. Taking one careful sip, Mel watches her closely, still by her side as she didn't let go of her until Edd offered her the water. She seems rather distant, as if she's unsure how to act or behave around them, and yet she seemed to be so desperate to reach them before she collapsed. She needs help, that much is sure. It just seems to Mel that she's scared, hesitant, afraid to ask for help, and that is a big red flag regardless of who you're dealing with. And thus, Mel stays close, Mel observes, Mel is all ears, ready to hear about the situation.

May takes another sip from the water, lets out a sigh after she swallows. Her gaze remains low when she opens her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she says, her voice thin and brittle, "I didn't know where else to go."

"Don't apologize for that," Mel tells her. "Sometimes it just happens to be like that, and when it does, it's good to have someone to talk to."

"Right."

Mel notice by her attitude to her comment that this is not something that 'just happens to be like that'. Whatever it is, it's bigger than that, and it worries her that she has yet to say anything about it. She frowns slightly, "But that's not what's happening right now, is it?" To confirm her words, May shakes her head with her eyes tightly shut. She's fighting to keep something inside, out of sight. Tears or secrets? That is the question. "Then, what is it?"

She opens her mouth as to speak, but shuts it soon after, hesitant still. She gives Mel a glance, an asking one; asking for permission. Permission to speak? Whatever it may be, Mel doesn't wait and gives her a nod, giving her the permission that she seeks. And then it comes, "Marie is gone." The silence that follows those three words is deafening. All three of them staring at May with the same questioning look on their faces. Marie is what now? "I don't… I don't know where she is or what… and whenever I ask Lee about it, she snaps at me in anger… I don't know… I don't know!"

Mel looks at the small girl before her. Something about her demeanor almost seem familiar… Hmm… I wonder what it could remind us of? You haven't forgotten about us yet, have you? Sure, it's been a minute since we last spoke, but that doesn't mean we abandoned you, you know. She shakes her head slightly, trying to rid herself of her demons for the moment, to focus on the matter at hand.

"When did you last see her?" Edd asks, drawing both Mel's and Kevin's surprised attention.

May rubs her eyes as she thinks, "Last week… I think Thursday, but maybe it was Friday… I'm not sure…" Grimacing at her own words, she takes a deep and shaky breath to collect herself some more. "She's been weird lately… not acting normally and she started staying out later than normal, and when she came back home, she'd be covered in cuts and bruises, but she refused to say anything about it… she didn't say anything about it…"

"And then she was gone?" Mel asks.

"Yes! She just didn't come home again…"

Edd looks at his sister, noting the way her brows knit together as she falls into deep thinking. Something about what May just said to them must have rung a bell, it would seem. His own brows soon follow the same pattern as hers, but he soon unties them to talk some more to May. "You said that she acted strangely. In what way?"

May takes a deep, really deep breath, "Well… first she became very quiet, and then the bruises appeared, but as soon as me and Lee noticed them, she just told us to mind our own Kanker business… so we… we never said anything about them… we just let it be." Her eyes lose their color once more, "She looked so sad and… it looked like she had given up."

"Given up?" Edd asks, "On what?"

May just shrugs, "I don't know." She slowly starts breathing faster and faster, more uneven and her eyes grow darker in anger. "I don't know, but Lee knows; there's no way she doesn't!"

"How so?"

"Because she refuses to tell me anything!" Her voice has reached a level where she's almost screaming, but Mel doesn't stop her. She needs to let it out. "When Lee told me that Marie wasn't coming home again, I searched everywhere for her! But Lee did nothing! All she did was tell me it was useless. And whenever I ask her about it, she gets mad at me and tells me to mind my own business! She acts as if it's all normal! But it's not! It's… it's not…!" The tears that were slightly visible before are now pouring down her face. "It's just… it's not!"

Edd merely looks at the girl, unsure of what to do next. Though he's no stranger to comforting people, seeing May cry like that in his home is something he was not prepared for, nor how to handle it. That's why he's so relieved to find that Mel is soon there to drag May into her arms to let her cry it out in a comforting embrace. She gently pets May's hair, pushing back the memory of when she came after her and her sisters when they had kidnapped the Eds. She had grabbed May and Lee by their hair and held them up against the wall. But that was then, and now is different. She lifts her gaze to look at the two boys, giving them both a bit of an apologetic look, apologizing that their evening is not going to happen the way they planned it to, but also giving them the permission to leave if they wish to. To her surprise however, neither of the two boys make a move to get up and leave. She slightly wonders why, but then remembers the promise she made Kevin back then and the thought of his home not being the best place for him right now rings in her head. That could be the reason why he was so eager to go into the woods earlier as well. It hurts to think about that. She fights it and smiles at them. She then takes a deep breath herself when she feels May calm down in her arms. From what she's told them, yes; it does seem like Lee knows what's going on – especially if she's the one who told May to begin with that Marie is not going to come home again and that searching for her is useless. That's definitely a red flag. Two actually. Two red flags they need to talk about, discuss. But if she refuses to talk to May about it…

"I need help…" May's voice is barely a whisper, barely audible, speaking only for those who deserve to hear it.

Mel holds the girl closer. Hearing those words be spoken by such a small and fragile voice… it did something to her, cut something deep inside her, and she can't stop the bleeding that it caused. "I'll help you find Marie," she tells her with a low and serious voice, trying to not sound too dangerous.

May sits straight up, looks at her with big, wide, begging eyes. "R-really?" she asks, as if she can't believe it, "You mean it? You'll help me?"

Mel gives her a curt nod, "But first we need to talk to your sister about it. From what you said it does sound like she should know something about what's going on, and when a person has gone missing, you need as much information about it as possible." She carefully stands up as May returns to the couch, standing up by it as she looks up at the teen next to her. Mel meets her gaze and then looks back at the boys watching them. "I don't know when I'll be back after this," she tells them. "I'll bring my phone so we can stay in touch in case something happens and whatnot. Until then; stay out of trouble, don't cause any fires, and there's some leftovers in the fridge in case you get hungry. Also, if you want to stay over, Kevin, feel free to do so."

"U-uh, yeah," Kevin says, seeming caught off guard. "Thanks."

Mel responds with a nod and then turns towards Edd to receive a nod from him. "I'll try to be back before dark, but I can't promise anything," she tells him. He doesn't seem too happy about that, but gives her a nod nonetheless that he understands. She then turns back to May, giving her as warm and welcoming of a smile as she can muster, reaching out her hand even. "Let's go."

May looks at the hand in surprise and awe for a second before she throws herself around Mel's form, hugging her tightly, whispering "thank you," with the sincerest tone Mel's ever heard. Man, this girl really was desperate to find some help, wasn't she?

Mel hugs her back, giving her a friendly and gentle pat on her head before she stands back up and follows her towards the front door. She gives the boys one last glance, receiving a wave and a nod from them, before she smiles back at them and then closes the door behind her. And with that, the house goes silent for a few seconds, the two boys staring at the door for a short moment before they both let out their own sigh, surprise and worry escaping them and yet growing stronger within them at the same. Edd can't help but wonder what might be going on, thinking back to the weird events he's observed of the Kankers lately and how they all must've been connected. Marie's absence, the way May desperately reached out to him in school today, only for Lee to shout at her to get back in line. A frown forms on his face when he thinks about it, how this must've been what she was trying to talk to him about then, only for the moment to be ripped away from her clutches, and he, unaware as he was, didn't think much more of it until now. He lets out a deep sigh at the thought. I'm sorry May. I didn't know.

Kevin is soon after him to let out a deep sigh of his own, "Well… chucks. Who could've seen that happening?"

"I'm not sure anyone would've been able to," Edd says, punching himself mentally the instant he says the words. Yes, you could've, had you just paid enough attention that is. "Then again…" he starts carefully, feeling Kevin's gaze burn in his skin at his words. "There was… hm… there was a moment where May did seek me out, so to speak, today at school."

"Oh? What did she say?"

Edd shrugs as he shakes his head lightly, "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Kevin almost sound annoyed, "She just, what, went up to you and expected you to read her mind or something?"

"No, no, I mean… *sigh*… I think she was trying to tell me, but Lee interrupted her."

"Really?"

"Yes; May reached out to me in the halls and when I asked her what was wrong, Lee started shouting at her from across the hall and… and May ran back to her, before she was able to say anything to me." He looks up at the door, a look of shame painted on his face. "I can't even imagine what she must've felt like, being so close to ask for help only for it to be ripped away from her like that and for me to not understand and thus not doing anything about it."

Kevin looks at him for a moment, seeing the confusion and the guilt in the dork's eyes. Is he blaming himself? "Hmm… yeah, well, what can you do?" He thinks about it, trying his best to end it on a positive-ish note, "If you didn't know, then how were you supposed to see it coming? She managed to ask for help in the end, right? So… that's good."

Edd can't help but nod along with him at that one. "Yes… yes, it is," he says, voice but a whisper as he looks back at the closed front door, a somber look painted on his face.

Something in his guts tell him that Mel is not going to be back before dark, and that scares him; gut feelings tend to be right more often than wrong, and right now they're all screaming at him that something bad has happened to Marie. Something that Mel is now getting involved with. He knows she's tough, but he can't help but worry. They don't know far enough for them to determine the danger level of this yet; who knows what might happen? He lets out a sigh as his lets his head fall forward, looking down on the floor before him, Kevin's gaze burning in his skin. He must've been able to read the aura that surrounds the dork, which, honestly, isn't really that hard to do. Edd has always been the more sensitive one of the Eds whenever something went wrong, always worried about others rather than himself. Seems like nothing's changed about that, despite his somewhat darker/sour attitude that comes and goes on a daily basis.

"Hey," Kevin calls out to him after a moment of silence, trying his best to keep his voice low and calm. Edd looks up from the floor to turn and look at him, the somber expression still intact. "Don't worry so much," he tries, "Your sister's strong, right? If she can handle the jocks then she can more than likely handle whatever is going on with the Kankers."

Edd looks at him, listens to the words he says. He tries to offer Kevin a smile, but it comes out rather awkward. Still, Kevin doesn't say anything about it and merely accepts it, regardless of how awkward it is. Edd can't help but appreciate that, a little at least. His thoughts are still swirling around in his head, thinking of all the different possibilities about what could be going on, and how Mel would end up dealing with each one of those scenarios. Some of them are okay, others are good, but a few of them are… not. He can't help but get his train of thoughts caught up by each one of the bad ones, repeating them over and over again. Please, Mel, please be safe.

Song: Burden – Jorge Méndez

Mel is not going to return before dark; the years she lived on the streets are going to come in handy.