"Maddy, come OonnnNnnnnNn!!" Whined the simple-minded 12-year-old. She had pleading blue eyes, which could usually make just about anyone give in to her. But tonight they were getting her nowhere. "Maddy, " She said, calmer now, " You've said no for the past .. well.. I dunno... forever! Just once, i need to talk with you!" Stefany stalked around after Madeline, as she put away her dress and picked up clothes off her floor.
`No! Why do i have to tell you again!!" Madeline let loose on her.
"Well, I need to talk to you! And you DO look like you could use it! I mean, look at you!" She motioned to the 16-year-old before her.
She DOES have a point. Madeline thought. She turned to look at t herself in the mirror. Mascara was running down her color-flushed cheeks. And her usually gorgeous Auburn curls were in countless knots.
"I don't!!" She emphasized the beat of her words, "I just need sleep, and privacy. So YOU sleep in YOUR bed. And I sleep in MY bed! That easy!" She made for the door ripping it open and inviting stefany out.
"I need to talk Mad. I really do." She begged.
"NO! Go!" Madeline motioned to the hallway.
"Please?" She gave it one last try.
"You never give up, do you?"
"Nope"
"Well, it sucks to be you, GO!"
"I need to talk to you!" She was forced half way out the door. Madeline began stuffing cloths haphazardly into drawers.
"Just... talk to me tomorrow, ok?" She said nonchalantly. Brushing a mangled curl off her brow. Stefany made a face, half hurt, half fed up, and left. Madeline sighed and hopped into her bed full of overstuffed pillows. And grabbed up her book. A novel about a man who received premonitions, about the future. The man stared at he with dark eyes from the paper cover. She shuddered and turned away. She picked it up once more and began pretending to read, but just thinking, staring at the words jumbled in front of her eyes. Moments later her thoughts were interrupted, by short sobs coming from down the hall. She reluctantly slipped out of bed and and to the closed door. She pressed her ear to the smoothed wood. She hear drying. "Stefany" she thought out loud. Madeline turned around her back to the door, and looked up with closed eyes.
"Why did I yell like that? What am i doing, just standing here. i should go over there. I should talk to her." She was becoming more frustrated with herself and her decisions. "Maybe that's why Joey dumped me tonight. I have no compassion." She turned disgusted, placing her forehead on the door. The buzzing her ears was horrible. She shook her head to rid her mind of the thoughts and sound. no good. She ran back to her bed suddenly frightened, flipped the light off, and let the dreams seep into her mind.
~ She screamed, the train ran head on into her frail figure. It flattened her like a cartoon character. Her mouth, however was still wide open and the 7th octave screams were streaming from it. Sounds like she'd never heard before, and hoped to never hear again. There were tons of people around. But none of them seemed to hear.
`don't you hear her?' She thought. `Help her!'
"Why don't help her?!" she e couldn't move, "What the-" Another train cam through and ran over the screaming `puddle' that used to be a girl. This time blackening it. Everyone turned to stare. All was silent as the train vanished, as well as the girl. A flower, the most beautiful flower she'd ever seen, grew up in it's place. With her legs now able to move, she reached to pick the flower, but her hand went right through. Over and over. She jumped back as another train, threatened. But it to, vanished as soon as it touched the flower.~
Madeline awoke quickly. That was awful! Everything seemed so.. real. But how could it be? Trains don't just... disappear. But she'd watched her sister die, and hadn't helped her. She dismissed the thought, and glanced at the glowing numbers on her night stand. 3:07 stared back at her. She covered her face, but sat up. The buzzing was gone, but she heard sobbing again. This time more dignified. It sounded like... her mother? Madeline crossed the room and made her way to the kitchen, where her mother and father sat. Her mothers sobs and fathers silent tears lurched inside her. There was a police officer in front of them reading something on a ripped out piece of spiral paper. As she got closer, she realized that it was written in Stefany's hand. Madeline wondered if she was still dreaming. Everything seemed stiff and fake somehow. She gasped thinking of the possibility. They all glanced up at her finally noticing, their oldest daughters presence. She answered their stares with questioning eyes. The officer handed her the paper without a word. It read >
<Mom, Dad, and Maddy,
I'm sorry, i have to do this. But no one has noticed me. And no one's tried to help me. No one could see. I love you. And Maddy, I'm sorry about Joey. But, I needed you to talk me out of this because i know you could. You would've cared. But, you hadn't seemed to notice either. So you wanted me to tell you today. Here it is.
We let go of something unique Maddy. We used to have a relationship, worth saving. My older sister, you were my best friend. But wipe the tears off your face. We know it's over. Sorry it took this to get it across. I love you guys, good-bye!
Stefany>
The last sentence was smeared, where a tear had previously fallen. Madaline's joined it on the paper. She touched it with her trembling fingertips. She looked up then back down. The buzz had returned to her head, louder than ever now. Why was this happening?
"She... she didn't?" Madeline asked hopefully.
"She, threw herself in front of the train, the one that runs across Stevens Ave." The police officer reported dully,"I'm sorry" he to looked to the tile.
Maddy soaked up the words. The previous night had come flowing back, more real then ever, and the dream now was so vivid. She'd been given countless chances to save her sister, but resisted them all. This was her fault.
For Madeline the next few days were spent alone. She refused all visits, and resisted the invitation to the funeral. She stayed in her room.
Gosh, she thought over and over. `I could have stopped her. I really could have. Why couldn't I just have let her sleep over. Just a sleep over, would have stopped this. Gosh, I'm so screwed up. Why don't we ever know what we've got until it's gone?' She asked herself. There were tears on her face, why?
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