Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 7 - Under the floor boards

   I lifted my head from the warm, comfortable pillow i had been sleeping on that night. I had forgotten how fresh the air smelled in the mornings of where i lived. I looked around the room, sitting up sleepily.

  "Where are they?" I asked myself out loud. "They must've left already... figures.." i moaned, stretching as i stood up. The floor felt like ice underneath my feet, but i didn't mind. I walked across the room to the window, pulling it open. Clean air flooded into the room, hitting me with the scent of grass and open fields. It felt nice.

   I stepped through the hallway and into the kitchen, glancing at the door to my parent's room. Doing a double take, i looked back at the door. It was open just a crack, but even so, that seemed bizarre to me. 'That's strange'  I thought. 'That door's never open...' I walked cautiously toward the door, and when i reached it, hesitated. After thinking for a brief second, i slipped through. To my surprise, everything was clean and untouched; not a speck of dust anywhere. "Just the way they left it." i said, my eyes tearing up. But i didn't cry. I'm not weak like that. I crept through the room, memories flooding back to me as i went.

   My foot landed on a loose floor board, the sound tearing through the dead silence. I stopped short, bending down to find that there was a hollow opening underneath the wood. Lifting it up, i spotted a small box about the size of my fists put together. I lifted it out of the opening and slowly opened the lid, feeling the smooth carvings around the outside of it. It was definitely handmade, but nice - and very unique in a way. Immediately i realized it was a music box, with the golden inside pieces and a windup key. Slowly, i turned the key, feeling the silky ore it was made of. When i had finished, i released it letting the music play.

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The song that played was horrifically familiar. Almost immediately my right eye hurt immensely, the pain nearly unbearable. I grasped my face, falling to my knees. I didn't bother screaming for help. It's not like anyone was there to hear me. I had no one. So i held it in, trying to contain myself. I was breathing in quick, shallow breaths, unable to take the pain. Soon, i wasn't in my parent's room anymore, but instead an endless void of white. All that remained of the world I was just in was the sad, lonely song playing from the music box. Now that i think about it, the void was almost just like my life; blank, depressing, lonely and ongoing. After about 3 seconds of being there, something or rather someone appeared a long distance from me. They walked closer and closer to me, near enough for me to make out their face.

"E-Edward?" I asked, still not sure what the hell was happening. I reached my hand out toward him, desperate for him to reach me. He said nothing, continuing to come toward me lifelessly. The song from the world far away from this one began slowing down, signaling the end of the song. He began to run now, his hand now out in front of him, too, with a look of longing and despair on his face. His hand was almost to mine when the music stopped. And when it did, he disappeared, and i was returned back to reality.

I opened my eyes, my hand still on my face where it had been before the void. But my other hand... wasn't where i left it. Slowly, i looked up, not sure what i would find. There, In front of me, sat Ed, grasping my hand with a worried look on his face.

"Ed..." I said softly, my voice cracking. Even more tears poured down my face at the sight of him. To my surprise, he was as calm as ever.

"It's okay." He said in a reassuring tone, smiling gently. But even with the sight of him smiling, I just couldn't smile back.

"W-what's wrong with me, Ed?"

"Nothing. You're gonna be okay."

"A-are you sure.."

"You're going to be fine!" He broke out, looking like he was going to cry. "I know I just met you yesterday, but I already know that you are STRONG. You can tell me differently, but I already know it isn't true." I looked at him, eyes wide, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Thank you, Ed." I said sincerely, giving him a half-hearted smile. At that moment, i truthfully wanted to pull him into a hug. I wanted to cry on his shoulder, to feel his warmth. Because right then, i felt loved. I felt important. I felt whole.