lights-out-today

[lights-out-today]

Hi! This is my first post, so I hope it’s well received! I’m open to any constructive criticism or suggestions, just keep in mind that I’m a beginner writer!

Purgatory

Melody sat on the top steps of the school, watching the children play. She was their current teacher, as their first six teachers quit the day before they were meant to start teaching. Melody didn’t see why they would just up and leave like that; after all, the children were absolute sweethearts, bringing her flowers they picked from the nearby overgrown field. Purple violets reside alongside both bright yellow dandelions, and their fluffy white counterparts that have yet to lose their seeds. Of course, the flowers lost most of their seeds in the children’s haste to bring them to her, but it was the thought that counted.

She always accepted the gifts gratefully, setting them down in the ever growing pile of flowers. Even as winter approached, they didn’t seem to run out of flowers to bring her. On the days where it got too old to go outside, they played in the gym. Currently, Melody was bundled up, daydreaming about the warmth of the gym. The trees seemed to agree with her, branches reaching toward the school.

They only had three minutes left of recess, so Melody decided to call the kids in early. However, only 4 of her 9 kids could be seen, so Melody assumed the missing children had run off to the field again. After telling the other children to stay by the door, she began the long trek to the field.

This was a common occurrence for her and other teachers, due to the school board ignoring the teachers pleas for a fenced in area. As Melody finished climbing the hill, panting as she did so, she already saw two of her kids. After scolding them for not paying attention to the time, she sent them back to the school.

“These kids are going to be the death of me…” Melody muttered as she bundled up further. She trekked down into the field, careful to avoid stepping on the steeper bits.

“James! Elliot! It’s time to head inside!” Melody called. She only received the whisper of swaying tall grass as a response. Melody knew that wasn’t normal; after all, James was the loudest child in her class. The wind was beginning to pick up, it's cold claws pulling at her cardigan. She was glad she had made the kids put on their coats before they came outside.

“Cheryl, where are you guys? Come on, it’s time to go inside!”

“Miss Melody! We’re over here! We need help!” Melody recognized that voice, that was Elliot’s voice. She hurried over to where the voice had come from, freezing at the sight she walked into.

Cheryl’s leg was trapped in a bear trap, the teeth dug deep in her skin. It was obvious that the bones were broken. James was throwing up in a nearby bush, while Elliot was doing his best to comfort both Cheryl and James. Melody got to work, freeing Cheryl from the trap while Elliot helped James.

Cheryl was crying loudly, and Melody heavily sympathized with her. Melody called ahead to get the nurse ready for Cheryl’s wounds, and told the attendance office to call 911.

“Don’t worry, Cheryl, I’m getting you help!” Melody reassured, picking up the pace.

“Miss Melody, I can’t feel my leg,” Cheryl sobbed out, “Why can’t I feel my leg?

Melody’s heart panged. She picked up her pace, whispering desperate reassurances. She barely noticed Elliot running alongside her, carrying James. When she made it back to the school, she saw the nurse rushing over.

Her dress was torn up from thorns, and she was missing a shoe. She barely heard the gasps. The moment Cheryl was taken from her arms, her knees buckled under her. The last thing she heard was Cheryl begging for her parents.

When Melody came to, it was under bright fluorescent lights. She felt heavy, like someone had stuffed her full of rocks. She tried rubbing at her eyes, but her hands wouldn’t move.

“Time of death, 6:15 PM.” A voice said gently, and Melody’s vision was obscured by a white cloth. ‘Dead? I’m not dead! No way!’ Melody thought desperately. She tried moving something, anything to prove that she was still alive. Alas, nothing responded despite her attempts.

Time seemed to pass in an instant. Before long, it was time for her funeral. Judging by the trees, Melody assumed she was being buried near the school. She heard Cheryl’s parents speaking. They were thanking her for saving their daughter’s life. Thanks to Melody’s haste to get Cheryl to safety, Cheryl had survived. Her leg ended up being too far gone to be saved, so they had to amputate.

However, it could have been so much worse, had Melody not rushed. Next, her best friend, Charallote. Charallote explained how, due to the incident, parents were banding together to sue the school, citing negligence and involuntary manslaughter, since the school had ignored the teacher’s pleas for a fenced in playground.

Melody listened to everyone’s teary goodbyes, panicked thoughts rushing through her mind. Then she heard her husband's voice. Micheal’s voice was breaking, sobs punctuating every word.

“Melody, my Melody!... You didn’t deserve this! You were supposed to stay with me, we were supposed to grow old together, we were supposed to do so many things…” Micheal clutched at her hand.

Soon it was time to drop the casket into the grave. All Melody could think about was the fact that she was being buried alive. She could hear her family's loud sobs. As the dirt hit the coffin, and Melody accepted her fate, she heard the quiet ringing of the school bell. She let her consciousness fade for seemingly the last time.

And yet when she opened her eyes again, she was sitting in her classroom, book in her lap. Her students were doing their times tables, excited due to the incentive for learning all of them being a pizza party for every table learned by the whole class.

The bell then rang, signaling that it was time for recess. Her kids jumped up, excited for recess. Melody shook off the forgotten dream, helping her kids into their coats. She walked outside beside her class, sitting down on the top steps and watching them play.

She accepted every flower her kids gave her, not noticing the fact that some of them were stained a muddy red. She also didn’t notice James, Cheryl and Elliot sneak off to the field, likely to get her more flowers. She didn’t see the two kids sneaking off behind them, quietly snickering to themselves as they followed.

She sat on the top steps of the school, watching the children play. She didn’t hear the quiet sobs of her parents as they visited her grave.