3. Change for good

Blood, there was blood everywhere, on her hands, her shirt, and even on the floor. It was horrifying and looked vicious. She focused her eyes on the two dead people as she called out to them. However, they did not respond. They merely stared at her, their body lifeless and cold.

The woman on the bed woke up screaming. She was so terrified of the nightmare that she was shivering and her clothes had become damp due to sweat. She was sobbing hysterically and every now and then she would cry out. "Mom, Dad."

She looked at her now clean hands, but she could still see her parents' blood on them just like the day twenty years back. She could still remember the day her parents were killed although she was only six years old at that time. Their death had been engraved in her mind such that she could still recount the details like it happened just yesterday.

For seven months since their deaths, she had nightmares of that horrible night almost every day. Only she knew how she had passed the twenty years. And to top it over, the previous night she had found some unbelievable things which made her question her life. She was utterly lost and defeated.

It took her some time to calm her heart. Her head was throbbing crazily. The hangover along with the nightmare had given her a headache and she wanted nothing but to chop off her head. She opened the drawer beside her bed with great difficulty and took out a box. She then took out two painkiller pills and forced them down her throat. The medicine took effect immediately and her pain reduced.

She drifted off to sleep again. All she wanted to do was to escape this cruel world.

The next time she woke, it was already dark outside. She took a deep breath and got up. Her stomach was protesting due to the lack of food. She had gone twenty hours straight without eating. She opened her refrigerator, there was some leftover food. She was in no mood to cook, so she just heated it and munched on it. She did not even care that she had not brushed her teeth.

After eating it to her fill, she once again went to her bed and lay down, her eyes locked on the ceiling. All the events that had happened the previous night went through her mind like a flashback. Tears rolled down her eyes and she once again remembered her parents' demise. She screamed in pain when the scene passed by her eyes. Her mind couldn't stop playing the two things, it was on autoplay.

"Mom, Dad, why did you leave your little Melanie alone? Why? I am in so much pain." She lamented.

After wailing for a long time she quietened down. Her cries had reduced to sobbing and her nose had become stuffy. Mentally and physically exhausted, she succumbed to sleep once again. She did not even hear the ringing of her phone, she had blocked herself completely from the outside world.

This continued for two days straight. All she did was sleep and eat. She had not taken bath for these two days nor had she brushed her teeth. She got up whenever she felt hungry and then she went to sleep after having food. If at times, she did not feel sleepy, she would have a sleeping pill and it would do its work. She had even switched off her phone to avoid any disturbance.

'Melanie, what are you doing dear?'

'Dad.' The little girl was overcome with emotions. Melanie had returned to her six-year-old self and her father was lying in her arms, staring at her lovingly.

'Dad, please don't leave me. Dad, please.'

'No dear, listen to me. I don't think I will be able to make it.'

'Dad.' Melanie shreiked.

'Melanie, I want you to do something. Promise me you will do it.'

The little Melanie was quiet, her tears were rushing down her eyes as she peered at her father.

'Promise me, dear.'

'Okay Dad, I promise.' She said after much difficulty.

'I want you to take revenge on all the people who have wronged us. Spare no one, even if they are closely associated with you. Can you do it?'

'Yes, Dad I will avenge you. Please don't leave me.'

She tried holding his hand but there was nothing to hold, he had vanished altogether.

On the third day, she woke up with profound energy. The dream she had about her father had given her hope and life. She had strong determination in her eyes, there were no traces of sorrow or weakness. This time she did not go to the kitchen first, instead, she went to the bathroom. She took a look at herself and gasped. She looked horrible, worse than the beggars on the streets. Her hair was messy and greasy, it looked nothing less than a bird's nest. She was wearing the dress from two nights before and it smelt like sweat and booze. She felt awful.

She immediately brushed her teeth and cleaned herself thoroughly. Only after taking a hot soothing shower, did she feel better. After dressing up, she took a thorough look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing black trousers and a navy blue shirt, her hair tied in a high pony. She looked nothing like the weak woman from two days before. There was a confident and strong woman in her place, ready to tackle the world head-on.

Satisfied with herself, she went to the kitchen. This time she did not settle for some mere leftovers. She prepared a good breakfast, omelet, and sausage.

She switched on her phone and all the notifications came rushing in. There were more than a hundred missed calls and loads of messages. She knew who those calls and messages belonged to. They were the people who destroyed her life and the ones she now loathed. She skipped all those texts until her eyes fell on a text that she had received the previous night. It was from her colleague.

'Mel, have you finished correcting the exam papers?'

"Damn." She cursed under her breath. She was so involved in her misery and sorrow that she forgot she had to evaluate her students' papers. She picked up the bundle of booklets from her cupboard and sat in front of her desk. She still had an hour or so for her to leave for work. She could as well check some papers. She started her work and set up a timer lest she should forget the time.

After an hour of working, Melanie could only evaluate six papers. Correcting a high school mathematics paper was no joke. Although she had some problems in her life, she could not ignore her work. So, she got ready to go to school.

She sighed. Who knew that she would end up this way? Melanie Parker, the once little princess of the Parker Empire had now become a high school teacher. Her parents' death had changed her life completely. She had lost everything, including herself. But, now it was time for her to take back everything that was hers and avenge her parents' death. She was ready for war, for revenge and even death.