Silent Cries

There is so much deception. It gets to the point that it can't be seen whether it's good or bad.

It’s a private boarding school and most of the students are outside, sitting in the warm spring weather. Three friends sit at a table, two of them, an annoying petite strawberry-blond girl and a tough sharp-tongued pale blonde boy, are chatting with smiles and smirks, but the one between them, an artistic observant raven-hair, is silent. She’s smiling as she looks to other things, yet there is no food in front of her and her hands lie still in her lap.

 

Strawberry-blonde: Melanie

Pale blonde: Michael

Raven-hair: Sara

 

Melanie: (concerned) “Sara, why aren’t you eating?”

 

- Sara turns and tilts her head with a complacent smile -

 

Sara: “Hm? Oh, I just don’t feel like eating today.”

 

Michael: (indifferent) “And the last four days in a row, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Damn, when do you eat? I could swear you’re anemic.”

 

- Melanie glares at Michael -

- Michael continues to eat his sandwich -

- Melanie places a hand on Sara’s -

 

Melanie: (fearful and concerned) “You need to eat. This isn’t good for your health.”

 

- Sara smiles and rests her other hand on top of Melanie’s -

 

Sara: (angered) Who gave you the right to touch me, b***h?

 

Sara: (sweetly) “Oh Melanie, you worry too much.”

 

- Sara laughs lightly and smiles -

- Melanie pouts -

 

Melanie: “Sara, is something wrong? You know we’re always here if you need to talk.”

 

- Sara flinches at her words, but not enough for Melanie to notice -

 

Sara: (sarcastic) Yeah right. You’re always here, but the last thing you’d ever do is listen…same as "the thing" on the other side of me.

 

Sara: (playfully) “Melanie, I’m fine. Stop worrying about me. I’m planning to get something at BJs later. I have a free period next, remember?”

 

Michael: (impassive) “Whatever you say.”

 

- Melanie stares at Michael, shocked and offended -

 

Melanie: (shocked) “Michael! That’s so mean! -Sara, please, tell us what’s wrong.”

 

- Michael stares at Melanie condescendingly -

 

Michael: (bored) “Melanie. If she doesn’t want to tell us, we shouldn’t force her to. It’s her choice whether to tell us or not.”

 

Melanie: (slightly frantic and alarmed) “You’re right, but-.”

 

Sara: (smiling softly) “I’m fine, Melanie. You worry too much about these sort of things. I promise, during my free period later, I’ll- Oh, there’s Jenny!”

 

Sara: (sad) Melanie, you’ll never understand. Stop worrying, it annoys me…

 

- Sara smiles and waves at another raven-haired girl -

 

The girl who also has raven-hair is a small female with a calm quiet demeanor. She walks over with her hands folded and her posture perfect.

Second raven-hair girl: Jenny

 

- Sara smiles as she looks at Jenny’s hair -

 

Sara: (teasingly) “Jenny. Green streaks again? It doesn’t look right.”

 

- Jenny shrugs -

 

Jenny: (impassive) “That makes it all the better.”

 

- Sara laughs -

- Melanie pulls her hand away and smiles at Jenny -

- Jenny glances at Michael -

 

Jenny: (smiling) “Another sandwich, Michael? And no other friends but us? Are you turning gay?”

 

- Michael glances back at her -

 

Michael: (smiling coldly) “That’s a new one on me, but then, I also didn’t know that flat-a*s b*****s with big-chest dreams have crushes too. Thank you for clarifying that for me.”

 

- Jenny clenches a fist and scowls -

- Jenny folds her arms with a pout and takes a seat by Melanie -

- Melanie leans closer to Sara briefly -

 

Melanie: (innocently) “Does Jenny really have a crush on Michael?”

 

- Sara stifles a giggle -

- Jenny and Michael engage in a glaring contest -

 

Sara: (sarcastic) “Melanie, you’ve said it so many times before. How could you forget? Wasn’t it you who had announced that Michael was voted the hottest guy on campus?”

 

- Melanie looks up and closes her eyes -

- Melanie’s eyes flash open and she brightens -

 

Melanie: (still innocent and happy) “Oh, I remember now…but I’ve gotten so accustomed to being around him, I barely notice anymore.”

 

- Sara closes her eyes, restraining the urge to roll her eyes -

 

Sara: And to think this girl is superficial. She’s going to have a lot of trouble finding a boyfriend hotter or even as hot as Michael in this country. Sheesh, that means she’s going to date only to manipulate the guy she’s with.

 

- Sara glances at Melanie and notices her gaze -

- Melanie smirks at Michael, but only Sara notices -

 

Sara: What the-? Is Melanie after Michael? Then that means she’s been lying this entire time…I always knew she was a b***h.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

It’s after school and most students are either back in the dorms, hanging out on campus, or off campus. Sara is walking through the hall with a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She pretends to read a magazine as she listens to the small crowds of people in the halls of the main building of the school. One particular group grabs her attention.

 

Girl 1: (excited) “Hey, did you hear about Michael? There’s a rumor going ‘round that he has his eye on some girl.”

 

Girl 2: (gossip mode) “Oh, I heard about that! Supposedly everyone knows her. Do you think it’s true?”

 

Boy 1: (indifferent) “It’s true.”

 

- Sara walks over to a nearby bench and sits down -

 

Girl 1 & 2: (shocked) “How would you know?!”

 

Boy 2: (amused) “Kyle asked him after gym. Apparently, it was their topic for the day. Every guy there heard it.”

 

Boy 3: (sly smile) “That makes you girls behind the times…seeing that the guys have known for the past three days.”

 

Girl 2: (alarmed) “What?! Why didn’t you tell us?”

 

Girl 1: (pouting) “Well, who is it?”

 

- boys 2 & 3 shrug -

- boy 1 glances at the girls -

 

Boy 1: (indifferent) “The only thing he said was that she’s very talented, everyone knows her alias, and she’s a year younger than him.”

 

- girls enter annoying discussion -

- Sara walks away -

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Sara walks in barren halls, heading back to the dorm. She hears familiar voices up ahead and stops by the corner. Moving back down the hall, she enters a door, dashes through the room, opens the other door, and peeks out into the hall. It’s Michael and Melanie.

 

- Melanie has Michael pinned against the wall -

- Michael is impassive, looking as if he had let her do that -

 

Melanie: (angry) “I can satisfy, I can give you whatever you want, so why don’t you choose me?!”

 

Michael: (coldly) “Didn’t I tell you to prove it? So far, all you’ve done is push me against the wall. If your goal is to be intimate with me, you have to get rid of the distance first.”

 

- Michael sighs disappointed -

 

Michael: (smirking coldly) “I would’ve thought you had learned that by now, especially with how many guys you’ve screwed already.”

 

Melanie: (furious) “Shut up!”

 

- Melanie harshly kisses him -

- Michael doesn’t react -

- Melanie prompts him and he opens -

 

Sara: (sarcastic) What a way to kiss. She’s the only one participating. Does she like to kiss mannequins?

 

- the kiss continues, but only Melanie is into it and Michael stares impassively at her -

- the kiss ends -

- Melanie smirks -

 

Melanie: (condescendingly) “See? I can satisfy you.”

 

Michael: (smiling coldly) “The only thing you proved is how you cannot. If you hadn’t noticed, you could’ve been kissing a CPR dummy and it wouldn’t have made a difference.” (smirk disappears) “Get off me, b***h.”

 

Melanie: (angry and determined) “No!” (presses herself against him and grinds her hips against his) “I can satisfy. I can take care of all of your desires. Choose me.”

 

Michael: (impassive and indifferent) “I’m sorry, but s***s and w****s don’t interest me. See ya later.”

 

- Michael pushes her off him and walks away -

- Melanie sits on the floor, frustrated -

- Sara creeps back into the room and bumps into someone -

- Sara is held and her mouth is covered -

- Sara opens her eyes -

- Michael smirks at her -

 

Michael: (low whisper) “She’ll leave soon.”

 

- Sara nods -

- heels sound in the hall -

- Michael pulls away from Sara and smirks -

 

Michael: (teasingly) “So did you like the show? (scowls) “At least there was someone who enjoyed it. That was disgusting.”

 

Sara: (frantic) How did he know I was watching? Melanie didn’t seem to notice…then again, she never really notices anything. Augh! How did he know?

 

Michael: (blunt) “I heard the door around the corner and the rustle of clothing through the wall.”

 

Sara: (dumbfounded) Is he a bat or something? Some sort of blind animal?...Would it be appropriate to ask what they were talking about?

 

Michael: “Sara, why did you come here?”

 

Sara: What the hell do I say? I was walking down the hall back to the doors, heard them up ahead, and decided to eavesdrop. He’ll kill me with that sort of answer. Crap, I’m in some real s**t here.

 

Sara: (relatively calm) “Well, you see-.”

 

Intercom: Sara Kurokami, please report to Mr. Jaxson’s office. Sara Kurokami, please report to Mr. Jaxson’s office.

 

Sara: (relieved) Thank god almighty, I believe d****t!

 

Sara: (happy) Gotta go!

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Melanie, Michael, and Jenny sat quietly at the table. Engaging in another glaring contest, Melanie was left to herself with no one to talk to. All around them, the rest of the students stared at them, uneasy about the hostile air surrounding their table and envy of one or another sitting at the table.

 

- Melanie leaned on her elbow and sighed -

 

Melanie: (worried) “Guys, Sara has shown up for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the last five days. We should go check on her.”

 

- Michael stopped glaring at Jenny and scowled at Melanie -

 

Michael: (seething) “Yeah right, b***h. Everyone knows your true face and it’s fact that you could care less about Sara.”

 

- Jenny crosses her arms and glares at Melanie -

 

Jenny: (hostile) “Why do you even bother? If you don’t like her, don’t spend time with her. Your reputation is notorious, f****n’ every guy on campus…except for Michael here. He’s the only one you couldn’t get to take off his pants.”

 

- Melanie stands and glares daggers at her -

- Jenny is unfazed -

 

Melanie: (angered) “Like you’re one to talk, home-wrecker. At least the guys I date are within my age group. Have you ever dated a guy who is at least five years close to your age?!”

 

Jenny: “Well, thank god I don’t force myself on men. I don’t go around, showing off my a*s and bust like a bloody prostitute for free pay. Stop with the f****n’ innocent act!”

 

Melanie: “I’m not acting. Sara is my friend and I’m really concerned.”

 

- Jenny rolls her eyes and stands -

 

Jenny: (sarcastic) “Oh yeah and I secretly married a cloned Hitler as I got laid with Jesus of Nazareth.”

 

- Jenny steps back from the table and folds her arms -

 

Jenny: (angered) “You f****n’ b***h, stop lying through your teeth!”

 

Melanie: (offended) “What about you?! The only reason you’re hanging with Sara is so people will acknowledge you. If you hang with her, no one will take you for the home-wreckin’ fucked up c**t you really are.” (smirks deviously) “Anyways, you’re just staying around for the same reason I am. Everyone knows, why bother to hide it?”

 

Jenny: (pushed over the limit) “You b***h!! I-!”

 

- a female brunette comes over and slams a tray on the table -

 

The brunette is a fiery fighter with a dangerous silent demeanor. She glares at the two stunned girls on either side of her, ready to fight a raw brawl.

Brunette: Jinji

 

Jinji: (furious) “Will you two f*****g shut up and answer me? I’ve been yelling for the last several minutes, but your mouths are the largest I have ever heard! Now…where’s Sara?”

 

- Melanie scoffs and Jenny glares -

 

Melanie: “How should I know where the little prick is? She’s a pain in the a*s.”

 

Jenny: “Go find her yourself. I’m not wasting any time on a stupid b***h like that.”

 

- Jinji glares at them -

- Jinji sighs and turns to walk -

- Jinji stops and glances back -

 

Jinji: (sarcastic) “Sara has such wonderful friends, you two are so caring.”

 

Melanie & Jenny: (angered) “I am not her friend!”

- Michael stands and follows Jinji -

 

Michael: (low for Melanie and Jenny to hear) “That was obvious, w***e.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Jinji and Michael run around campus, searching for the missing Sara. They split up. As Michael searches for Sara, he remembers his last encounter with her before she had supposedly gone missing.

 

- Michael caught Sara standing alone in the old abandoned A building courtyard -

- Sara turns to glance back at him as he approaches -

- Sara turns fully and smiles at him -

 

Sara: (joyfully and politely) “Hello Michael.”

 

- Michael stops mid step -

 

Michael: (alarmed) Are there other people here? I didn’t see anyone…so why did she greet me like that?

 

Michael: (suspicious and alarmed) “What did you just say?”

 

Sara: (confused) “Uh, hello Michael?”

 

Michael: (coldly) “What’s wrong?”

 

Sara: (surprised) “What? Nothing’s wrong. Come on, Michael, I’m-.”

 

- Michael draws closer and Sara draws back -

 

Michael: (seething) Why does she keep lying to me?

 

Michael: (glaring daggers at her) “No, something is wrong. Tell me, Sara.”

 

Sara: (irritated and confused) “Michael, you didn’t care before. How would you even know if something is wrong with me? You don’t-.”

 

Michael: (frustrated) F**k it! How can she think that?! Is that really how she sees me all the time?

 

- Michael embraces her -

- Sara struggles, but Michael only tightens his hold -

- Sara gives up -

 

Michael: (hurt) “I notice everything, Sara. You can’t fool me…I was only pretending before, so that I can protect you. Please, tell me what’s wrong.”

 

Sara: (stunned) “M-Michael, stop joking. I’m fine. There’s nothing-.”

 

Michael: (seething) You first, Sara.

 

Michael: (angered) “Stop saying that you’re fine. You love to write and sing, that gives you away instantly. Whenever it’s just the two of us, you don’t say hello, you sing, “Isn’t it a great day, Michael?” And where’s you journal? You always a have a journal with you, when nothing is wrong.”

 

- Sara pushes and pulls out of his embrace -

- Sara shakes her head with a pained smile -

 

Sara: (smiling kindly) “Come on, Michael. I don’t do that all the time. I don’t need a journal in my hands every waking moment and I don’t sing my greetings all the time when it’s just the two of us. That makes us sound like a couple.”

 

Michael: I would like to be. D****t, stop lying to me, Sara!

 

Michael: (sarcastic) “Uh yes, you do. Where’s your journal?”

 

Sara: (cautious) “My dorm…”

 

Michael: “Then let’s go.”

 

- Michael grabs her wrist and leads her to the girls’ dorms -

 

Sara: (alarmed) “But Michael, boys aren’t allowed-!”

 

- Michael stops and stares at her -

 

Michael: “Have I ever cared before? Let’s go.”

 

Sara: (meek) “Okay…”

 

Ten minutes later…

 

Sara: (nervous) “Is something up, Michael?”

 

- Michael holds Sara’s journal in his hands -

-  The blank page has small splotches on it -

 

Michael: (blunt) “You were crying, but this isn’t the page you cried on. A page has been ripped out.” (turns to gaze at Sara) “Where is it, Sara?”

- Sara stares at him, shocked -

 

Sara: (meek) “I-In the back.”

 

- Michael flips through the pages and pulls a folded page from the back -

 

Michael: (alarmed) What is this? She…She wants to die?

 

Michael: (dark) “What is this, Sara? “Writing and crying, singing and dying, take me away. Kill me now, just set me free. I have no purpose anymore and you know I’m not one for lying. I have nothing to live for. God listen…I’m dying” Sara?”

 

- Sara backs away and starts to tremble -

- Sara embraces herself, crouches down, and hides her face -

 

Michael: (concerned) “Sara…why do you want to die?”

 

Sara: (crying bitterly) “Because I don’t have anything to live for! It says it right there. It’s all so pointless…”

 

Michael: (hurt) Sara…how can you say that? Don’t say that.

 

Michael: (hurt and strained) “Then what about me?”

 

- Sara lifts her head and locks gazes with Michael -

 

Sara: (subconscious) “Michael…”

 

Michael: (still hurt) “Never mind. Don’t answer that.”

 

- Michael walks out of the room -

- Sara doesn’t call after him -

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Struck by the memory, Michael quickly calls Jinji and runs off. They find Sara in the old abandoned A building. She sits against a wall, legs wide and looking silently at the ground. Her body doesn’t move and a gun lies inches from her hands.

 

- Michael dashes to Sara’s side and embraces her -

- Michael checks her pulse -

- Sara breaths steadily, deep in sleep -

 

Michael: (overjoyed) Thank god. She’s not dead. Sara’s not dead…

 

- Jinji kneels on Sara’s other side and leans in -

- Jinji sensed something was wrong and lifted Sara’s chin -

 

Jinji: (concerned) “Sara, wake up. We should go now.”

 

- Sara didn’t respond -

 

Michael: (worried) “Sara? Come on, wake up.”

 

Jinji: (sad and concerned) “Please, Sara, it’s us. It’s me, Jinji, your old friend since preschool, and Michael, your best friend. Sara, wake up. You have to tell him how you feel. I can’t do it for you. Please Sara, wake up, please…”

 

- Sara didn’t respond -

 

Michael: (alarmed) Why isn’t she waking up?!

 

Michael: (desperate and frantic) “Sara. Sara! Come on, wake up. Please! D****t, wake up. Wake up…I love you, Sara, I need you.”

 

- Sara didn’t respond -

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Michael glanced through the window, seeing Sara resting in the hospital bed with a blank expression on her face. He turned back to Jinji, Sara’s family, and an older woman who was the doctor in charge of Sara’s care. Walking over to the small cluster, he appeared just as Jinji suddenly clenched her hands into fists and started to tremble, while Sara’s mother and siblings broke down in sobs. The eyes of the doctor were sad and sympathetic.

 

Michael: (impassive) “What’s happened to her?”

 

- the doctor pulled him away from the rest of the group -

 

Doctor: (sad whisper) “She’s in perfect condition. There’s no reason she should be in a coma.”

 

Michael: (rising in anger) “Then why is she sleeping like that?!”

 

Doctor: (even sadder whisper) “She refuses to wake up. I’m sorry. All we can do is hope that she wakes up.”

 

Michael: (sad) “What are the chances of that?”

 

- the Doctor averts her gaze -

 

Doctor: (grave) “Very slim. If she’s not able to see the real world, she’ll never know if it’s improved in the way she wanted. I’m sorry…”

 

- Michael goes back to Sara’s room and walks in -

- Michael stands at her bedside and stares down at her -

- Michael slowly takes her hand -

 

Michael: (sad and hurt) “Sara…don’t leave me. Please wake up, please. I love you…I need you.”

 

- tears stream down Michael’s cheeks -

 

Michael: (hurt) D****t, why? Don’t leave me, Sara. I can’t live without you…why couldn’t you live for me? Why did this have to happen before I could say it to your face? (angry) Damn you, God, damn you! (broken) Sara…Sara…I love you. I love you. (angry) I should’ve told you! I love you…

 

Sara’s mother: (sad and sympathetic) “Michael, you and Jinji have to return to the school.”

 

- Michael nods and lets go of Sara’s limp hand -

- Michael leans down and kisses her lips softly -

 

Michael: (soft sad whisper) “I’ll wait forever.”

 

 

 

Lord in heaven, I know I was foolish to ask for you to kill me. I know I was stupid for asking to die. Now I’ve gone and hurt Michael, the one person I’ve ever loved with all my heart. My heart is still breaking. I’m still dying. Even with everyone who loves me and the joys of life, I am still crying and I can’t stop. Don’t kill me as I have wished and prayed. Now, all I ask is that you put me to sleep. Guide me and show me the way. I want to change and improve myself. Make me into a better person and help me, teach me to rid myself of this hurt and suffering. Nothing is wrong, I shouldn’t feel like this. Show me the light and lead the way. I know the reason I’m dying. It’s because I can’t accept anything, it’s because of the person that I am. I want to live for my beloved Michael, but I can’t with the way I am. Lord, put me to sleep and help me to change.

 

Wait for me, Michael.

Reviews

[Ruby Moon]

mmm....i think that the extract of the "journal" is from "crying and dying"?
maybe you could add the link in your "author's notes" for people who havent read it so that they can better understand her feelings?

i like how you used the italics to show their feelings and inner thoughts
though it took me sometime before i understood what you were doing
><
is this the full stoy or are you going to expend on it?