Collide by Ashley Stambaugh

the pressure of the noose around her neck. The vision rushed out of her mind, and she was left with one hand on her throbbing head and the other holding her sore neck while she frantically gasped for air.
    It was noisy where they were, and it appeared that no one noticed her reaction but Walter. She gestured toward the girl walking away from them and said in a loud whisper, “She can’t even be more than fourteen years old, and she wants to kill herself!”
    Melina looked anxiously around the area and then back at Walter. “Where’s her guiding angel? Isn’t there one here for her like there was for the woman in the park?”
    “Not yet,” Walter responded in a low voice.
    “Not yet? Are you kidding me?”
    Walter held his index finger up to his mouth as Melina’s voice started to rise.
    She lowered it down to a loud whisper again. “I just saw her hang herself in her bedroom, and you’re telling me that there’s no guiding angel here for her yet?”
    “Trust me,” said Walter. “I’ve had more visions than I can count, so I know how hard it can be to experience one of them, especially when it’s about a child. And even though I don’t know if everything’s going to turn out okay with that young girl or not, you have to have hope.” He paused for a moment as if he expected her to say something, but when she remained silent, he continued.
    “Melina, these visions show the future. But how far into the future, we don’t know. Sometimes it may be what could happen within the next hour, or it may even be what could happen a few months from now. Maybe she’s just starting to be troubled by whatever it is that causes her to commit the act you saw. Whatever the case, a guiding angel will come to help her.”
    Melina rubbed her head. The feeling from the vision had gone, but she still had a dull headache. Her eyes found their way back over to the girl, and she watched her walk farther and farther away from them. She then turned to Walter and said, “I’m done for the day. I need to go home.”
    “Melina, you need to try again—”
    “No.” She cut him off as she shook her head. “That was my limit for the day. I’m going home.”
    “Okay, okay,” Walter said. “Go home and rest. But tomorrow we need to work on bringing your light shield up on command.”
    Melina shook her head again. “I’m done practicing. I don’t know why, but I can’t get these powers to completely work the way they’re supposed to, no matter what I try. I don’t see the use in us working on them anymore. What I need to work on is getting through to Lee. I’m going to stay home the rest of the weekend, away from people, away from everything. After I get some rest, I’ll try to see Lee again on Monday.”
    Walter stared at her for a moment. “Very well,” he said, clearly not wanting to argue with her anymore. “But I’ll see you first thing Monday morning. Meanwhile, I’m going to try to find Phinneas.”
    Melina nodded. “Thank you.”
    “Come with me then,” said Walter. “I’ll teleport you back to your apartment.”
     

Chapter Twelve
     
    Melina slept for the rest of Saturday and only left her bed twice on Sunday. One time was to close her curtains, and the other was to grab something to eat. When she awoke Monday morning, she looked at her bedside clock and saw that it was almost six. She wanted to stay in bed a little longer, but she knew she had to get up. The store would open in a couple of hours, and she needed a shower.
    She crawled out of bed and slowly made her way into the bathroom. After removing the old bandage from her injured wrist, she stepped into the tub, turned on the hot water, and took the longest, steamiest shower she could ever remember taking. The water felt good on her throbbing head and aching body.
    She thought about how she had left things with Walter. He hadn’t put up much of a fight when she'd suddenly said she was done practicing and wanted to go home. What more could he do,