[align=center][div style="max-width: 600px; text-align: justify; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9pt;"]Melantha hesitates on the edge of the crowd. In the distance, she can spot the hoards of ghosts and spirits wandering around and conversing with loved ones. One part of her aches to walk over and investigate. It's something so new and amazing--she's dying to explore. She has never seen a ghost before. Not up close, anyways. But the other part of her is completely against it. Melantha is a superstitious creature, and she does not like the idea of walking among the dead. Not because of potentially scary spirits showing up, but because of what she might find. It's been almost six months since she was separated from her family. Her entire body aches with the sadness of losing them, like there is a gaping hole in her heart. She is scared that if she goes, she might find the spirits of her parents or her siblings. And she is also scared that she might not see anyone at all. So many people, talking and laughing with those who have passed on. Even in death, their families are still close. But Melantha cannot deal with the knowledge that she is alone even in the afterlife. There is no one waiting for her here. This is not her home. And she is so jealous of all these people who take their loved ones for granted, even those in the afterlife.
The young female hesitates for several more moments, glaring at the crowds of people with a mixture of envy and sadness. She wants to go, but she can't. Melantha does not want any affirmation that she is alone--she already knows. If her family is dead and they arrive, she's alone. If they don't arrive, she is still unbearably alone. The girl sucks in a deep breath, and then turns and walks away. She feels bad that Jacob worked so hard to put this all together for everyone only for her to deliberately not attend, but she knows that she cannot go and remain composed. Melantha does not belong there, surrounded by clanmates and their loved ones. So she leaves.
The young female hesitates for several more moments, glaring at the crowds of people with a mixture of envy and sadness. She wants to go, but she can't. Melantha does not want any affirmation that she is alone--she already knows. If her family is dead and they arrive, she's alone. If they don't arrive, she is still unbearably alone. The girl sucks in a deep breath, and then turns and walks away. She feels bad that Jacob worked so hard to put this all together for everyone only for her to deliberately not attend, but she knows that she cannot go and remain composed. Melantha does not belong there, surrounded by clanmates and their loved ones. So she leaves.