Wisteria

Chapter II

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my mom yelling at my dad because of something my brother did. He has a way with turning everyone around him into a ticking time bomb.

This was a typical morning wake up call as my brother rarely did what he was told.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the room around me. The white bunk bed with so many pillows on it that you'd be surprised I had a place to sleep, the multicolored walls with purple, blue, and pink decals, the mirrors that stretched across the width of my closet.

I rolled over to look back at my alarm clock. I had to turn it to read the time. 6:17 am. I had less than three minutes before the calm silence of the room was cleaved by the sound of my alarm.

I groaned as I heaved the massive purple and pink quilt off of me. I sat up and groveled to the small staircase that led down to my bedroom floor.

I stood up when my bare feet touched the chilled carpet and trudged mindlessly to the light switch. I flipped it and squeezed my eyes shut to avoid temporary blindness. I sat down and crawled to the corner of my bedroom by the keyboard that I couldn't play as my pupils rapidly contracted. I leaned back onto the lower bunk of my bed before deciding to crawl up into it.

Because of the shade of the top bed, I could now open my eyes. I gazed across the room at my own reflection.

I looked so tired.

Ever since my fourteenth birthday I've been getting less and less sleep. It's like I can sleep when the sun is up or when the moon is up.

I reached my arm across the mattress and down to press a C on the keyboard. The perfectly tuned pitch was soothing and I felt awake.

Then my alarm went off.

That clock. Oh, I hear you. Get up! Get up you say.
I quoted.

Hey, at least it's Winter break tomorrow...

I swung my feet around to meet the floor and ascended the little staircase once again to turn it off.

I climbed back down and began to brush my hair. I weaseled my foot between the frame and the sliding mirror door to my closet and nudged it aside. I decided on a navy blue top that read Be Celestial surrounded by crystal white stars and my favorite pair of blue jeans.

I walked over to the dresser and pulled out my favorite necklace, a sterling silver cursive W with a gem in the middle that matched the blue of my shirt perfectly and shimmered like the stars.

I decided to take on last look at myself in the mirror before going upstairs to the kitchen to find some breakfast. I fingered with my necklace once more.

I had bought it from a small boutique run by an old woman while on vacation in Wisconsin Dells last spring. It had the name of the little shop imprinted on a little metal tag on the clasp.

I finally choose a black rhinestone flower to pin my hair back on the left side. I crossed my fingers and wished I'd be able to eat breakfast alone. With my mom working in her business run from the basement and my dad and brother both sleeping, I could eat in peace.

I opened my bedroom door slowly in attempt to muffle the ear-splitting shriek of the hinges. I flipped the light switch and tiptoed across the hall to the staircase. I felt for the banister and climbed. Until of course, I tripped over my cat. The knuckles on my right hand all had carpet burn and stung when I moved them. I continued the ascent with much more caution.

When I reached the kitchen at the top of the stairs I realized how hungry I was. In the dim room the refrigerator light left a glow across the floor.

I reached for my favorite morning-time yogurt and immediately withdrew my hand. My brother must have covered them with slime as a prank.

Ugggg... Jason...

Not wanting to stir the pot, I grabbed a paper towel to pick up the Yo-Plait cup and wash it off.

A drop of the purple goo oozed through the paper barrier and slid onto my knuckles as I was rinsing it.

I dropped everything in the sink and pulled away, anticipating a harsh sting.

Nothing.

I looked down at my hand at my burns, that felt raw seconds ago now looked weeks old.

Well, it was dark on the stairs...
Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought...