Dead Dawn

Chapter 4: Friends

The smell of expensive cologne burnt my nose dragging me out of my sleep.

To my left was a cold glass of milk, as well as toast, bacon, and even an omelet.

"You look like you're about to cry again," said Otto. "And stop staring at it like a starving dog and eat it already."

I wiped my eyes, recomposed myself, and turned to him.

Au was next to him staring at me with a curious smile. Her mind was probably crawling with questions that she desperately needed answered."

"Good morning, Au." I said with a calm voice, at the time I'm sure I appeared as calm as usual,

but my chest felt as though it was burning.

"I'm the one talking to you, you should be looking at me." Said the serious middle-aged man

I turned to look him in the eye, he looked less boring today.

"Good morning, Otto."

"What happened to 'Boring old man.'" he said, probably proud of my sudden obedience.

I couldn't bring myself to say anything rude.

"You're less boring today. Did you decide to sober up?"

"So, what if I did? Shut up and eat. I have questions for you."

"Is that what the food is for?" I had a feeling he was trying to warm up to me with food, but honestly, I didn't care.

"Does it matter?" he said

It really didn't, I just wanted to give him a hard time.

"Maybe it does." I said, trying to act cool as I bit into my omelet.

"You aren't supposed to hold it with your hands like that." He said disapprovingly.

I felt my eyes start to water.

"Does it burn? Are you okay?" he said, hiding concern. "Give it here, you can have it when it cools down."

"Don't treat me like a child, it doesn't hurt at all. It's just really good."

"Weren't you the one stealing food around the house? Did you cry after everything you ate"?

"No, of course not. This is warm."

"I'm surprised you can taste the difference; didn't your taste buds die with you?"

The room grew silent as I put down my omelet to focus on eating the toast, buttered to perfection.

The room stayed silent; I wasn't going to give him a reaction to that one.

"Anyways I'm curious, why is your hair like that? Are you hiding something behind it?"

He was right.

"Because it looks cool"

I lied.

"It looks edgy."

He was painfully right.

"At least I'll still have hair 20 years from now."

"At least I'll be alive."

"Didn't your parents teach you to respect the deceased?"

"Speaking of which, why are you dead in the first place?"

"Dad! You can't just ask that!" said Au. I was wondering when she'd say something

"Why not? He's at my house. Besides, you had questions too."