1# Collection of: Short Stories

#4 The wake up call routine

Waking up from a deep slumber, my dreams slowly fade as well my eyes adjust to the dim light that surrounds me. In my mind I'm thinking, I just want another few moments, as I snuggle into my covers for extra warmth. My alarm suddenly starts bleating. My mind wanders to the morning ahead. I reach for my phone to shut off the continuous, disturbing noise, I don't realise it yet, but I've pushed the wrong button. I lie there for a few more minutes in the silence, thinking, I'll have to move soon.

I should've expected the sound of scratching claws, coming from down the hallway.   I'm not the only one awake, the sound of claws gets louder and reaches me and my annoyance senses begin to register. A small and furry figure who has four paws, a stripy tail, and two pointy ears, he's the little furry ginger beast that wanders up and down the hallway trying to get my attention. He meows loudly, asking me if I could set him free. If anything I should just let him be my alarm clock and not the one that's set on my phone with that awful sound.

As I'm lying there my mind wanders to what the weather is doing outside. Hearing the sound of weeping clouds as the rain comes tumbling down and pitter patters on the roof. My alarm suddenly pearces the silence and starts to screech again, picking up the phone and shutting off the awful sound. I look at the time it's around 6:40. The furry beast races back down the hall he comes back and meows at me. I take a moment to look at him and try to give him a pat and a hug but the second I move he runs quickly as lightning back down the hallway and back to the closed door asking to be let out. I decided to snuggle back into bed for another five minutes ignoring him. Anyway, then I hear the furry beast return into my bedroom and meows at me. He then jumps onto my bed and rubs his head against my face and purrs loudly. He really tries hard to get my attention. I pull him into a hug and he flicks his tail furiously. I'm guessing he's a little mad at me. I give him pats until he snuggles down and stays with me until I get up. Deciding it is time to get a move on, I make my way out of bed to start getting ready for school before the bus arrives at 8:05. Making my way out of the comfort of the covers into the cold, dry air I push myself through the door of my room and wander down the hall to free the ginger beast, he rushes out to go to the toilet and makes his rounds of his territory to make sure nothing has changed.

Walking into the bathroom with bare feet gives me chills as I place my feet on the cold black tiles that are beneath me. Flicking the switch of the heater to warm the bathroom and turning on the light, I open the glass doors to adjust the showerhead and turn the handle to warm the water to the perfect temperature. I rush back to my room to open my stiff draws and gather parts of my uncomfortable uniform such as underclothes, shorts, white shirt , white socks, green tie and gray skirt and head back to the bathroom. Making my way into the shower the water is charmingly warm as it rushes down over me making me feel a little more awake, the steam from the heat makes fog that clings to the glass doors. I simply lather myself clean with soap and rinse under the warm water. Coming to the end of my shower I turn off the water then grab a clean soft towel to dry off as quickly as possible. Still a little damp I change into my uncomfortable school uniform that feels a little suffocating. I wear my uniform only on Mondays and wear mufti every other day. My hair is still wet from the shower and is always full of tangles. picking up my brush and slowly pushing it through my thick, unruly, knotty hair can be annoying. it never sits the way I want it to. Let's just say everyday is a bad hair day. I get my hair sort of untangled and exit the bathroom. Making my way back to the bedroom, dumping my pjs and picking up my backpack. I gather my school supplies, my green blazer and my black shoes that are needed for the day. I make my way down the hallway and pass by the lazy Great Dane lying in her bed. She's getting old and only looks at me with disinterest. She lays her head back into her blankets and snuggles into them further to dream a little more, I wonder what she's dreaming about. I head to the kitchen where my lunch is sitting on the bench.

To be honest I'm 17 years old but don't make my school lunch everyday, my mum does it for me, "yes how embarrassing". I go ahead and place my lunch into my backpack. Grabbing my water bottle to fill it up from the fridge with fresh chilled cold water and placing it in my school bag, my brain is working out what to eat for breakfast, my options are toast or homemade muesli. Today I chose muesli, scooping out the muesli that is stuck at the bottom of the large jar is a little frustrating. The Honey that is in the musli has made it stick. Shoving a scoop full into a breakfast bowl and shuffling to the fridge to retrieve some milk to pour all over my breakfast. I use a spoon to stir it up, sitting down to eat the little ginger beast reappears and jumps onto the table peaking into my breakfast bowl, he is after the milk. His fur is soaked from the rain and by looking outside the rain is beginning to clear up and a little bit of sun is starting to peep through the clouds. After I finish eating I rinse my bowl and spoon and place them into the dishwasher. Heading back down the hallway to the bathroom to clean my teeth and finishing that I check the time once more is 7:59. I grab my backpack and hug my family goodbye and head out of the front door toward the gate, as I walk away the little furry beast jumps up on the window sill to watch me curiously from the window wondering where I am going. I stand at the gate waiting for the bus to arrive at 8:05, when it does arrive I step into the bus and disappear from view. The bus takes off and my mind is finally waking up to begin to get a grip on the next part of my day.