Down Under

Chapter 3

Sidney's home was as inviting as any stranger's home could be. Her father was kind and hugged you when you entered while her mother was setting the table. While they insisted that you ate, they were also fine with you not eating with them if it made you uncomfortable. Seeing her mom momentarily put you in shock. Sure you had practically laughed the movie off when Maria forced you to watch it, but there was no greater crime than the one committed against her. Sidney's mom didn't look like an adulterer. No, this woman looked like a serious mother that tucked her daughter to sleep each night and even if she was unfaithful, still loved her family. Watching her do anything already made you want to grieve as if she were your own mother as if you were her future daughter that would actually suffer the consequences of the plot. Well, more like your new life.

"Hey," Sidney's soft voice broke through your staring. With a hand on your shoulder, she gently tapped a finger at the rhythm of whatever was on her mind. "Do you want to eat upstairs or down here? You can eat alone if you want."

"Together. Upstairs please," you whispered back. While her parents were nothing but kind you still feared a negative reaction from your insistence on only having a few people close. A small part of you wished to have been stuck with Randy since he was the least likely one to be attacked or searched about dangerous situations. No offense to Sidney but the poor girl just didn't know when she was in danger sometimes. Like... who walks out to the porch after some stranger tells them that's where they are? Especially in the middle of the night.

That being said, Sidney also meant safety since she is supposed to survive until the end. "So, I'll get the food and you can pick out a movie or something. Tonight, we can do whatever you want," she said, taking off her sweater and putting it on a hanger, and leaving for the kitchen soon after. The hushed whispers leaving the room were obvious since the house was an open concept after all. Despite the concern etched into all of their faces, it was clear that the parents were still worried about their own daughter's safety if they had been attacked.

Nodding at her directions even though she had left already, you made your way up the stairs. The same stairs were part of a chase scene later in the movie, so you made sure to closely study every step you took. You couldn't afford to miss any detail, any chance of escape since your life was still in danger even here. The walls were the typical off-white color that most houses took on... well at least you think they did. You did live in some rundown dorm in your other life so rich people's houses were not something you witnessed often.

Stepping into her room only made you that much more unsettled. This was going to be your true reality whether you wished for it or not. It was between playing into this horror movie or returning to a world where you weren't even sure you were still alive (highly unlikely). Death was a difficult concept for anybody to wrap their head around - it was usually something that the victim wouldn't have time to reflect on though which is what made this a special case scenario. You were prepared for literally anything else happening to you. A zombie apocalypse, kidnapping, alien invasion, alien invasion with zombies running rampant and more. Sure, most of your ways out of those events were killing yourself to not have to deal with the pain of acclimating, but at least there was thought.

"I would take a zombie apocalypse over this honestly," you carelessly muttered under your breath despite there being no one else in the room with you. Sidney's room represented any well off middle class white teen girl. Her bed was centered in the room with a wardrobe sitting across from the end of it. A bee patterned fitted sheet melted with the soft pink of her duvet. Her pillows had cases with a similar pattern while others were a lilac color to pair with the pink. You could make various pairs of shoes peeking from under her bed, most of which were running shoes but one pair that looked more used than the rest were a pair of heels.