The Chronicles: Green Night

The First Steps

The room was shrouded in silence, a stark contrast to the chaotic day ahead. Discarded clothes littered the floor, and an open bag sat haphazardly on the table. Empty closets gaped, devoid of their usual contents. A narrow opening in the blinds allowed sunlight to streak into the room, illuminating Francis' ruffled black hair. He struggled to sleep, his blanket mostly on the floor.

It was a room immersed in such profound quiet that it seemed like an alternate dimension, the kind where noise didn't exist. If it weren't for the nightmares that haunted him, Francis could have easily slept the day away in such a tranquil setting. But that peaceful solitude was abruptly shattered when a distant scream from downstairs tore through the mansion.

"Lyss! Eryk just ate my pancakes! Do something!" a girl's desperate voice reverberated throughout the sprawling house.

"Ailee! Could you please keep it down? We have a guest trying to sleep!" Anna's voice cut through the commotion, downplaying the reason for the uproar.

I blinked my eyes open; my first reaction was to shield them from the blinding sunlight. My head was throbbing slightly from the shouting that had torn through the stillness, and it didn't help that I had a restless night of sleep, haunted by strange dreams. As my surroundings gradually came into focus, I pieced together the events of the previous day. Dazzled by the room's beauty, I finally rose, attempting to regain full consciousness. I reached for a large mint green t-shirt, some random black underwear, white shorts, and white socks before heading to the bathroom.

A groan escaped my lips as I made my way to the shower, my headache worsening. It felt as if I'd gone wild at a party the night before and was now nursing a monumental hangover, even though I didn't drink a drop of alcohol.

As I scrutinized my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I noticed my red, puffy eyes from the tears I had shed the night before. I looked like a trainwreck.

After disrobing and stepping into the shower, my thoughts wandered to the day ahead, contemplating the impending chaos.

Post-shower, I brushed my teeth and slipped into the fresh clothes. My green eyes stared back at me from the mirror, tinged with an unmistakable sorrow. Returning to my bedroom to straighten up my bed, I was greeted by a familiar face.

"Francis! It's time to... Oh, you're up already?" Anna appeared at the door, dressed in a yellow dress with black dots, black ankle boots, and a leather jacket. She appeared to be attempting to exude maturity, even though it wasn't quite working. I secretly chuckled at her seriousness.

"You must be famished after all the commotion yesterday, right?" Anna inquired, her eyes roving around my room, undoubtedly curious about my sleeping habits, given the bed's state.

"Yeah, it was quite a hectic day, but I managed to grab a meal at Adam's place." I replied.

"Okay, that's good. At least you didn't starve. I would just keel over and die if I only ate once a day," she commented with a laugh.

"It wasn't that hard to ignore the hunger, given how stressful the day was," I responded with a fake enthusiasm that concealed my nervousness.

"I can imagine. Come on, breakfast is ready, and you'll get to meet some of the coven members." Her smile managed to chase away my worries. I attempted to conceal my anxiety, but it was as if she could read me like an open book.

We left my bedroom and headed downstairs. As we approached the dining room, a distant conversation reached our ears.

"Eryk, apologize to Ailee. You know it's wrong to take someone's food," I could hear Lys' stern voice. It suddenly struck me how she had a motherly aura about her. If she asked me to do the dishes, I'd probably comply without question.