Tales of Gloomsdale #3: Awake at Sunrise

Chapter Three

I jumped out of my skin for the third time. Then I heard the voice again, louder this time.

"Dawnie, where are you going?"

I turned to face my little brother, Jason. I could tell it was him, even though he looked identical to his twin brother Jake. He was staring at me with wide blue eyes, a brown curl falling over his forehead. A wave of relief rushed over my body at the sight of him.

I walked over to him. "Jason, what are you doing up?"

"What are you?" he retorted.

"I was going to the bathroom."

"Oh, yeah... I was as well." Jason glanced away as he said that.

I could tell he was lying. "You had a nightmare, didn't you?"

"No!" Jason protested, shaking his head.

"It's alright. I think I just had one as well," I admitted. I hoped it was a nightmare.

"Really?" Jason asked hopefully.

"Why don't we get you a glass of water?" I changed the subject.

He nodded while I led him to the kitchen. I kept my arm around him, relieved to feel his warm body. I jumped as I heard a sound through the walls. Jake's snoring. The twins snored in perfect unison. I usually found it annoying, but now even that sound calmed me.

"Jace, can I ask you something?" I asked as we reached the kitchen.

"What?" He watched as I turned on the tap.

I listened to the soothing rush of water, hesitating before asking. "Did you hear any... knocks? After you woke up?"

"Huh?"

I repeated the question after filling the glass. "You know, just now? Maybe someone knocking on the door?"

"I don't think so," Jason said while accepting the glass. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," I sighed. "Maybe it was a dream..."

I patted him on the head after leading him back to his room. I knew deep down that it hadn't been a dream. It was too real. My pounding heart, ringing ears, frantic breathing... And the low, soft knocks.

I could still hear them repeating in my ears. Tap tap. Filling my head as I drifted off to an unsteady sleep. 

I blinked wearily as my eyes slowly opened. Sunlight fell over my face, along with my hair. My entire body felt heavy. It was unbearably warm instead of unbearably cold like last night. I always felt terrible upon waking up in the morning, but even more so now. My joints were stiff and aching, my head felt weak and heavy as if glued to the pillow.

"Oh, Dawn, you're awake." I turned my head to see my mom in front of me. She brushed my fine blonde hair out of my face. The same as hers. She said it was both of our best features. One good thing is that I never have bedhead. My hair is always fine and silky. My friends are jealous, but I'd happily have the worst bedhead in existence to wake up at the right time. "The day you wake up at dawn is the day the world ends."

My parents are always teasing me about my name. I have to admit it's ironic.

I glanced out the window out of the corner of my eye. The sun was low in the sky. I remembered we were supposed to arrive at our grandparents' house. I tried to force myself up, but it was a challenge. My body felt like it was glued to the bed. Eventually, I managed to lift myself into a sitting position.

"Are... are we going to Gloomsdale today?" My voice was low and hoarse.

"Oh, about that..." Mom hesitated. "The car broke down, remember? Your father says it'll take at least a day for him to get it fixed. We'll have to stay a little longer. Is that okay with you, Dawn?"

It wasn't that okay with me. Something about this place gave me the creeps. And what had happened last night didn't help.

"Mom, I... I need to tell you something," I admitted. I wasn't sure she could give an explanation, but it felt better just telling someone. "Last night, I was awake in bed. And—"

"Oh, Dawn!" Mom shook her head. "I told you to fix your sleep pattern. Didn't you remember any of the instructions I gave you?"

"I know, but... it's harder away from my bedroom," I said. "I'm surprised I got to sleep at all, after what I heard—"

Just then, Jake burst into the room, followed closely by Jason. The twins were chasing each other, as usual. I winced as they jumped onto my bed and began wrestling. At least it helped me get up.

"Cut it out, you two!" Mom scolded as she tried to separate them. "Dawn just woke up."

"Hey!" Jason cried out as Jake whacked him over the head. Tears filled his eyes as he rubbed his brown curls.

Jake laughed. "You're such a baby."

Mom scolded them before picking up the menu. "What would you like for breakfast, Dawn? Or, uh... lunch. You can have both at the same time." I was used to that as well.

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened last night. I wondered if I had imagined the whole thing. It seemed so far away now, even though it was just a few hours ago. Or had I really dreamed it after all?

I had dreams all the time. One moment, I was in the midst of the terrifying action, and the next, I was awake in the middle of the day. Whenever I woke up from a dream, I realized right away that it was just a dream. But this didn't feel like a dream, not at all. I could still hear the low sounds in the dead of the night, feel my heart pounding and the cold overtaking my body, feel my bare feet on the cold floorboards.

Then I spotted something that made me jump out of my skin. My phone, lying on the ground at the other side of the room. I remembered how I had dropped it, how the sound it made seemed to echo through the room.

My frantic heartbeat returned. It wasn't a dream. It had all been real.