Tales of Gloomsdale #3: Awake at Sunrise

Chapter Seven

My heart stopped as I buried myself deeper under the covers. The knocking broke through the downpour outside, silencing all other sounds like last night. Then I realized where the sound was coming from. Not from the door to the outside, but the door to my room.

"Dawnie?" The familiar voice caught my attention. I heard shuffling from outside.

I leapt out of bed. Once I opened the door connected to my room, I felt a wave of relief as I saw Jason, biting his lip and clutching his pillow in his hand.

I put my arm around him while leading him inside. I firmly shut the door behind us. "What are you doing here, Jace? Did you have another nightmare?" I asked gently.

Jason shook his head. "No. I just wanted to sleep in a different room. Jake keeps making fun of me. Is it okay if I sleep with you? Please, Dawnie?" he pouted, sticking his upper lip out while staring up at me with wide blue eyes.

I didn't need any convincing. "Of course you can, Jace." I was as desperate for company as he was.

I led him to my bed and let him nestle into the covers. I settled in next to him and ran my hand through his brown curls.

"Jake kept calling me a baby," Jason muttered. "He said I was a coward for being afraid of the dark. Do you think I am?"

"Of course not," I assured. "The truth is, I'm scared of the dark sometimes, too. Especially when I wake up in the middle of the night."

"Oh, yeah. You still slept with a nightlight until you were ten!" Jason giggled.

I huddled close to him, comforted by his presence. He clung as tightly to me as I held him close.

"I... I really don't like this place," Jason admitted. "I wish we could get out of here."

I sighed. "Yeah, me too."

I clung to him until his breathing evened out and his body relaxed against mine. I held him closer, not willing to let go of his comforting presence. I felt my eyes drooping closed as well, lowering my head over my brother's as the soft patter of rain finally lulled me to sleep.

I wasn't sure what woke me. My unease returned at the heavy silence of the room. The rain had stopped. It had set me on edge at first, but then began to calm me. Now everything was silent again.

I jumped in surprise upon feeling a presence near me, before remembering it was Jason. I pulled my arm away from his face, wiping the trail of drool that he had left on my elbow.

I glanced around the room. I wasn't sure why, but I had a feeling that something had jolted me from my sleep. But I couldn't make out anything in the darkened room.

Then I heard something break through the silence. I glanced down as I felt a slight movement beneath me. It was Jason, blowing his brown curls out of his forehead. His soft snores filled the room, replacing the rhythmic patter of rain. I was sure Jake was snoring in the exact same way in his room.

Maybe that was what I had heard. The twins could snore loudly, or maybe it was just together. Jason's snores seemed quieter. But I had a feeling it was something else.

Then, I heard it. The knocking.

I stiffened, squeezing Jason tighter. Before the panic could set in, I forced myself to calm down. I remembered how the knocks had come from the other door last time. Maybe it was the case this time.

I winced as they increased in volume. "Jake?" I called out in a shaky voice, glancing to the door to the side of the bed. "Is that you?"

The knocks stopped just then. I immediately wished I hadn't spoken. I didn't hear anything following the knocks. No voice calling out my name. No shuffling or muttering.

Maybe Jake or Mom or Dad went away, I thought. Maybe they just knocked to see if I was awake or something.

Then, my anxiety returned as the knocks did. I wasn't sure where they were coming from. I just wanted them to go away. I tried to focus on Jason's soft snoring, but the knocks filled the room. Filled my mind.

Then, I noticed something about them. They sounded strangely familiar, as if I had heard them before. And not from last night. The more I focused, the more I could make out a pattern.

Tap. Tap. Two soft, quiet knocks. A pause. Tap. Tap. Tap. Then three louder, harder ones.

The image of the mysterious little girl popped into my mind. I tried to call her name – Rosa – but my voice faltered at the last moment.

Could it really be her at the door? The thought both comforted and frightened me. Was she trying to let me know it was her?

Tap, tap. Tap tap tap.

The knocks increased in volume. I remembered what Rosa had said about her family hating her and locking her out of the room. Had they done that again? Did she want me to let her in?

I jumped as I heard a yell from beneath me. I hadn't realized how tightly I was gripping Jason's hair. I let go as he blinked groggily up at me.

"Dawnie?" I placed a finger over his lips, shaking my head. He didn't realize the knocks at first, blinking wearily while stretching his arms. I tried to get him back to sleep, but he clung to me while pushing himself up.

Then when he heard the knocks, he jumped, tightly clutching me. I wrapped my arms around him, shushing him. But he yelled in surprise at the sounds filling the room.

"Shh. Don't let it hear you," I scolded, even though I had no idea what it was.

"Let what hear me?" Jason demanded, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What is that?"

I was almost relieved that he heard them too. Then my relief turned to horror. It meant they were real. The memory of Rosa quietly and ominously telling me the legend of the Dreamtaker popped into my mind. But these knocks didn't sound like that. They sounded more like Rosa herself.

"It's nothing," I assured Jason, holding him closer as he tried to stretch. "Probably just another guest here."

Tap, tap. Tap tap tap.

I winced as the knocks became louder. They sounded more insistent and frustrated now, like Rosa was begging to let me in.

"Can... can you please turn on the light?" Jason asked, trembling beneath me. "So I can see better."

I could tell he was scared. I was as well. I was just as desperate for light as him, but there wasn't any lamp in this room, and I was too afraid to get out of bed to switch on the light. Then I got an idea.

I gently pushed Jason away and crawled across the bed to the end, searching for the blinds. Even if it was dark outside, it could offer a little more light. I reached for the cord and tugged.

As I pulled, I blinked at the light that filled the room. There was no sunlight, but the sky was a dull blue outside, the last stars fading into the sky. I was surprised how early we had woken. It was almost...

"Dawn," I whispered.

Jason turned to stare at me. "Dawnie?"

"No. It's almost dawn outside," I explained. I almost laughed. Now I had woken up at almost dawn. In Sunrise Hotel.

The next moment, my relief was taken away as I heard the door creak open and somebody burst in.