Call to Mind

Chapter two

My mind was fuzzy, the last remnants of a dream being chased away by the realization that I was awake again. It was a nice dream, something about laying in the grass under the stars with someone. I'm not sure who, I can't remember a face- the details faded as fast as I tried to recall them. With a mental sigh I allowed my brain to focus and cautiously open one eye, if it were too early, I'd go back to sleep. Hopefully resuming my dream. The bright moonlight cut my room in half and I saw the dust-mites dancing in the wall of light.

What the hell? Did I not sleep at all?

I went to check the time, and to my surprise, it was only 9:46pm. I was confused at first, wondering how I managed go back an two hours while -

I must have slept the whole day. That's insane.

My thoughts cut me off as I blinked both of my eyes open, trying to eliminate the sleepiness from them. I lay there on my stomach, listening to hear if either of my parents were awake. I heard the banging around of pots and pans as I tuned in, and I pictured my mother drying and putting away freshly cleaned dishes in our narrow kitchen. I closed my eyes again, wondering about what I was going to do until I fell back asleep for the night. I wasn't the slightest bit tired. And for some strange reason, I felt anxious, wanting to go and do something exciting. And, well, that's exactly what I did.

Digging my elbows into my sheets, I propped myself up from the lying-on-my-stomach position I normally slept in. I shifted over to my left elbow, waiting to hear another noise from down stairs. There was nothing. I figured she must have either been just finishing with the dishes or maybe even taking a pan out to make something to eat. That was odd though, it's 10pm, she wouldn't have been doing either.

I moved my right leg so that it hung over the edge of my bed, and trying to make as little noise as possible, I moved my left as well and placed the tips of my toes on my floor. I untangled myself from my bedsheets and pressed my palms into my pillow to lift my body above my bed and into a sitting position. Again, pausing for a good ten seconds to listen for any noises; hearing nothing but the crickets chirping outside my window. I pressed my left hand into my mattress and slowly stood up, my knees obnoxiously cracking in the process. Walking on the pads of my feet, I avoided the obstacles of dirty clothes and pairs of shoes I carelessly left scattered around my room. At my door I paused, I realized how unprepared I was to to see what was on the other side of the hinges. I braced myself, expecting the worst.

Dad's drunk. Mom's on the ground, bleeding because of it.

I closed my eyes tight as I unlocked my door and creaked it open. I stood there with my eyes closed, listening, hearing nothing at all. And so with hesitation I blinked them open, and just like before, there was nothing.

I called down the staircase, "Mom?"

There was a thud. Startled, I flinched and decided I should scope out my home. I walked on the pads of my feet down my staircase, taking it one step at a time in case my dad was down there. When I reached the last two steps, I cautiously peered around the corner so that I could see the kitchen. Lily. My cat. I watched as she pushed around her metal cat dishes, occasionally hitting them together. It must have been her making all the noise. Lily is an orange tabby, the tip of her ear's cut, identifying her as an (ex) stray cat. I reached down to pet her, and before doing so, my eyes wandered to the window revealing my drive way.

I looked back, realizing there was no car on the pavement, and because we had no garage in this new house that meant I was home alone, I could do whatever I wanted to. I grinned at the thought of this, but I also wondered how much time I had until they'd be back.

You know, screw that thought. I have an even better idea.

I darted back up the staircase into my room, stomping my feet as I tried my best to move quickly. I looked in my mirror, I decided my hair looked a bit of a darker brown due to not washing it, but other than that I was half-decent for the night. I grabbed the bobby pin on my dresser and before exiting my room once more, I twisted my lock. Back down the stairs and through the hallway to my front door. I reached for my mother's coat on the coat hanger; It always slightly smelled of cigarettes and her old, expensive perfume. A nice mixture if you were to ask me.

With a small struggle, I got the coat onto both of my arms and buttoned the six large marble-looking buttons. I unlocked my front door anxiously, this was going to be a very nice night.