Masterpiece

Chapter 1: Creepy Cult Gathering

Sleep never came easy to me. It has stopped being easy since the age of five. From years of having difficulty sleeping, I developed a routine. I plugged in my earphone and hit play to a playlist I created that had soothing music to help me. I set my pillow up against the wall and extend my legs up towards the ceiling. My arms are my side and I close my eyes.

A few moments pass by as I clear my mind and my facial features relax along with my body.

Sleep. It's there. I can feel it taking over me.

Pounding. Noise. Awake.

I shot up from bed feeling disoriented. I take the earphones off my ears and look around the room confused on what's happening. The clock on the bed stand reads 9:53.

My bedroom door flings open and in the doorway is Holiday, my best friend. I thought she was supposed to be in college. A rage inside of me grows and my head is pounding from exhaustion. She flicks the light switch on and I blink a couple times before I'm used to the bright light.

I rub my eyes and yawn loudly. "What the hell are you doing here? It's almost 10 pm."

Holiday steps further into my room and takes a seat in my bed. I notice a doorknob in her hand, my bedroom doorknob.

"Did you break my doorknob?" I groan and fall back into my pillow.

"I'm sure you can afford another one," she huffed. "What you can't afford is to waste another night acting like a zombie from The Walking Dead."

She couldn't wait until morning and text me like a normal person. She had to storm inside my room and break my doorknob to try and prove a point. I slid under the covers and lift them over my head.

"Go away, Holly." I mumbled.

"This has to stop," Holiday paused. "Mari, you have to realize and come to terms with what happened. It wasn't your fault."

Holiday tugs on the covers until it's completely off me.

I groaned. "I'm fine. I just needed some time for myself. But I'm better." I smile at her but avoid her eyes.

"Mh-hmm. You barely get out of your house and your grandma told me that you spend all day and night in your art room. She said you can't paint anymore," She licks her lips before continuing. She seems to be cautious with her next words. "Is that true?"

"I'm trying and trying. I can't do anything anymore." I confess. There was no point in trying to lie to Holiday. "I feel hopeless."

"That's the problem."

"Trying?"

"No, forcing something that should come naturally." I think about what she said for a few moments.

"I just want to be able to paint again," I stuff a pillow in my face.

Holiday shakes her head. "That's what you think you need, it's not what you want."

I take the pillow off my face, "Then what do you think I want?"

"You're the one that has to figure that out," Holiday offers a mirthless smile.

"And what do you think I should do?" I challenge her lifting my eyebrows inviting her to try and solve me.

"Let's go out tonight," I chuckled. Going out wasn't going to fix anything. "And no, we can't go next week. I have to go back to college on Monday and I don't get out for summer break until two weeks from now."

Holiday was on her feet and heading straight to my closet. She must be trying to pick something for me to wear. Sleep was completely out of the picture so I know I only had one option.