The Shift Paradox

Chapter 1: Voices

"Think of it like a game, Bruce. Nothing more"
"You can earn points the more you hunt."
"It's not like any other game out there. Its exclusive to only the people who have what it takes."
"Join the hunt, Bruce. Join the hunt"
....
A brief silence filled the air. I'm having the same same dream all over again. Why am I having the same dream? I tried balancing myself in order to get out of bed. There's a force that tries to pull me right back into my bed again but I slowly fight it and tired not to trip. I gently rub my eyelids and try to see the part of light that shines through the curtains of my window. I separated the curtains from each other and a ray of sunshine instantly shot at me. I dodged the sunlight with my hand and slowly after I adjust, I let down my hand and my eyes tries cooperating with the sun. The outside of my window shows a deep sea of the sky with cotton candy shape clouded surrounding it. The grass are up as the sun shines powerfully. They give out a healthy shining of green. It's another day I suppose.
I walk down from my room to go to the kitchen to see my mom up and cooking her Sunday breakfast. And on the side corner, I see my dad drinking coffee with his favorite "#1 Dad" mug I gave him in second grade. I examined the kitchen noticing that my older brother isn't awake. Typical.
"Good morning, Bruce. Do you want a beverage?" My mom asked
"Morning. And sure, Orange juice please"
I sat down next to my dad while he's reading the Sunday news and notice him grinning at every page he reads. I wonder what goes on in my fathers head. He likes to get through the whole newspaper until he reaches the crossword puzzle section. My mom approaches to me to serve my breakfast and my orange juice. I hear steps coming from the stairs and right as I turn my head to that direction, I see my older brother, Morgan, walking into the kitchen table all woozy and unstable. It's not unusual to me or to my mom and dad. He's probably been out with his friends last night and had one too many drinks. There's a brief silence the moment he steps foot into the kitchen. He lead himself into the fridge and started gathering items inside like milk, leftover meatloaf, steaks and a carton of eggs.
"Morgan, put all those stuff back into the fridge and sit down." Mom argued at Morgan.
"Awww, c'mon. Give me a break. I don't need this nagging in my life." Morgan whine while starting to sit down.
My dad got up the table furiously and yelled at Morgan
"Listen, you little runt, you don't talk back to your mother like that. Now sit down and stay quiet!"
I silent my surroundings and try to ignore my dad and brother arguing with each other and I tried to think back to the dream I had. All I heard until the end is join the hunt. I've been having these dreams for about a month and I still don't know what they mean. I also realize at the end of the school day that I draw some weird logo or symbol repeatedly in my notebook. Not noticing how I got into that moment. So far this month has gone awry in my perspective. At most times, I get random muscle spasms and get twitches that give out pressure from the back of my head. Now that I notice, I feel like I'm wasting my time sitting down and listening to both my dad and brother bickering to each other and my mom is in the midst of getting into the argument. I need to be somewhere after this. I promised my friend, Harrison, to meet him at the Game Center to kill some time before our volleyball practice starts. I started to interrupt my parents and my brothers bickering.
"Um, while you guys are bickering to each other, I have to take off now."
Both my parents turned to my direction and returned back to their old normal selves.
"Sure Bruce. Have fun at your practice" my mom responded. She just handed Morgan a glass of water and a piece of bread at his plate.
I rolled my eyes at that. Steady, I turned my body to where my book bag is laying at the chair by the front desk. I gathered some snacks for today's practice and some coins for the Game Center. After that, I heard a whisper lingering inside my ear slowly
Time is now
I paused and stood frozen still at the front of the door getting ready to leave.
My eyes keep on dilating slowly from up and down suspiciously. Why is this keep happening? I tried to ignore these voices but they won't leave me alone. This probably won't go on for long.
I waived both to my parents and to Morgan. Morgan waived his glass of water in the spaced air and chuckled softly.
"Try hitting the ball this time instead of the ball hitting you" Morgan chuckling turned into a insulting laugh. I got tired of his crap and gave my own comeback.
"You know what, It's pointless to make fun of you because it will take you the rest of the day to figure it out."
It wasn't my strongest comeback but I had to be somewhere. I jet out of the house before Morgan got up and beat the living crap out of me. I started jogging where I thought I was late to meet Harrison. Another whisper started to blow inside my ear. And this time, is was louder than the rest of the voices that it gave me a shock
START HUNTING NOW!