Crimson Nightmares (#WATTYS2016)

Chapter Two

Wow guys! Thank you so much for all of your amazing support with this story so far! In three days' time this story has already reached 133 reads and managed to make it to #588 in Vampire. I never expected this, so thank you to every single person who has helped in any way. You guys are amazing!

.

.

.

A week later I awake from a banshee screaming somewhere beside me. Bolting upright as the sleepy fog lifts from my mind; I figure out the cause of the awful sound originates from my alarm clock. Nearly falling out of my bed as I try to reach the cursed thing, I end up continuously hitting the wrong button. It keeps screeching. Finally knocking the possessed machine so that it hits the floor with a thud, I fall back onto the comfortable cloud my bed always seems to become right when I have to get out of it.

I rub my eyes, wiping away the Sandman's gifts. Today is the first day of school – the first day at my new school. Sighing, I consider pulling the covers over my head and sleeping the day away. My mother would probably see right through my scheme though, so I kick the warm blanket off of me.

Slipping my feet into the furry pink slippers on the floor beside my bed, I head downstairs. My stomach growls and I feel the familiar burn of hunger. Entering the kitchen I see my mother and grandmother both already seated at the kitchen table. Of course they're both having tea. One thing I'd learnt in my short while here was that my grandmother has a slight obsession with tea.

"Morning honey, how'd you sleep?" My mother spoke in a cheerful tone, but I knew her too well. She was still in her green flannel pajamas; her pixie cut blonde hair in disarray. I still the giggle nearly escaping my mouth. She tries really hard, but is she isn't a morning person.

"Hey mom, morning gran," I yawn as I speak. Getting a bowl from the top shelf and a spoon from the drawer, I reach for the cornflakes already on the table. "I slept fine mom," I answer my mother's question, knowing what she really meant. "No nightmares."

My mother looks at me with her brows furrowed but then smiles. She takes a sip of her steaming tea, before glancing at the green, kettle-shaped clock on the wall. "Is your brother up yet? I don't want you guys to be late on your first day at your new school."

I finish chewing the crunchy flake of cereal before I answer, "Don't know, I came here straight after I woke up." Everyone who knows me also knows that I have to eat as soon as possible after my eyes open.

The kitchen is a typical farm-style, huge with lots of cupboards, and painted a little too yellow. It isn't exactly what I envision for my dream kitchen, but it has a homey feel to it. Taking another bite of the cereal I look up to see an already dressed Michael enter the sunny kitchen.

"Morning my boy, you're ready early today?" My mother fails in hiding the surprise from her voice. It was already nearing six-thirty, meaning we had to leave for school in half an hour. So it isn't that early. I knew what she means though; my brother usually gets ready in the five minutes before we leave.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. So I got up early," he says, grabbing a slice of toast.

I finish my cereal and run upstairs to brush my teeth. After that I quickly get dressed in my new blue uniform, and brush my hair. Braiding my long blonde hair to the side, I pull at a few strands to keep myself from looking like a librarian. Makeup is against the rules of my new school apparently, so I just apply some tinted moisturizer. I give myself a quick once-over in the bathroom mirror. There are slight circles under my blue eyes, but it isn't that bad, so I just shrug. Without makeup there really isn't much I can do to look better.