British Bird - Complete

British Bird - Chapter Five

British Bird
Chapter Five
Sang

Flashback – Thirteen Years Old

I never did leave my bedroom. Instead, I curled up on my bed with The Hunger Games. I was too embarrassed about what I heard and what happened with Silas and Luke. I must have dozed off at some point because the next thing I know the house is silent. The lamp on the bedside table is still on and the door is shut; not locked, but shut.

I swallow, but with my dry throat and mouth it's impossible and doing nothing for my thirst. I kick of the blankets and climb out of bed. Opening my door, darkness greets me apart from the small amount of light shining out of my room.

I can't go out there. My hands are already shaking, the fear creeping up faster and faster. But I'm so thirsty. I need to have a drink. Back home at Cara and Johnny's house, they left the upstairs bathroom light on and the hall light down stairs. I wonder for a moment why Cara wouldn't do it here.

But I need a drink. I can feel the frustration growing with my fear.

Maybe there's a light switch I can find to turn on? I should have took notice earlier in the day. I just didn't think I would wake in the middle of the night for a drink and having to find myself getting through the darkness of the house.

A quiet frustrated groan leaves me. I need to do this. I have to do this. Taking a deep breath, I slowly inch out of my room, but not before turning on the big ceiling light to give me as much light as possible down the hall. Floorboards quietly creak under my feet and my hand is stuck to the wall, letting it guide me as much as possible.

Reaching the stairs, I find my breathing is coming out in gasps, my heart racing, my hands shaking and knees quivering. I take a few more deep breaths, slowly letting them out. One foot moves forward, finding the step and soon my other follows. My hand moves from the wall and grips the banister, my nails digging into the wood until one of them snaps, causing me to flinch in pain.

I continue down the stairs, stopping and taking deep breaths every so often. When I finally reach the bottom, my eyes have adjusted more to the darkness. Moonlight shines through the windows on the front door, lighting up the hall just the tiniest amount.

I push some hair out of my face, my eyes darting to the kitchen door. It's open. I make my way down the hall, the wood floor cool beneath my bare feet. I wrap my arms around myself, my fists clenched to try and stop the shaking. I'm proud of myself for making it so far. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know that nothing will harm me but—

I shake my head, not wanting to go there while I'm walking around a dark house.

Making it to the kitchen door, my hand moves along the wall and I find a switch. I flick it on and light blooms, extinguishing the light from the moon. A sigh of relief escapes me. I made it and it's not dark.

Feeling more relaxed, I go to the fridge and pull it open. Finding a bottle of water, I open the top and take a drink. The cold water soothes and quenches my thirst. I breathe heavily when I take the bottle away, realising I've had almost half of the bottle.

"Thirsty?" A voice asks from behind me. I open my mouth to scream, my muscles tensing and ready to fight but a hand wraps around my mouth and my body is pulled back into one a little larger than mine. "Shh, don't scream. It's just me."

It takes my hazy mind a few moments to realise who the voice belongs to. I nod my head, silently telling him I won't scream. A second later, his hand releases my mouth and I spin around, my eyes meeting grey ones. "Don't sneak up on people," I snap in a whisper. My hand comes up to my chest and rubs at my heart, trying to calm the irregular beatings. "You almost sent me to my grave."