Ravel

Chain-Linked

5:00 AM

Monday, September 10

            Sirens began to ring and cut through the silence of the sleeping and dim room. The sound came from the side of the bed, beside the pillow that was situated below the bed’s headboard. With its every buzz and vibrate, its long shrill sound filled the enclosed space of the room. It became muffled when a hand came up crawling on top of its source—a phone. The hand tilted the phone, facing the person who had her cheek planted on the pillow. The thumb swiped across the screen rightward, silencing the deafening sound of the phone.

            She dug her face back to the pillow and looked upwards, so she faced the headboard. Yawn. Her free hand and her hand that held the phone sank in the cushion of her bed as she pushed herself up into a kneel-sit position, letting the blanket slide down her back. She sat on her heels and had her hands on her lap, staring blankly and sleepily at the pillow in front of her. With one click of the “On” button of the phone, its screen flashed the time and date with the Union Jack on the background. 5:06 AM. Six minutes had already passed since she woke up. Jemima hated the way time was always faster when she’s in her room.

            Cloth brushed to cloth as her legs slid along the bed and planted themselves on the carpeted floor. Jemima sat on the edge of her bed and took in a deep sigh. The fingers of her free hand drummed the cushions. To get up or not to get up?

            Coming from the door, a sound of a scratch ran down again and again. By that, Jemima had already decided. To get up, she thought. She pushed herself up to stand and started to walk towards the door, half-dragging her feet. The scratches continued, thus, Jemima took long strides before her door gets ruined because of those scratches. On the way to the door, she flicked up the switch to light up her room. Her hands immediately grabbed the door knob and twisted it open. Wind passed by her leg when she opened the door, a flash of gold came to pass her eyesight and entered her room. She slowly closed the door after the golden creature entered her room.

            After shutting the door close, she looked around her to search for the creature that entered her room and found it lying on her bed with its tail wagging like crazy. It stared at her attentively and excitedly with its pink tongue drooping out of its mouth as it panted. She stared at the creature and sighed. In response, it barked.

            She pressed her index finger on her lips and hushed the dog. She started towards the bed and said, “You do know that Olli is still sleeping in the next room, don’t you?” Once she reached the bed, she planted her free hand on the dog’s head and ruffled its top. It rubbed its head onto her palm and licking it. She pulled her hand and raised her index finger, as if stating a point, in front of the dog’s face. She commanded, “Stay here.”

            With a soft thud, she placed her phone on top of her side table. Her index finger and thumb held on the ring that was worn by her right middle finger and pulled it out, and placing it on the table.

Moving away, Jemima headed towards another door inside her room—her bathroom. She entered it and flicked up the light’s switch. She opened the mirror-cabinet and took out her facial wash, toothbrush, and toothpaste, placing them on the flat part of the sink where the faucet was connected to it.

            The faucet squeaked as she twisted the handle. Water coursed out of the sprout and Jemima caught it with both of her cupped hands and splashed the water to her face. She grabbed the facial wash and squeezed it lightly. She scrubbed the soap on her whole face then splashed water again onto her face to rinse all of the foam off. The touch of the ice cold water on her face was like being pricked by loads of needles, it made her feel wide awake. She groped for the face towel which was beside the sink and dabbed her face with it until her whole face was dry.