Dreamscape

Chapter 1: The Last Normal Day

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

"Ok ok, I'm getting up!"
I groaned as my alarm beeped angrily away at me, seemingly louder with each beep.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched. I looked at the clock, to see how long I had slept through the alarm this time.
7:03 am.
Only three minutes this time. Not bad.
And here begins the story. 7:03 am, on a seemingly normal Tuesday morning.
And, as normal, I drag myself out of bed, and slowly put on my school uniform- black trousers, white shirt and navy/sky blue striped tie. Since its summer, I put my jumper in my bag. Who needs it if it's 17°c outside?
I trudge downstairs, to get breakfast. "Morning dad." I yawn, making my eyes water.
"Look who's up before ten past for once!" My father said, in mock surprise.
"Don't get used to it." I say.
My father chuckles and goes back to reading his newspaper.
I pour myself a bowl of Cheerios, then add the milk. I don't understand people who add milk first. It doesn't make sense.
I eat that pretty quickly, since I'm hungry, and make myself some toast.
"Anything interesting on at school today Hun?" My dad asks, between mouthfuls of shreddies.
I shake my head. "It's school, so most likely not." I say, as I finishing spreading Nutella onto my toast.
My father chuckles again. He does that a lot. "Well, you never know. Today could be a whole lot more exciting than you anticipate."
"Sure." I scoff. Because how exciting could a day at school get?
•••••
Not very. That was the answer, in case you were wondering.
I met up with my friends, Rae and Kate, before class to speak.
"Hey Em!" Kate waved. She and Rae walked to school together, usually. Today, Rae was nowhere in sight as I approached our usual meeting spot. "Do you know where Rae is?" She asked me.
I shake my head. "Nope, sorry. I was going to ask you the same question."
Before we had time to worry any more, Rae bounded up behind us. "Sorry, I overslept. My mum gave me a lift today."
Ah yes, mothers. So useful. A luxury that I do not have.
My mother has never run me to school. That's because she disappeared when I was five, just before I started. She was a good mum, kind, always bought me ice cream on a Friday after pre school. I miss her, but I've learnt to get by without her.
I was confused of course, at first. So was everyone else. Wouldn't you be, if a member of your family suddenly disappeared into thin air?
Dad says she went up to the attic to check something, and she never came back down.
He searched all over for any clues, but never found a thing. So we just had to move on with our lives.
He hasn't been up there in years. Says the place gives him the creeps.
Personally, I like the attic. It's cosy, and I have a little den up there. Bean bag chair, little lamp, fluffy purple rug, it's basically like an extra living room, all to myself.
I always go up there to read or write.
The bell rings and our conversation ends as me and Kate head to our registration class, and Rae to hers.
After that, the day just went on. First period led to second, which led to break, then third and fourth, then lunch, and so on until it reached the end of sixth period, the last class of the day.
I was in maths, waiting for the clock to tick down to 3:20 pm, the end of our school day.
After what seemed like ages, the bell rung once more and I headed out the door to walk home.
I was in no particular rush that day. I had no reason to be.
I simply put in my earbuds and listened to music as I made my way home.
My father wasn't there when I got home. That was normal, I didn't expect him to be. He worked until six o clock, most days. I throw my school bag down in my room, grab my laptop and climb the ladder up into the attic.
I flick the light switch on and head over to my corner. I flop down on the beanbag chair, glad of something comfortable to relax on after the school's firm, plastic chairs.
I flip open my laptop and type in my password. As the familiar blue loading screen loads up, I take a look round the attic. It's all familiar, and nothing seems to have changed. Yet I can't shake the feeling that this time, it's a little different.
I shake my head and return to facing the laptop loading screen, but as I watch the little shiny circle spin round and round, I can still feel something pushing me to look around.
I tell myself it's nothing, but within seconds I'm on my feet, looking around.
I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for, but I look anyway.
I sub consciously start to walk towards the far wall. I've never been over there, really. I'm surprised when I find myself halfway across the room, but something is drawing me closer, so I keep walking, slowly, towards the wall. I'm not entirely sure why, but when I stop in front of the wall, I place my hand onto the cold white plaster.
I give a Yelp of surprise as the wall crumbles away beneath my fingers, and quickly step back. Within seconds, somehow the whole wall is gone. Behind it is another wall, which looks exactly the same.
Exactly the same, except this one has a small door in it.
Why would there be a false wall in my attic? And if it was that fragile, how come it hadn't fallen when my father had examined the attic all those years ago?
My eyes came to rest on the door. It was made of shiny, dark wood, and had an equally shiny round, golden handle. It looked like it hadn't been opened in years. It probably hadn't.
Questions were flying around my brain so fast, that it could only come to one conclusion.
Open the door.
I place my hand on the handle. It's cold against my palm. Should I wait and tell my father about the door? Nah, probably not. He'd block it off again I'd not get the chance to explore.
My hand begins to turn slowly, and I take a deep breath, before pulling the door open.
It didn't make a sound. No creaking or squeaking, like you'd expect of creepy attic doors.
This attic door didn't seem creepy to me though. It seemed welcoming. As if it led home.
I peered into the darkness. I couldn't see much, so I pulled my phone out of my pocket and switched it on. I activate the torch and shine the light down the passage. It seemed clean, no cobwebs or anything. The floor was even carpeted in a red, soft looking carpet.
I can see a light, far away. It's small right now, but I'm pretty sure it's an end to the tunnel. I take a minute to decide what to do.
I take a piece of paper, and write a note on it.
"Dear dad,
Found strange tunnel in attic. Gone exploring. Phone me if you need me.
Love, Emily."
I pin it to my bedroom door, and grab an actual torch, before climbing back up the ladder and into the attic.
Without hesitating, I crouch on my hands and kneels and begin to crawl through the tunnel.