There I was laying in my bed hearing the loud irritating noise of my alarm clock going off telling me it was 7:00 am on Wednesday June 16th, my 17th birthday. I sit up on my bed sliding my feet into my furry pink slippers as I run my hand through my messy blonde hair. I reach over to turn off my alarm. As I do I see multiple notifications saying, Happy Birthday Sarah. I ignore them not really caring its my birthday at all. To me this is just another day Im here on this planet not a special day celebrating my birth. I get up and walk down the hallway into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
As Im brushing my teeth I see my younger brothers reflection in the mirror as he walks by the bathroom. When I finish brushing my teeth I say to myself here we go as I walk into the living room sitting down on the black leather couch next to my little brother David. My mom Kathy walks in and says, Good morning sweetie. I reply with a whatever not really caring what she says. I go on my phone and start replying to my Happy Birthday messages saying, Thank you and talking to some of my friends.
I go into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of lucky charms cereal with a glass of cold orange juice. I sit down at the dining room table to enjoy my breakfast. My step dad Charles then sits down in the chair next to mine with a hot cup of coffee, black of course. Good morning Sarah he said. I reply with whatever once again. I eat my cereal then put my bowl in the sink. I go to my room to change for the day. As Im on the way to my room my mom stops me in the hallway and asks, hey sweetie, what do you want to do for your birthday today?. I replied with an I dont care and walk into my room closing my door behind me.
I go through my closet trying to figure out what to wear for the day trying on outfit after outfit. After twenty minutes of trying to decide what to wear I finally decided to wear my light blue dress. I then go and comb my hair and put on my makeup. After Im fully dressed I go back into the living room. As soon as I walked in the living room my mom started yelling at me because I didnt wash my dish. How many times have I told you to wash your dish after youre done using it!. I yelled back at her its one dish! Sorry I forgot to wash it ok? Ill do it now.. I wash the dish and then storm off walking back to my room slamming my door behind me and locking it.
I plop down on to my bed laying there staying at my roof thinking about how much I hate my parents and how they never appreciate anything I do for them. Wishing they would just go away. A few moments later my mom calls me back into the living room and apologizes. Im sorry sweetie I didnt mean to yell.. Its okay I replied. why dont we give her the presents we got her? said my step dad Charles. My mom said, ok why not!.
I go and sit down in the living room next to my little brother again waiting for my parents to bring me my presents. My parents then walk into the living room with a few boxes wrapped in red wrapping paper. I open the boxes from biggest to smallest. I opened the first box and it was a black lap top. In the second box, there was some art supplies, paint, paper, markers. In the third box I opened there were some sox socks. My parents laughed as I opened that one knowing I would hate it. When I opened the fourth box I absolutely loved what was inside. It was a brown wooden dreamcatcher that looked hundreds of years old. It some weird writing on the back of it. I asked my mom where did you get this from?.
She said from a yard sale across town. I thought you would like it so I got it for you. are you kidding me? I love it! Thanks so much! I replied. I go to my room taking all my presents with me. Laying them out on the bed. I then take my new lap top and open it up. I click the ethernet icon and google the words that are engraved onto the back of the dreamcatcher. I look at the search results and it says, He who reads this shall be given a gift. I sat there for an hour trying to figure out what it meant. After a while I said it out loud hoping if I heard myself say it then it would make sense. He who reads this shall be given a gift. The moment I said it out loud my eyes closed and its like I felt my whole life changed in a blink of an eye. When I opened my eyes, I saw a woman in front of me. She was wearing all black clothing and had brown hair with blue eyes but it was strange I was not afraid. I felt like I have known this woman my whole life.
She spoke to me and said hello, Sarah my name is Christie. They call me the keeper of nightmares. This place you are in is an alternate universe. You are here because you read the back of the dreamcatcher. Remember earlier today you said you wish your parents will go away? Well good news there gone. Is this a wish come true or a nightmare becoming a reality?. immediately after saying that she disappeared into nothing before I can say a word. I ran into the living room looking for my parents but they were nowhere to be found. In the hallway, all the family photos were gone. On the mail, it was my name and not my parents names. At first, I thought it was a prank but then I started to believe it. I sat down on the couch thinking to myself what will I do?
After a few minutes Christie had returned she said to me to be released from this nightmare you must first learn your lesson. I sat there for hours trying to figure out what she meant by that. After a while I looked at the time and it was 1:30 pm so I decided to go out for something to eat. I thought it would clear my mind. I walked to a burger king that was close to my house and ordered a burger and some fries. The cashier said that will six dollars and ninety-nine cents. I then realized I had no money. I never had to worry about paying for food my mom always payed for me. I guess that was one of the luxuries of having parents who care I thought to myself.
I walked back to my house but on the way back home a man pulled over and asked me if I wanted a ride home. I said, no thanks and kept on walking. When I got home I sat down on the couch thinking about what Christie meant some more. I looked at my phone and it was now 1:30 pm. Time is going by so slow I said to myself. I sat there lonely thinking about all the fun times I had with my family. I laughed as I remember the good times. I remembered one time when we all went to the movies together. Its one of my favorite memories of us as a family. We laughed and watched the movie together. It was the best! I thought to myself. Another 30 minutes had passed and I still couldnt figure out what she meant. theres a lesson to be learned I kept saying this repeatedly in my head but nothing! I couldnt figure it out no matter what I did. So, then I remembered something a friend told me once.
Sometimes when youre trying to figure something out the best thing you can do is not try at all. Let it come to you.. So, I decided to not think about it at all. I went in my room to lay down and listen to some music. I started to think about all the things my parents did for me. They kept me fed, they kept a roof over my head, they loved and cared for me. I then realized that they didnt appreciate the things I do because I never appreciate the things they do for me! I realized that I took them for granted and then treated them poorly. I sat up on my bed with a smile on my face.
I love you mom I said out loud. I love you to sweetheart said my mom. OMG mom! Im so happy to see you!. what do you mean? You saw me just a minute ago in the living room. I look over at my clock and realized that only a minute had passed by. A nightmare that seemed like forever just over like that? I thought to myself. I look up and there she was. It was Christie again! I see you learned your lesson Sarah. I did! I promise from this day forward I will treat them with respect and appreciate everything that they do for me. Thank you for this lesson. Then out of nowhere she was gone.
THE END
