Don't Fall Asleep

Chapter 1

Awake

Saturday. July 19, 2014. 11:56 PM

Zena awoke on the floor of her best friends basement. The floor was icy and hard against her back, the cold seeping through her thin nightshirt. She sat up slowly, feeling her sore muscles complain as she moved. Waking up on a hard surface was the only thing worse than waking up while walking. Whenever that happened, Zena would fall on her face and be frozen in shock for a few minutes before being able to move again.

Zena had gotten somewhat used to waking up in different places from where she had fallen asleep. It still surprised her where she would awaken, but it was more surprising to actually wake up in her own bed. She was what most people would call an 'active sleeper.' She would walk, talk, eat, and even use the washroom while completely asleep. That's one of the reasons she had a hard time making friends. Who would want to be friends with someone like that? So, she was left with only her best friend, Astronia.

Zena and Astronia were a lot alike, personality and looks. That was likely because they were cousins and spent so much time together. They were both 16 and usually ended up in a lot of the same classes. Zena Bonadic was fun, loving, energetic, and outgoing, but also constantly afraid and lonely. She had short blonde hair, green eyes, and freckles. She was just below average height and she was a bit thin.

Astronia Bonadic was also fun, energetic, and outgoing, but she was a little more cold-hearted. However, she had more friends than Zena and wasn't as afraid of the world. She had long dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and freckles. She was taller than Zena and more curvy.

After stretching and rubbing the last bit of sleep out of her eyes, Zena stood up and walked up the stairs to the kitchen. Looking at the time, she sighed. It was just past midnight.

Since she could never fall back asleep again after waking up, Zena decided to go for a walk. She slowly opened and closed the door, careful not to make too much sound. Astronia and her dad were both used to Zena appearing in the middle of the night, but she still didn't want to disturb them.

Thankfully, it was the middle of summer so even though it was nighttime it wasn't too cold. Walking around for a while in her pajamas, Zena ended up at a park near the edge of town. She sat on a swing and started thinking about random things to keep her mind off the shadows that moved around in the dark.

Nearly an hour passed when Zena finally got up and started walking back to her house. When she arrived at home, it was 4:30AM. She quickly ran up the stairs to her room and put on some slippers. She hadn't realized how cold her feet were because they were already numb when she awoke in Astronia's basement.

When Zena went back downstairs to grab something to eat, her little brother called to her from his room on her way down the stairs. Every morning he wakes her up or calls for her rather than their parents since he is closer with her because their parents are always busy. She didn't mind, she liked being close with him. He was only 7 and looked up to her a lot.

"Sissy, is that you? Are you walking again?" her little brother called out to her. She took note to be quieter next time.

"It's alright, Ashton. I'm awake, I just got home. I'm sorry for waking you. Go back to sleep," Zena called back to her brother, loud enough that he could hear her but quiet enough that she wouldn't wake her parents.

"Okay," she heard him say before drifting back to sleep. She sighed and continued down the stairs.

After grabbing a bowl of cereal, Zena sat at the couch and started watching anime on her phone. Her life was boring and normal. Since she only had one friend, she never had anything to do during the summer, especially since Astronia was always busy. Zena generally spent her days sitting at home watching anime and reading. Sometimes her family would do little gatherings, but aside from that she did nothing.

Zena finished a few episodes of Fairy Tale, the anime she was currently watching, and ate the last few bites of her cereal before putting her bowl in the sink and going upstairs to her room. She decided to read for a bit. Grabbing her book, Allegiant, she began to read and didn't put it down until she finished it. Zena heard her parents talking downstairs. Something about a family dinner.

Since it was Sunday, both her parents were home. It was 8:46AM now and her family was up and running. They all seemed to wake up at the same time and have the same general routine. All of them except Zena, of course. She was always the odd one out. Walking down the stairs, she gave her parents a small smile, mumbled a "good morning," then sat next to her brother who was eating pancakes at the table.

"Would you like some food?" her mother asked, smiling at her from the kitchen.

"No thanks. I was up earlier and already ate," she replied, pulling her phone out and turning on another episode of Fairy Tale. She was still at a fairly early episode.

Her mother sighed. "Were you sleep walking again? I really think we should take you to another councillor or a doctor or something..."

"No, mom. It's fine. I'm fine," Zena said quickly, remembering the look the last councillor she saw gave her. They had said that it was just a phase that she would grow out of, but they looked at her like she was some kind of alien. Sleepwalking wasn't that odd, was it? She guessed that it was weirder in her case, since she often left the house in her sleep.

Zena was 6 when she became active in her sleep. The first time she ever left her house in her sleep, she woke up in the middle of the forest and her parents had to call the police to find her. When she told her mom that she had sleepwalked there, she didn't believe her until it became more constant. Eventually her parents realized she was telling the truth. Sadly, since it was such a rare thing, the doctors had no medication for it.

"We are going to grandma's for dinner tonight. Astronia will be there," Zena's father said. He was laying on the couch in the living room and hadn't said anything till then so it startled her when he finally spoke.

"Astro will be there?" she found herself smiling. Finally, she had something to do instead of staying home all day.

"Yup. So make sure you shower and look decent. There will be lots of family there."

"Alright," Zena said then stood up. She ruffled her brothers hair then ran up the stairs and started getting ready. She had a quick shower and threw on some decent clothes then watched some more anime until it was time to go. She really didn't have a life.

At 4:00PM, they left and arrived ten minutes later. Zena walked in with a smile on her face, then found Astronia immediately. She walked up to her then hugged her from behind. Astro looked back and smiled up at her.

"Hey. Took you guys long enough to show up," Astro said, laughing. She had a sweet laugh, unlike Zena's, who's was loud and obnoxious.

"What are you talking about? We aren't even late!" Zena said, poking her cousins flawless face playfully.

"I'm just bugging you! Relax."

That's the way their family was. They fooled around and bugged each other, making mean jokes then laughing about it. That's how they showed their love. Zena loved her family. They were all she really had. She found herself thinking that she still wanted more. Just a few friends. She wished her life was a little more interesting.

Never before had she regretted a wish as much as she did that day.