When the Lights Go Out {complete first draft}

Day Two: Surving the Party, Matthew and a Sense of What's Right

i've awakened, why is it still friday?

The phone rang, breaking the peaceful silence that was my bedroom. I grumbled, turning over. At first, I thought it was an alarm, but then I realised that it was still dark. Very early morning, actually. When I realised that my heart stopped – only for a second – but ironically it was the third time today. 

                Well, today had been three days long so far, and I’d died twice. I felt my stomach twisting up, wanting to throw up on my bedroom floor. I didn’t bother answering the phone – I know that it was Vincent, anyway. Oh God, I thought. I was trapped in this… this paradox situation. 

                Forget Heaven and Hell, was I stuck here for the rest of eternity? Did I do something wrong? Something I was paying the price for now? Did I have to spend forever now reciting my last day to figure over what I’ve done wrong? What I did wrong? I hoped not. After all, forever was a long time. 

                Throwing back the covers, I put on the comfiest things I owned, including Vincent’s Hollister joggers that were too big for me. I grabbed my phone. 

                I looked in to see if my sister had gone out this time, but when I saw Kendal there, I figured that everything was the same first thing in the morning. Kendal was asleep. Vincent rang. It was Friday. What happened after I got out of bed was what I made of it.

                My hands were shaking, but there wasn’t a lot I could do about it. I pushed myself to continue down the stairs to my kitchen. If I told my mother what was going on, or if I went shouting at the top of my lungs that I was reliving my last day over and over in an ER room than they would probably sanction me under the mental health act. 

                I reached into the cookie jar above the fridge, knowing that it was full of saving instead of cookies. I could justify it: I needed gas. My phone rang again but I quickly turned it on. 

                I left the house, figuring that someone was bound to wake up in a minute because of my phone. As quick as I could, I made my way out to the car, and got in, slamming the door. I tried to compose myself. 

                I wound down my window, trying to get some of the fresh, crisp air into the car.  A dog barked down the street, it echoed all around the neighbourhood. 

                I started my car, pulling out of my driveway. I knew the way to this party’s address like the back of my hand. My eyes widened, suddenly realising that I hadn’t turned my lights on. That was just an accident waiting to happen. I flicked my lights on, turning away from my road. 

                It took ten minutes to get to this party. Then, I had to park my car on a nearby street instead of the street where the party was. I had to walk to the place. 

                The music boomed loudly onto the street, and I counted the cars parked hood-to-trunk in a row down both sides of the street. The poor neighbours must be crying their eyes out by now.

                I managed to get to the front door without someone throwing up on me, as many people were being sick on the front lawn. Why weren’t the cops here? Someone must have called them by now. 

                If that was the case, I wanted to get out of here fast. I hadn’t really stuck around that much last night. I can’t really call it yesterday, as it was still today’s date. All I needed to do now was find Vincent and get out of here.