Don't Fall Asleep

Chapter 5

Awake

Tuesday. July 22, 2014. 6:23 AM

When Zena sat up in the exact spot she had fallen asleep, she couldn't believe her eyes. She thought she was dreaming for a moment, for the first time in 10 years. When she stood up, however, the very real pain in her back told her this wasn't a dream. Rubbing her eyes, the room slowly became clearer as she got used to the dimness.

There was only one window in the basement, on the far wall opposite the stairs. The sun was shining brightly directly through it, telling Zena it was early morning. She turned and headed towards the stairs but froze before she could get past the first step. There was a knock at the door. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as Zena listened to the soft footsteps above her move towards the front door. The door opened and a mans voice spoke.

"Ms. Benedic. Is your daughter home? I'd like to speak with her," he sounded tired, as if he had been awake all night. Zena's heart seemed to stop and everything was silent for a moment before her aunt spoke.

"Yes, just hold on a moment. I need to wake her, it's early and she's a teenager."

The footsteps above Zena's head started again, heading the direction they came. She heard her aunt go up the stairs and Zena was unfrozen as realization dawned on her. The man at the front door was a detective, here to question her cousin after finding out that Zena wasn't home.

All curiosity left her and was replaced by fear. Turning around she headed towards the door that went from the basement to the backyard. Moving as fast as she could while staying quiet, Zena slipped outside as she heard her aunt and another pair of footsteps heading down the stairs to the front door. She had to get out of here before the police found her.

Running up and around the house, Zena went through the bushes at the side of her cousins yard and into the neighbours side-yard. After going from house to house a few times, Zena felt confident that she could go back to the street without the detective seeing her. Before anyone could see her, she ran up beside the house she was currently at until she was at the road. Trying to act normal, she walked away from Astronia's house and turned down a quiet street.

Zena had nowhere to go now. The police caught on faster than they expected, so her and Astro never got the chance to discuss where Zena was going to go. She couldn't go back, of course, so she was on her own now. The sun was bright in the clear sky, warming the morning air. Finding a small park, Zena sat under a big tree in the shade to think.

There were a few abandoned buildings in town and just out of town. If she were to hide out in any of them, Zena knew she would have to change her location each day. The police were looking for her, and the abandoned buildings would be the first place they checked. If she went there, she would be lucky if she wasn't caught.

Other than that, where else could she hide? Zena had no friends and the only family member she trusted to help her was her cousin Astronia, but she couldn't help anymore. Zena needed a place that wasn't too public, but wasn't too hidden either. A moment later, she got an idea. Not too far from where she was, there was a forest with trails through it. People in that area used it to walk their dogs in the mornings, but aside from that nobody used it.

There were also a few homeless people hiding around in there, so nobody would think too much of her being there if someone saw her. It was a good idea, but Zena knew she would need a few things before being able to actually live in there for as long as she needed. First of all, she needed shoes. Her feet were cut up enough from running from the murder scene all the way to Astronia's. The part of her that took over in her sleep always failed to remember shoes. Zena's feet were numb, but that didn't mean she didn't still need shoes.

She also needed something to sleep on. A sleeping bag would work. Zena would go to her house to grab everything she needed tonight when everyone else was sleeping. She would also grab some food, since she really needed something to eat. Until tonight, Zena decided to hide out at the park and make a list of things she'd grab.

***

Night came slowly. Zena had nearly fallen asleep under that big tree in the park a few times while waiting for the sun to finally set. When it did, she got up and stretched before heading towards her house. It wasn't too far from the park she was hiding out at, so it didn't take long to get there. She just hoped the front door would be unlocked.

Of course, it wasn't going to be that simple. The only reason the front door was ever unlocked when she arrived back home every night was because she was the one who left it like that when she left in her sleep. It figures that the door would be locked without her home to unlock it in her sleep. Zena thought for a minute how to get in without waking anyone. She got on her hands and knees, checking under the welcome mat for a spare key.

That was too cliché to work, however. Zena let out a frustrated sigh at the sight of the key less ground under the mat. Getting up and stepping back, she studied the front of the house for open windows. The only one was on the second floor leading into her parents bedroom. Letting out another sigh, Zena walked around to the back of the house. There were no open windows back there. There was, however, the back door. Taking a chance, she gave the door a try.

It was locked as well. Zena was nearly ready to give up when she remembered the flower pots hanging beside the door. Checking them for a key couldn't hurt, could it? Trying not to get her hopes up too high, Zena reached into the first pot. To her surprise, she grabbed a hold of a small metal object and pulled her hand back to reveal a key. Keeping her excitement inside, careful not to make any sound, Zena put the key inside the keyhole of the back door and turned.

Well, she tried to turn it. The key she found wasn't for the back door. Of course things had to be complicated. Walking back around the house, Zena came up to the front door and used the key. This time, it worked and the door opened when she turned the knob.

The warmth and familiar scent in the air caused Zena to smile. She was happy to be inside her home, even if she wasn't staying long. This whole time, she had been too afraid and worried to realize she missed her house. Closing the door behind her, Zena walked as quietly as she could up the stairs to her room.

While outside her door in the hallway. she noticed movement in the corner of her vision. Looking the right, she saw a little boy in Star Wars pajamas standing in a doorway at the end of the hall. Zena nearly fell to the ground in tears at the sight of her little brother looking up at her with his eyes wide with surprise. She ran up to Ashton and hugged him while sobbing silently into his shoulder. He lifted his arm and put his tiny hand on her back too comfort her. A moment later, he spoke softly.

"Where have you been, sis? Mommy and Daddy were worried about you. I was scared," Ashton said with his sweet little voice.

Just then, Zena remembered why she was even there in the first place. "They can't know I was here, little brother," she said. "I can't stay. I'm so sorry... I don't want to leave you here all alone, but I can't come home for a while. I'm not leaving forever. I'll come back. I promise," tears formed in Zena's eyes again. She wasn't sure how well she could keep her promise.

Ashton only nodded and hugged her again in response, then turned and went back into his room. With a long sigh, Zena turned away as well and went back to her room. Inside, she found the sleeping bag in her closet then went back downstairs before her parents heard her and woke up. Before leaving, she grabbed some food and her favourite pair of converse. Zena considered leaving her parents a note, but thought better of it.

She left her house knowing that it could very well be the last time she ever sees it again. With that thought in her head, Zena runs, with tears burning in her eyes, to the forest she was planning to take refuge in. It was the last place she wanted to be, but the only place she could go. The forest was dark and much scarier at night. Walking along the winding paths, getting deeper and deeper into the forest, she spotted a tree not too far from the path she was on.

The tree was big and surrounded by grass, with a few bushes hiding the bottom of the tree from the paths sight. It was also not too far from where all the homeless people living in these woods are. Thankful for a place to sleep, Zena ate the food she grabbed and unrolled her sleeping bag then laid down. She fell asleep almost instantly.