The alarm clock bleeped again. 7am. Felix' parents had always warned him not to wake them when they were sleeping, but he was starting to question the silence in the house. The redhead's mother usually awoke around 6am to go to her normal job, at the stables she owned- tending to the horses. His stay-at-home father normally awoke with her to help cook breakfast. So why hadn't he heard any disturbance in the last two hours? Had they overslept? Had the alarm broken? He was growing curious. Maybe, Felix thought, on this one occasion, his parents would forgive him. The most he'd get would be a scolding.
He hopped out of bed, hissing at the uncomfortable pins and needles prickling up the leg he had been awkwardly laying on. Dragging his half asleep body across his cluttered room, he yawned. Maybe they had just overslept. Maybe his tired, sluggish brain hadn't processed things correctly and he was worrying for no reason.
But they weren't there. A few brief waves of panic flooded through Felix. He was sure that he heard no disturbance, but what if he was wrong, right? They went to bed last night and nothing out of the ordinary had happened, so... maybe they just left a little earlier. Yes! That was it. His mother had got a call from her boss saying she had to be at work earlier and she had no time to warn Felix.
The ginger took a few deep breaths.
"Calm down, Felix... you're being irrational again. Breathe. Breeeaaathe..." he murmured to himself, swiping a few stray strands of hair behind his ear and noticing the pinpricks of sweat gathering on his forehead.
Time passed by.
"Tranquil" written in thick, baby blue ink.
Ramen cooked and eaten.
An entire playlist scrolled through.
Bored, olive eyes scanning the mundane recommended section of YouTube.
Ugh. Same old shit.
And still... no sign of his parents.
Another double bleep.
3pm.
Felix' mother and father were always back by midday. And even if they weren't, for special occasions, they would text him to let him know. He checked his phone. Still nothing.
Something felt awfully wrong.
YOU ARE READING
Birthmarks and Bruises
Mystery / Thriller"X marks the spot." The town has suddenly become barren, infected with either demonic monsters who take the faces of people they've killed, or innocent citizens pushed to the brink of insanity. Felix, an optimistic redhead with good intentions and...
