Dead Beat (❌)

Chapter Two

Johnie

The unexplainable warmth encasing me right now is better than anything I can think of, the blanket being just the right amount of thickness for the temperature of the room.

My neck aches a bit from sleeping without a pillow, but when my sister left I was able to stretch out, giving my muscles their much needed space.

I'm not sure why I woke up when Anny did, but I think I could just tell something was up with her. Not that her wimpy ass wanted to admit it.

Heh, bet the movie gave her nightmares!

Smirking to myself, I tighten the blanket around my torso, wiggling this way and that in attempts to run off back to dreamland. However, something about the silence of the room rubs me the wrong way and I can't help but feel as if someone's watching me.

Jerking upwards, I panic even more when I realize I can't see in the pitch darkness, blinking my eyes frantically.

With sleep still heavy on my mind, I instinctively twist around to reach out for the chain of the lamp beside the couch. All I come in contact with is empty air, though, and it causes me to lose my balance and tumble sideways off the cushions.

Expecting the impact of tile, I'm more than confused when I collide with something not as hard, but just as solid.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

My twin's slurred words break my aura of disorientation and I can't help but relax when my hands press flat against his warm chest, his breath puffing in my face.

"G-Get off!" he groans, wrapping a single arm around my back in the darkness and whacking the back of my head with the other. "You're heavy!"

"Did you just call me fat?" I laugh softly, glad that Alfie doesn't sound too pained from my big ass squashing him flat.

Among annoyed mumbles and a few colorful words, I dramatically go limp and do the exact opposite of what my brother wants. I make him grumble louder and he starts to really pummel me this time, choosing to attack my ribs.

"I said--"

Alfie is in the middle of what I expect to be an insult when we both go rigid at the sudden, piercing sound of our sister's scream, causing all playfulness to drain from my veins.

Shooting upwards, I feel Alfie scramble from under me and I listen to his bare feet against the tile before having to shield my eyes from the light of the lamp.

My younger twin's face is ghostly pale in fright, both of us embarrassingly shaken up from our choice of film last night combined with what we just heard.

"J-John--"

"It's okay," I quickly interrupt him, my older sibling instincts immediately kicking in to calm the situation before it got out of hand. "She probably saw a bug or something."

Still on the floor, I cross my legs and offer a smile up to my brother who doesn't necessarily seem convinced, but seems a bit calmer. I notice the way his hands tremble and his eyes dart around frantically and I can't help but become affected by his mood.

His fear is my fear and it doesn't help that I still can't chase that earlier sensation away, quickly looking over my shoulder for some reason.