One House Behind | ✓

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥

Tanner

Waking up in the midst of a deadly illness was like waking up in the apocalypse. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide from it, and it always seemed like we were running out of food. My parents said I was eating everything but I was bored, what was there to do?

"Tom, can you help me?"

"Who the heck is Tom?" I questioned with a groan as I sat up in my bed.

"You. Ever since that little gate 'incident', I've been calling you Tom in my head and it's only two letters off of your name. Anyway, we are signing up for the rest of this semester at the high school nearby. Help me."

"Why can't Mom or Dad help you? I just woke up."

"Mom went to go shopping and Dad went to work."

"Why don't they take us? I mean, if it's safe for them to go, why can't I go?"

"It's 'cause they are parents and they don't want to risk our safety," Susie shrugged.

"But if they go out, somehow come into contact with it, and then bring it back, we are compromised."

"True...anyway, help me."

So we sat there for the next twenty minutes placing me and Susie into high school. I was going to have to catch up by some as some credits didn't transfer but I was willing to take summer school to fill my summer with something. I knew Susie was going to have the time of her life because she could get pretty for the video calls.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I've had to pee for the last ten minutes."

"Why didn't you go?" She threw her hands in the air.

"Because you were yapping away," I said getting up and hurrying to the bathroom.

"What seventeen-year-old says yapping?"

"Me!" I called as I slammed the door and finally relieved my bladder.

Washing my hands, I decided I needed a shower. Just to wake me up correctly seeing as I had to work my brain as soon as I did. I grabbed some clothes, ignoring the fact that Susie was still in my room, and got straight in. The scolding water hit my back and I relished in it. I liked the hot water where my skin looked red.

"You're going to make the walls peel!" I heard through the door.

"Calm down, the windows open!"

"I don't care! Hurry up!"

Rolling my eyes, I shut the water off and got out. Mom should be lucky I get my shower done in less than five minutes and not at the end of the shower. I put my clothes on and walked out of the bathroom. After putting my clothes in the closet, I walked back to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"I still don't get why you need to keep your toothbrush in your room," Susie said as she stood against the door frame.

"It's not that I need to but having it out in the open can cause the toilet's little flush particles to get on it and that's disgusting. Having it have my germs from the room is better than toilet water. Especially since I know what is touching my toothbrush." I managed to get out as I was brushing my teeth.

"You are such a girl."

Giving her a look, I bent my head to spit the toothpaste out. I was washing my tongue when she laughed. Ignoring her, I finished my teeth. Wiping my face, she was bent over from the laughter.

"You gonna let me in on the joke?" I asked brushing past her.

"It's just...you deepthroat that toothbrush." Her head went back but it smacked the wall and soon she was crying from the pain.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked as soon as she stepped in.

"Nothing, she just hit her head because she's stupid."

"Oh, well come help with the groceries."

"Didn't you shop like the other day?"

The ground was hot and I duly noted not to ever walk outside barefoot again. Maybe a few months from now I'll get used to it but it was burning my skin. This was not the heat I liked in the shower. Hissing, I grabbed a couple of bags before we set into a routine of grabbing, placing, and repeating.

"I did go shopping," Mom huffed as she brushed past me before continuing with, "but the food seems to go missing. Plus, with what the news is saying, we might get a second wave and it's better to have more food."

"Huh, they always said prepare for the apocalypse but never when. I guess it's now."

She nodded and started unpacking. I helped her place everything in their respective spot before sitting at the table. She started making dinner and everything felt normal for a second. Like we didn't move, we were still in Washington, and the entire world wasn't on guard against a stupid illness.

But when she threw her mask away and washed her hands three times, the reality rushed back in that everything had changed.