Pythian Rites
Chapter 1
My head was about to explode, at least that's how it felt. All I wanted was to go home and lie down, but then I would miss the deadline and that's just not acceptable, in the 3 years I've been working for this company i never missed one and I wouldn't start now.
"Sarah, would it kill you to go home early just one day? I'm sure you can finish whatever you're doing there." Alyssa said, from a desk away, looking worried.
"I just need to finish this report." I didn't take my focus away from the screen, but replied jokingly. " You know, I think you're just trying to get rid of me, to get out early"
Alyssa still looked worried, but smiled and pretended to be offended "yes, go ahead and mock my preoccupation, but don't count on me if you have an aneurysm." She turned back to her computer as if she had dropped the subject, but a second later turned again and said. "You should take an aspirin, at least. I'm sure you can spare 5 minutes for that"
I turned and smiled at her. "Ok, mom. I'll take the aspirin"
But when i got up to take it, the world went black and the pain on the back of my head took full strength. I don't know for how long, but after what it felt like hours, i slowly became aware again, aware of the steps coming towards me, aware of Alyssa crying my name, aware of the incessant screams, my screams, I noticed. Then, suddenly, the pain vanished.
"I'm ok now" I assured my coworkers. And I really did feel better.
unsurprisingly, none of them felt reassured, not that i could blame them. So in the end, i ended up going home early, Alyssa had to drive me, because no one trusted me behind a wheel.
"You didn't have to drive me, I could've taken a cab." I told Alyssa.
"it's no trouble, really" When she said that, I felt a tingly feeling at the back of my head. Weird.
"Are you sure? I thought you were having trouble with your spreadsheets…?"
She cut me "How do you feel, honestly?"
I looked her in the eyes and said for the tenth time "I feel better, honestly, I must've been hungry or something."
She nodded, but her expression had been in a state of permanent worry since I passed out. "I'll call you later, just rest, ok? Let your father pick Jake at school today"
We waved each other goodbye and I went inside my father's house. After my mother died, i went back to live with my father and little brother, at first my plans were to stay for a month, but my father just seemed so lost… a year later, and I'm still here. I texted my father saying I had a migraine and asked him to pick Jake, her little brother, at school. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw why Alyssa seemed so worried, the contrast between my black hair usually made my skin look even whiter, but tonight I looked like a ghost. Add that to my bloodshot eyes and the dark circles under them and I could get a sidejob at a dark ride.
Alyssa was right I need to rest, I'll just make that damn report and then take a nice long bath. I took my notebook and sat on the couch, then I rested my head at the pillow for just a second. And when I opened my eyes, my little brother was standing in front of me, smiling.
Stretching, I gave him a lazy grin "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"
I looked at the window and it was completely dark. did I fall asleep? I looked back at my brother and he wasn't there. I went to his room to look for him, and saw the hallway mirror, completely foggy. Where's my father? Who brought Jake home?
"I am dreaming" I muttered to myself.
This was nothing like my usual dreams, they were usually complete nonsense, this one was so real. I entered Jake's room and saw him in his bed dressing his favorite sponge bob pj's, I looked around the room and it was exactly like in real life, the blue walls we'd painted together, his toys on the left of the room, his white nightstand and his fish lamp. He was holding a book, green eggs and ham, my favorite book as a kid, so I sat down beside him and opened it to start reading, but when I turned to him, he was already asleep, if only he was like this in real life.
I started thinking about crazy things I could do in my dreams, if I imagined an object would it materialize? A sound interrupted my thoughts, I heard something scratching at the door, it was distant, so it must have been at the front door. Comet, my dog, used to this, when he wanted us to walk him or open a door, but he had died 4 years ago, could it be him? I went to the living room and heard the faint noise of my dog's nails hitting the floor, I turned the hallway, and saw a figure close to the window, illuminated by the moon, and it wasn't comet.
It was standing and had huge claws in its hands and feet, it looked somewhat human though, until it looked at me with its leathery face, grayish skin and red eyes.
I looked around searching for something that could be used as weapon, I saw the clock marking 12:07, the remote controI, my notebook, i reached for the glass ballerina next to the tv, and broke it, to try to use it as weapon. Meanwhile, the creature was just standing and looking at me, this whole time, It looked like it was evaluating me. Out of nowhere, the thing opened its jaw and let out a terrifying growl. When it grabbed me, i woke up gasping for air.
