Elena laid quietly in her bed. The lights continued to flicker on and off. Still, she made no attempt to get up. So many thoughts had been racing through her mind all night, but now nothing. The house was eerily silent. The night outside was as still as could be. Everything seemed calm, undisturbed. Elena wasn't sure how she felt. She could faintly remember being scared hours ago, but now nothing. The constant light switching made it difficult to sleep, so she just laid there staring at her bedroom wall.
Hours passed and the sun's rays were pouring in through her window. Elena felt a release within her body and could feel the urge to eat slowly creeping into her mind. This was the first thought she's had all night. Had she really been awake so long? It seemed like just moments ago when she had returned home, saw her parents and her little brother, Jeremy, and went upstairs to bed.
Elena slid the covers down and sat up on the side of her bed. She was still dressed in her dark blue jeans and t-shirt that she went out in last night. Even her tennis shoes were still on her feet. Surely, she would have changed her clothes to go to sleep.
"I must be losing my mind," Elena thought to herself. With that, she got up and stretched out. She was unusually stiff. There was still no noise coming from, well anywhere. The lights had stopped flickering. Elena checked her bedside alarm clock. Nothing. The power must be completely out. Normally, Elena could smell breakfast cooking each and every morning and it would motivate her to get dressed and go downstairs. Now, just like everything else. There was nothing.
Elena walked to her door and pushed it slightly pushed it open, peeking out into the hallway. Across from her, Jeremy's door was shut. Still no noises drifted up from down stairs. Everyone must still be asleep. She slipped through her door and tiptoed down the carpeted stairs. Tiny creaks sounded as her weight shifted from stair to stair. When she reached the bottom she took the sharp left and padded into the kitchen.
"I'm surprised you've been asleep so long. God knows, after last night I haven't gotten a wink of it," Aunt Jenna's voice drifted in from the dining room table. Elena turned her head sharply towards her.
"What are you talking about?"
"Elena, what do you mean? You were here. You know what happened. Don't act like you have no idea what's going on. I know you must be in shock right now, but denial is not the best way to handle this, Honey."
Truly, Elena had no idea what she was talking about. She stared at her aunt, with her messy auburn hair thrown up into a bun. She had her flannel Pajama pants on. Her face was unusually pale, her eyes red and puffy. She looked emotionally drained.
"Elena I'm serious. Don't play this off like nothing happened. It just makes it hurt worse in the end."
Elena was stuck standing there in the middle of the kitchen, still staring at her aunt. Obviously, she was missing something.