Amberian (Gods of California I)

Chapter 44: Sick Day

Daylight. 

She was walking down a long alleyway in a rundown city. 

Dogs barked ferociously around her; sirens wailed in the distance.

With every step she took, the alley extended, and she heard a voice, but couldn't make out any words. 

She seemed to be alone, and felt it, not even the Man with No Eyes was anywhere in sight. There was no light at the end, only darkness, it was calling her, but she couldn't get to it. 

A voice called her name. So loudly her ears rang.

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Ally woke to the sound of her alarm wailing in her ear. It was six in the morning, and very cloudy outside. She took an extra minute to close her eyes. Sleep hadn't refreshed her, and she wished she had more time.

The cut on her neck was mostly healed, she no longer needed a bandage, and the scar hadn't ended up being as bad as she thought it would be. It was noticeable, but it was just a light line on her face. Jen had bought the excuse that she was playing a stupid game and got hurt. In a way it wasn't that far off.

She got up to stretch a bit and look out the window. She'd worn a hoodie and shorts to sleep, it was common attire for people from California to wear in spring when it was a bit chilly but still sixty-five or seventy degrees outside.

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Jen was already gone, having taken a shift to open the diner. Ally made herself breakfast. She still had an hour before school, so she decided to make eggs and bacon rather than the usual pop-tart or bowl of cereal she'd have in a rush.

As she finished, her phone buzzed, and she swiped open a notification from Amber.

AMBER: Won't be at school today, I'm sick

Ally's stomach knotted as she thought of her dream. Maybe it was something related to Amber, and she just hadn't deciphered it correctly. She wasn't sure. The Man with No Eyes always seemed to appear to her in premonitions, but not every dream she had, had come true. It was probably just a regular creepy dream that everyone had from time to time.

Probably...

Ally ran upstairs to change out of her sleepwear.

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She called the school and said she couldn't go because she wasn't feeling well.

"Nah, just like a headache and a cough," she coughed on cue. "Seems like just a cold, but I'm really tired and I'd rather just sleep today."

It was almost Spring Break anyway, the week before break was usually pretty laid back. The attendance clerk accepted her excuse and validated her absence.

As she pulled on her converse shoes, she checked her wallet. She had cash, enough cash for what she wanted to get.

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There was a Target on Cal Oaks Road within walking distance. Ally had a basket at her side already filled with chicken noodle soup and tea. She was scouring the medicine aisle and made sure to pick the stuff that didn't say she had to be at least twenty-one to purchase.

Before checking out, she stopped by the DVD section of the store. Nothing looked appealing at first, but she didn't stop looking. She didn't even notice the store security guard give her a suspicious look.