That Four Letter Word

S E V E N

[Chapter Seven: Welcome to My Nightmare]

Song: Focus | H.E.R | Acoustic Instrument [The Theorist]

~

《 Winter 》

"Winter." I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hey. Why did you walk past me?" I turned around and look at the figure in front of me. I knew who it was just by the voice.

"Hey, babe." Another person approached, grabbing the figure's hand and pecking him on the cheek. "Hey, bestie. How's Lake City?" I blinked hard. "Winter? Why aren't you saying anything?"

I kept looking between the two faces in front of me, but I couldn't make out their features.

"Winter? Don't be rude now. Talk." I turned again to see the shapes of my parents. Their faces also distorted but not as bad as the two I was speaking to before.

"Winter. I won't hurt you. You're my everything." I head the first figured say. "I'm sorry."

"Winter. Winter, I'm sorry." The second figure followed.

"You should've told her!" I heard more screams add to the swirling voices around me.

The voices continued to echo around me.

"Time of death: 1:23 AM."

Then silence.

"Winter. He's. Dead." He's dead. He's -

My body shot up from the nightmare. My body dripped with sweat. I turned to look at my alarm clock. 2:54 AM. I wiped my hand against my sweaty forehead and peeled myself away from the bed.

I rummaged through one of the still unpacked boxes at the side of my room and grabbed the orange bottle. Popping the lid, I grabbed two pills and placed them into my hand. I jogged downstairs to grab a cup of water. I squinted at the bitter taste of the two tablets. No coffee for me later.

~

I didn't sleep after last night's subconscious performance in my mind. I worked on the project plans and I had gotten a lot done. I had already dressed and went through my usual routine with the straight hair and the glasses and the coloured contacts. I just decided to do it a few hours earlier. Okay, maybe not a few.

"You're up early," Dan called out, walking onto the balcony where I was working. "I heard you last night." He paused for a moment. "They're back aren't they?" I tried to focus on the sheets in front of me. "Winter, you can't run away forever. You didn't even attend their -"

"I'm fine," I bluntly interjected. I refused to look up at his face. I knew he was concerned and I didn't want to face that. I softened my expression. "Please, don't tell Grampa." I looked up to meet his concerned look. He nodded and returned inside.

"Text me if you decide to see Teo, okay? Nice contacts, by the way." He called out from the kitchen.

~

I couldn't be bothered to hide my car anymore. I had virtually no proper sleep and I wasn't in the mood to cross paths with the judgmental gazes of the townies. The townies who always seemed to be in the spot every single freakin' day at the same time and look at you with the same expression. It's just so -