Creatures of Habit - First Blood [ON HOLD]

CHAPTER FOUR

I wake up to the sound of someone screaming... then I realise it's me who's screaming. I cup my hands over my mouth and quickly sit up.

"Where on earth am I..." I whisper to myself while looking around.

Then realisation washes over me and I remember I'm in Drake's room. But... I'm sure I fell asleep on the top bunk... Why am I on the floor now? I must've fallen...

Just then Drake comes running into the room from the hallway and rushes over to me.

"What happened?!" He asked, he has concern laced in his words. He looks at me then up at the top bunk where I was sleeping.

"I fell off the bed."

"I can see that Jessica! But why?!" He asks

"Nightmare," I simply state, trying to keep the fright out of my voice, I don't want him to think I'm someone who gets shaken up by a stupid nightmare... it was just so real though... the red eyed people and... the blood... so much blood...

"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" He asks, taking my head in his hands and looking me up and down.

His reaction surprises me. I knew he cared about me, but I have never seen him fuss over anyone this way before. I mean... I only fell off the bed, it's not like people die from falling off beds... Why is he acting so strange?

"I'm fine..." I say looking him in the eyes, "Are YOU ok?"

He looks away and mumbles something like "Jeez... sorry for caring... don't worry I won't do it again..."

"No... no I... I didn't mean it like that..." My voice trails off and I try to find somewhere to look.

My eyes settle on the alarm clock. 06:58. Dammit.

"I have to go!" I tell Drake who doesn't even turn to look at me.

I open the window and climb out. I'm trying to maneuver my way down the ivy when I hear Drake call down a goodbye to me. I look up but he is already walking away from the window.

I break out into a sprint as soon as I get onto the road. I look down at my watch. 07:05. I'll be cutting it close, but I'm sure I'll make it.

I run as fast as my legs can carry me. I'll have to take the back way to my house, I can't risk getting caught by someone. I duck through a broken wire fence and sprint through the woods that run past my house. I have to get home before my foster parents realise I'm gone. They usually come wake me up at 07:30 and my house is an hour jog away so I'll have to hurry.

I burst through the trees, I'm just a block away from my house. I look down at my watch again, it's 07:25. I curse. "Almost there. Come on!"

I throw myself through my bedroom window just as hear them coming down the hallway to my room. I jump into bed and pull the covers over my head to hide the fact that I am already dressed.

Knock knock...

"Jessica? Jessica it's almost time to go. Get dressed, breakfast is waiting for you on the table." Says my foster mother, Theresa Martha Jonas, in her sweet, caring voice.

"Hmmm..." I say from under the covers, doing my best to hide my heavy breathing and pretend to be sleepy. I hear her sigh and leave the room, closing the door behind her. I jump out if bed and put on a new shirt cause the one I was wearing is dirty from my little morning run.

I head into the kitchen and shove down my breakfast as fast as I can. I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and do my hair. I don't bother with makeup, I don't want to be noticed. I look up at myself in the mirror and see two piercing blue eyes staring back at me. I hate my eyes. They are beautiful, but they make people notice me because of their unnatural electric blue colour. I tuck a loose strand of my straight, black hair behind my ear and walk to my room to fetch my books.

07:45. I've got time. I take off down the road and within 5 minutes I'm already through the gate and packing my books into my locker.

I don't have any friends so I just go sit down at a bench in an isolated corner of the quad until 8.