In a grand Victorian bedroom, a lovely young woman slumbered peacefully on an enormous bed. A beam of light streaming through the bedroom window gently touched her pretty face to awaken her.
A horror novel rested on the side table beside a glass of water, protected by a coaster. The overhead ceiling fan sent a gentle breeze that caused the magazine cover to flutter. A low hum came from a distance.
The young woman discovered it in her sleep and reacted with distress. The hum intensified.
Her face started sweating, and she gasped for breath. The sound got closer. She shrieked and opened her eyes in horror.
The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman who stepped into the room.
“Rise and shine, hon. Aren’t you late for your college? It’s seven, and you are still in bed?” The middle-aged woman opened the shades.
A young woman turned her face and said, “Morning, Mom. Please don’t open the shades. I want to sleep a little longer.”
“A little longer? Is everything alright?” asked her mother.
“Yes. I want to finish my dream.”
“What was the dream about? Was it a romantic one?”
“Please,” Amanda frowned. “It was an eerie dream, rather. I just wanted to comprehend that mysterious hum.”
Her mother walked out of the room, unable to hear her.
Everyone in the family was at the dinner table when they heard someone coming downstairs. They all peered at the stairs and watched the young woman come down.
She stopped on the stairs for a while to glance around the kitchen and dining room and observed a variety of dishes on the dining table.
Her younger brother looked at her and smiled. Her dad spread butter on a slice of bread. The kitchen looked immaculate, and the living room looked elegant and organized.
She smiled when someone abruptly whispered her name, “Amanda.”
“What happened, Amanda? Are you okay? Why are you standing there? Come on down,” her mom called out from the kitchen, her voice filled with concern.
She nodded and walked down. A black dog with a ball in his mouth and a wagging tail rushed over to her.
She patted him and said, “No, Rusty, not now. I am already getting late.”
Her mom fixed a plate and poured some juice into a glass. She stood near the dining table, set both her hands on the table, and hung her head down.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. Looking around calmly, she realized she was all alone.
The kitchen was a mess, with dirty dishes in the sink. The dining area was clear, with a couple of chairs and a small, old, crooked table. There was hardly anything edible on the table.
A few energy bars lay on the kitchen counter.
Amanda picked a bar from the counter and walked to leave from the front door.
She peeked back in as she closed the door and saw her family and Rusty at the dinner table, starkly contrasting her solitary reality. She sighed and shut the door.
***
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