A gorgeous young woman was slumbering in her room on a big Victorian bed. A beam of light projected on her pretty face through the window of a bedroom as if it was touching her face only to wake her up.
A horror novel lay on the side table, next to a glass of water covered with a coaster. A magazine’s cover page fluttered about with the whirls of the overhead ceiling fan.
A hum emanated from afar. She 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.
***
A door opened; a middle-aged woman entered the room, “Wake up, hon. Aren’t you late for your college? It’s seven, and you are still in your bed?” She started opening the shades.
A young woman turned her face and said, “Morning mom. Please don’t open the shades. I want to snooze 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 romantic one?”
“Please,” frowned the young woman. “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 for a while on the stairs to glance around the kitchen and dining 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.
She nodded and walked down. A black dog rushed over to her, with a ball in his mouth and a wagging tail.
She patted him and said, “No, Rusty, not now. I am already getting late.”
Her mom fixed a plate and poured some juice in a glass. She stood near the dining table and set both her hands on the table with her head hanging down. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Looking around calmly, she was all alone. The kitchen was a mess, with dirty dishes in the sink. The dining area was clear with a couple chairs and a small old and crooked table. There was hardly anything edible on the table. A few energy bars lay on the kitchen counter. She picked a bar from the counter and walked to leave from the front door. As she closed the door, she peeked back in and saw her family at the dinner table along with Rusty. She sighed and shut the door.
***