Status: This is my first story in a few years, go easy on me!
The Sleepless
Chapter One: The Clock Stopped Ticking a Half Hour Too Late
Stomach twisting, she curled up as tight as she could clutching a tattered photo to her chest. Her world had crumbled and while losing ground each day it’s all she had left of a life so sweet. Tabitha was once stronger than the pillars that held this building together; she forced silence with a single entry. Confusion took it’s toll; she lost herself in a life of deceit, pain and redemption.
Tearful, moments reconciled in her fragile mind colliding and condensing she lay ashamed of the person she had become. ‘Weak’ she recited while clutching at her abdomen, photograph scrunched in her left hand while doing so. Nothing could replenish the burning sense of defeat. She drew deep breaths and rose from the crooked bed, taking no more than three full steps before trembling.
At five and a half stone she had become nothing more than a shadow of herself; bones jutting at every possible direction, irregular and deceitful. Who knew these hidden lies could become her truth?
*
Alarm clock screaming, she awoke wide eyed and startled. Taking a few seconds to decipher that her dream wasn't real, she lazily guided her hand over the buttons pressing at random until the shrill sound faded. She couldn't take her eyes off of the ceiling, although she wasn't really looking at anything in particular.
Feet gently touching the wooden floorboards and pulling away, she contemplated not going in at all today. They wouldn't miss her, no one would notice. But no. That was giving up. That was failure. Angrily, she thumped her feet down shaking the bedside table beside her. Yesterday's exhaustion taking toll as she slathered her face in make up covering up any noticeable sign of pain, of neglect.
She hastily pulled her clothes on, baggy, unfitting. Anything to hide her secret away. She gathered her books and left before the sun had time to rise. Pacing herself she walked hastily with purpose. Feet speeding, eyes dully looking at a world that had failed her. She decided long ago that disappointment was an everyday occurrence for everyone that surrounding her, but not for herself. No. She would get there. She would reach perfection, and anything short simply would not do.
She reached the school gates feeling faint. Few students littered the path outside at random, watching the road in anticipation of their friends. She hurried inside and found her solace: The library. She pulled out her textbook and began working, tearing out pages and starting again when errors became apparent. Books stacked around her, she created a fortress blocking out any entry for idle communication from her peers. ‘Unfortunately-’, she thought to herself, ‘Jada knows me too well.’. And before that thought could even make a section notion within her mind, she appeared peering over the books.
Jada, all too used to these everyday occurrence, placed herself down and awkwardly mumbled out a solemn ‘Hi’. Tabitha barely looked up, eyes resting at her neck then swiftly returning to her page mumbled out after a extended pause the same. Tired, she sighed leaning back after finishing her sentence.
‘How are you feeling today?’ Jada asked quickly regretting her choice of words.
‘I’m doing okay I guess. How are you?’ She replied with a sigh.
‘Aren’t you apprehensive about today?’
‘Today?’ Tabitha quizzed with a raised eyebrow and a silent sense of dreading.
Tearful, moments reconciled in her fragile mind colliding and condensing she lay ashamed of the person she had become. ‘Weak’ she recited while clutching at her abdomen, photograph scrunched in her left hand while doing so. Nothing could replenish the burning sense of defeat. She drew deep breaths and rose from the crooked bed, taking no more than three full steps before trembling.
At five and a half stone she had become nothing more than a shadow of herself; bones jutting at every possible direction, irregular and deceitful. Who knew these hidden lies could become her truth?
*
Alarm clock screaming, she awoke wide eyed and startled. Taking a few seconds to decipher that her dream wasn't real, she lazily guided her hand over the buttons pressing at random until the shrill sound faded. She couldn't take her eyes off of the ceiling, although she wasn't really looking at anything in particular.
Feet gently touching the wooden floorboards and pulling away, she contemplated not going in at all today. They wouldn't miss her, no one would notice. But no. That was giving up. That was failure. Angrily, she thumped her feet down shaking the bedside table beside her. Yesterday's exhaustion taking toll as she slathered her face in make up covering up any noticeable sign of pain, of neglect.
She hastily pulled her clothes on, baggy, unfitting. Anything to hide her secret away. She gathered her books and left before the sun had time to rise. Pacing herself she walked hastily with purpose. Feet speeding, eyes dully looking at a world that had failed her. She decided long ago that disappointment was an everyday occurrence for everyone that surrounding her, but not for herself. No. She would get there. She would reach perfection, and anything short simply would not do.
She reached the school gates feeling faint. Few students littered the path outside at random, watching the road in anticipation of their friends. She hurried inside and found her solace: The library. She pulled out her textbook and began working, tearing out pages and starting again when errors became apparent. Books stacked around her, she created a fortress blocking out any entry for idle communication from her peers. ‘Unfortunately-’, she thought to herself, ‘Jada knows me too well.’. And before that thought could even make a section notion within her mind, she appeared peering over the books.
Jada, all too used to these everyday occurrence, placed herself down and awkwardly mumbled out a solemn ‘Hi’. Tabitha barely looked up, eyes resting at her neck then swiftly returning to her page mumbled out after a extended pause the same. Tired, she sighed leaning back after finishing her sentence.
‘How are you feeling today?’ Jada asked quickly regretting her choice of words.
‘I’m doing okay I guess. How are you?’ She replied with a sigh.
‘Aren’t you apprehensive about today?’
‘Today?’ Tabitha quizzed with a raised eyebrow and a silent sense of dreading.
♠ ♠ ♠
Okay so this isn't my best -or at least I hope it isn't- and hopefuly the chapters to come will be a little better. I'm in a very distracting environment and haven't actually written a story in... years. So this is my first attempt. I hope you like it, feed back would make me happy!For B.