Lifeless - 17A

Something is bugging me.

I live with my mum and dad, both of whom work for some posh high-class company. They’re both stuck-up, two faced, greedy and selfish i.e. made for each other. They care little for me or anyone else but themselves. It is yet another Friday, coming home from... I can’t actually recall where I am coming from. But everything else, still the same. Same street, same modern- three floored houses and the same people; everything is so normal, I hadn’t noticed how normal it actually is.

But something is bugging me.

There are workmen at Mr Smith’s house painting. One of them waves at me and I wave back but either he’s cross-eyed or doesn’t like looking people in the eye, though he waves at me! Further down the road I notice that my Nan isn’t there; that is completely unusual because believe it or not my Nan waits to greet me every single day mainly after school or on my way back from the shop. Yet I still can’t remember where I’m coming back from!

Now outside my house an extremely abnormal black cat just appears in front of my door; in my mum’s mind black cats are bad luck but I’m not really into that crap. The cat is standing motionless right outside my door and won’t move... after lots of pleading I lose patience and scream, “Shoo... Shoo you stupid cat” The cat runs straight across the pavement onto my neighbours’ garden and disappears. I see my dad’s car, his pride and joy.

Finally inside my house, I throw my bag on the floor and stuff my shoes in the cabinet. Something smells odd but I can’t be bothered to care. On my way upstairs to get changed I hesitate and I decide to go to the kitchen.

And then I see it.

There are pieces of flesh on the floor, lots of them; I almost throw up at this moment, slowly moving my head up my eyes start to blink uncontrollably as if I’m having a fit. Although it’s a sunny day with all the windows open, the room suddenly looks and feels dark and dull. Nothing feels right. Everything’s on the floor; as if a tornado decided to visit my kitchen. Yet one question is in my head. Who does this flesh belong to?

As I run toward the stairs I notice the front door open by an inch or so. I know for a fact I didn’t leave the door open... I never leave the door open. I kick the door shut, run upstairs and scream for my mum and dad; but no one answers. I look at the cabinet, realise that my dad’s car keys have gone, yet out the window, everything remains as normal. I don’t know what to do. Before I know it I’m panicking, rushing down the stairs hoping and praying that I’m dreaming and it’s just my imagination playing up... but to my worst fear, it isn’t.

I run outside and scream for help, yet no one can hear me. Now completely baffled, I run to the workmen who are painting and beg for help yet nobody replies... nobody! Nothing’s making sense. That same guy waved at me earlier on. As I look behind me I see Ms Dean the prettiest lady in our whole street, well that’s what everyone thinks; it takes me a while to figure everything out, but I soon realise that the workman must have been waving at her... not me.

This is no longer a normal day.

Out of nowhere I think about what I overheard my parents talking about last night; it was along the lines of getting rid of something or someone who was getting in the way of their social life, causing some sort of hole in their wallets. I build up some courage and go to the kitchen. I was right. Now in tears I look at my hands, take a quick glance at the floor and see a ring, which is identical to the one I’m wearing. Then it clicks... everything makes sense. I feel lifeless... and now I know why!