"Urrggg" I grumble. "What is going on now?" I wondered as I slowly reach out my right arm until I felt the hard wood of my side table. Eyes still shut but I was able to find my phone. Bringing it close to my face, I unlocked the screen and realized it's still 5:40 am. "Oh, Come on!" What is all this noise about?" I asked, though no one's really there to answer my queries.
I can hear multiple Sirens wailing off - Police and Ambulance together. Even at a distant, I can also discern that a firetruck is on its way.
Reluctantly, I decided to sit up to check the scene through my window. "Buddy, where are you?" I call on my dog as he was nowhere within my sight. He usually sleeps with me on the bed or he's on the floor by the door but not this time. I heard no answer, and so I scuffle my dark brown hair, put on my baby blue slippers so I can see what's happening.
As soon as the window glass was opened, an awful smell hit my nose. A rotten egg combined with the disgusting odor of a sewer is what I can picture out. I immediately regretted doing what I did. After closing it, I grabbed my air freshener and sprayed all over the room untill I was able to breathe comfortably again. I am certain that I won't be able to get some sleep anymore so I walked towards my door. "Hey Dino, so you were huh?" an excited and playful dog wagged his tail upon seeing me. "Let's eat" I said after rubbing his stomach.
"That's really unfortunate. Who would do that to her?" I hear someone downstairs. "Did you see anyone visit or perhaps talked to her in the last 3 days? a guy replied. I can now hear them distinctly as I reached the last step of our wide, white staircase. I was tiptoeing even though the black carpet would silence any sound. "No. She's mostly inside her house and she lives alone." I can see mom talk to a police officer who's standing outside the entrance. "Thank you Mrs. MacMillan. Please have a good day." The cop said as he closed his small notebook and turned his back.
"What happened mom?" I ask after she closed the oak door. "The old lady across the street died.. or maybe, should I say killed?" she replied without a hint of hesitation after a long sigh. "Mrs. Bauer?! But..but I just talked to.." I stopped what I was about to say. I never talked to her even once. Never had the chance to.
"Sophia! what did you say?" my mom's shouting derailed me from my thoughts.
"Uhmm.. yeah..talk.. what did you talk with the cop?!" I stuttered. Though I already know the answer, I questioned anyway to excuse myself. "Well, they found her decomposing body in her bedroom floor. They said, it might've been robbery." She replied while walking away to head upstairs. I remained silent, head down, shocked if I may say. I can't shake off the feeling that I'm forgetting something.
Suddenly, I saw Dino sniffed around my legs, a sign that he's already hungry. I walk towards our kitchen and opened one of the lower cupboards to get Dino's bowl and a pack of food. "Here you go Buddy. Enjoy". I also prepared my own breakfast. Took out the cold milk from the big, grey colored fridge and a box of cereal from one of the top cabinets.
"Remember" I heard a whisper. It sounded so far away. Then, a ringing sound in my ear caused me to hold my head tightly, but the buzzing sound didn't stop. I grabbed and pulled my hair while I close my eyes hoping it could halt the pain, but it didn't... and right there, I recalled a dream I wish I didn't.
The cereal has been knocked off the counter and the milk I prepared spilled all over the floor. It was a total mess. The buzzing sound slowly decreasing by the second and I can start hearing my dog whimper beside me.
"I'm fine Dino. I'm okay. Thank you." I say in appreciation. I sat on the chair and rest my head on the table. A lot of questions filled my head. Questions I wouldn't dare ask anyone. Questions I don't want to ask out loud as I'm afraid, it might become the truth.
Breathe in, breath out was all I did to help me relax. Trying to forget what happened. Doing my best to continue my day.
After a couple of minutes, I lift my head, stood up and looked for the sponge to clean the milk on the floor. Picked up the few pieces of cereal on the counter and finally, had my breakfast.
I returned to my room to fix my bed that was left unkept. "It's still 6:17 in the morning. Sis might still be sleeping." I mutter to myself after looking at the time on my cellphone. I have nothing else to do but to prepare for school anyways. The bath took me 20 minutes and I changed to my casual clothes for about 10 minutes. "Now, I can comfortably walk to school." I say as If I have achieved something grand.
The journey was peaceful as I hoped.
I arrived safe and sound. No surprises.
"Hello Fifi!" A familiar high pitched female voice called out to me from behind. "Hey Nana!" I immediately replied. Here comes my smartbutt, bubbly when talking about equations, gorgeous with her glasses and braces friend. I love her.
"Sophie, I heard about what happened to Mrs. Bauer." she said with sympathy.
"Yeah, a police officer even came to the house to ask for more information" I replied.
"Really? could that have been my uncle?" she asked.
"Uncle?! You never mentioned about that!" I exclaimed.
"Well, he's a distant relative and he only arrived last week so I did not have the chance to tell you." she explained.
We both heard the first bell. "Let's catch up later Nathalie!" I tell her before we parted ways.
Rest in Peace Mrs. Bauer. I thought to myself.