The morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow across Natasha's room as she sprawled in her cozy bed, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets.
Natasha watched as he her friends faces flickered on the screen.
"Ahhhh, I can believe you are going to believe in us" one of her friends Jenny said.
"Calm down Jenny it's not like she's going to be leaving us for too long right ?"
"Yeah right, I'll only be gone for 2 weeks" Natasha said that she replied to her friend Sylvia's question.
"Ahhh, I get it 2 weeks but even that is too long" Jenny pursed her lips.
"Come on don't be like that, it's just 2 weeks and I'm sure you can handle it after all we've been apart from each other for way longer" Natasha said.
"Yeah Jenny there's no need to be sad after all Natasha is going to bring us some souvenirs when she return, aren't you Natasha?" Sylvia asked
"Wait what I never Said-"
"You are going to bring us back some souvenirs, right?" Sylvia said as she glared at Natasha.
"Yeah right whatever" Natasha said in surrender."
"Yay you heard that Jenny" Sylvia said as she clapped her hands.
"Well I guess it all right as long as we do something fun when you come back" Jenny side tiredly.
"Thanks Jenny I knew I could count on you. Okay girls it seems I have to go now" Natasha said.
"Okay bye"
"Yeah bye, and don't forget to keep in touch"
"Yeah I won't, bye" Natasha said smiling as she waved the duo off before ending the call.
Natasha let out in loud sigh as the solitude of sleep beckoned her back into bed, she hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night and was ready to snuggle the hell out of her pillow while she engaged in what will be a well deserved rest, but that was when it happened.
Like a lightning bolt crashing unto the ground, a large thud echoed as her younger brother, Gail, burst into the room with all the energy of the morning sun itself.
"It's morning wake up!!!" Gail's smug face shone brightly.
"Noooooooooo!!!" Natasha screamed as she grasp the air as if crying out to the heaven saying 'why now of all times'.
With an impish grin, Gail flung the curtains wide open, flooding the room with sunlight and inviting in a chorus of chirping birds.
"No God Please Nooooo" Natasha grumbled, burying her head deeper into her soft pillow, pleading for just five more minutes of rest.
But Gail, now the bundle of boundless enthusiasm, was never going to take no for an answer.
"Come on rise...and...shine" He playfully nudged her shoulder and urged her to rise, his laughter like a cheerful melody that danced through the air.
Natasha chuckled hysterically but she was crying inside, she swatted playfully at him before trying to resume and sleep.
"Come...on...don't...sleep" Gail said as he pushed her body back and fought on the bed.
At this point Natasha's mind began to race, unless she wanted to become like those zombies in apocalypse movies she needed her beauty sleep but with the current predicament it was looking like she won't even get a second of shut eye.
Then like a flash of inspiration a thought flashed into her mind, If he's not going to let me sleep then I'll just ignore him, surely he will get tired after a few minutes of trying, Right? - WRONG!!!, It's hard past and he was still pestering her.
Her body was continued to be tosed back and forth and like a mad man on crack her eyes were bloodshot as she stared into the oblivion of her room wall.
"That's it no more Mr Nice Guy!" Gail said as he hurried out of her room.
"It stopped...the movement it stopped" Natasha mummured to herself as she could no longer feel Gail's presence.
In a split second exhaustion washed over and she succumbed to the siren song of sleep, her eyelids fluttering shut once more.
She could hear the gentle and sweet voices of the angel as sunlight poured in, painting the room in shades of amber and gold, wrapping Natasha in a warm embrace.
The soft, lulling rustle of the leaves outside mixed with the gentle hum of morning activity, casting a tranquil spell upon the room.
And in the midst of it all, Natasha finally surrendered to the comforting tranquility, slipping back into the sweet embrace of dreams.
Call it serenity or whatever you will but in that moment that she fell asleep she was truly in heaven both body and soul - until her brother came in.
And then,
*Splash*
In the moment Natasha was having a heavenly encounter with sleep Gail had grabbed a nearby bucket and filled it with water from the bathroom.
With a mischievous grin on his face, he tiptoed back to Natasha's bedside and lifted the bucket, tilting it slowly until a deluge of cold water spilled over her face.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!"
A loud, startled scream echoed through the room as Natasha bolted upright, her once dry hair now plastered to her face and dripping with water.
Gail stepped back, a triumphant smile on his face, as he began explaining his actions.
"Just so you know,I did what had to be done. You wouldn't wake up and I ha-"
Gail's his joy quickly evaporated as Natasha exited the room, completely soaked and with an expressionless face.
'No way, don't tell me I turned her into a zombie' Gail said to himself as he looked down as the empty bucket and back out Natasha's disappearing figure.
Her eyes were wide and unseeing, and she didn't seem to notice the water dripping from her clothes.
Their parents, Brianna and Jeff, sat in the living room, Brianna flipping through the newspaper and Jeff with his glasses perched on his nose as he read.
Brianna was a middle-aged beauty, with blonde wavy hair and a warm smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
Jeff, on the other hand, had short, balding brown hair and a serious expression as he absorbed the news of the day.
If there were anything similar about the couple it was that they were both infatuated with the news, and anywhere you went in the house they were probably a heap stack of newspaper waiting for you at every corner.
"Natasha, what happened?" Brianna asked, setting the newspaper aside and rising from her chair to approach her drenched daughter.
But Natasha remained unresponsive, her gaze fixed on some unseen point in the distance.
Gail could see the concern in his parents' eyes as they tried to coax a response from Natasha, but she remained silent.
"I would give her time to herself if I were you" Gail said as he sad down at the breakfast table and sipped a cup of coffee.
"Why,what happened" Brianna asked concerningly.
"Nahhh, nothing too serious it's just the morning virus" Gail said unhesitantly.
"Morning virus?... I mean that sounds quite serious... Should I be worried"
"Nahhh, fortunately the vaccine is sleep"
"Ohhh... Is that so" Brianna said as she let go of Natasha who took a seat at the table"
As the morning light filtered through the kitchen windows and the sounds of birds chirping filled the air, the Grives family eat in silence.
Gail turned to see Natasha's unblinking stare sent a chill down Gail's spine.
Something wasn't right, and he couldn't shake the feeling that pouring a bucket of water on her had unleashed something far more ominous than he could have ever imagined.
Natasha calmed down and it was like the lingering sleep in her eyes had finally left.
She gazed around at her parents and her younger brother Gail, taking note of their features - her own long, brown locks cascading down her neck, and Gail's blonde waves styled in a simple fade, a trait inherited from their mother.
Their matching brown eyes sparkled in the morning light, creating a sense of unity within their genetic makeup.
As Natasha buttered a piece of toast, her gaze flickered to the corner of the room, where she noticed several large traveling bags stacked against the wall.
Puzzled, she turned to her parents and had a look as if they were missing something related upcoming visit to their Aunt's place.
"Hey Mom, have you called and told aunt Susan that we are coming" Natasha said as he looked at her mom curiously.
"No sweetie it's like I said earlier it's a surprise visit"
"IT IS!!!" All the three of them exclaimed as the head Brianna's word's
"Yes it is, I already mentioned that the day before, I don't get why you all are getting so worked up"
"Darling, I know you intend well in trying to surprise her but this is your sister we are talking about you of all people must know how much she hates surprise visits" Jeff said as he touched his wife shoulder. " And if you're still having second doubt consider your relationship with her in the past, maybe a surprise visit wouldn't be the best option, you know"
"Yeah dad's right, I mean it's not too late, I can even call her now" Natasha chimed in she showed the contact on her phone.
"Nooo!" Brianna shouted, stunning Natasha who was about to dial the number on her phone. "I mean no, we do not inform her that we are coming and that is final"
"What!" Natasha and Gail exclaimed simultaneously
"Darling" Jeff looked in amazement.
"Yes I know this sounds counter intuitive and I know I and my sister haven't had the best of relationships over the past few years but that's why I'm going to come when she leasts expect me, I don't want her putting up an act just try accommodate us... If we're going to sort things out and forgive each other we are going to have all our emotions on the table, and beside the same my sister is not like she's going to kick us out if we come uninvited - right?"
"Everyone looked at Brianna as if they were waiting for her to answer her question"
"Well anyways, eat up your food is getting cold" Brianna said after a moment of awkward silence.
The family continued to eat as they each simulated scenarios about how their trip eventually would turn out - unknown to them that it would be far from what they could ever possibly imagine.