Alex's eyes opened, staring at the ceiling blankly and suddenly his eyes widened in shock. He remembered. He remembered the dreams he had been having.
For months he would go to sleep and wake up with bites and hickeys on his body but he never remembered what happened in his dreams. At first, he thought it was his kid sister, Sam who bit him and he probably forgot about it. But now he knows why. He remembered.
He had kept it all to himself and had hidden the marks from his parents not wanting to bother them about it. That, and he had just gotten back from rehab and wouldn't want to go back. So, when he saw those continuous unexplainable bite marks, his first reaction was to hide it from his parents.
He sat up wide eyed and moved away from the bed quickly, seemingly afraid the bed would swallow him whole. He brushed his hair backwards with his hands as beads of perspiration covered his forehead and his earlobes became red.
He was shocked and embarrassed. "It's just a dream" he tried to console himself but he obviously did not believe, not when he had been having the same dream for the past three months.
TRRRRR!
The alarm by the side of the bed started ringing crazily, shocking his every being.
"Argh," his shaky voice fills the room. He raised his hands to guard against the alarm clock. Then he sigh and move closer to the clock slowly. He turned it off and jumped back. He was already sweating profusely from that action. He was never one to take part in vigorous activities.
It was 5:30am. It seems he woke up five minutes before the alarm clock rang just like the past three months.
He was still trying to catch his breath when he heard a knock on his door followed by a sleepy voice of a woman. "Alex, get ready for school."
Alex moved towards the door but did not open. "Okay, Mom." He said in a whisper as if afraid someone else would hear.
He felt relieved that he would be going to school today and would not stay at home. Just the sight of his room... 'Creepy.' He thought.
He shrugged, opened his wardrobe and took his towel and bathrobe. He hung his towel on his shoulders and went to the bathroom.
***
In Alex's room, a strong wind blew and the brown book on his reading desk opened, a fine blue writing appeared on the book.
[Such a huge reaction. I knew it was a bad idea to reveal it to you but I can't help it. You're just too... adorable.]
There was faint trace of tease and satisfaction like the writer was excited.
The words in the book did not stay on the book as they dissipated and the book closed like it was never there.
***
Alex was drenched down in the shower as the sound of water splashes filled the bathroom, he could not help thinking about his dream.
He was lying shirtless on his bed. A man with strong physique was holding down his hands as he lay on him. His strong arms were holding Alex's hands upwards and revealing his biceps, his skin seems to glow. The man looked directly in his eyes and had a quirky smile. He suddenly started kissing Alex's chest, neck and down. Alex panicked as he left bite marks on his skin. Alex was shocked and kept struggling out of his grip but it was of no use. He gave up and watched him bite his body. He felt pains and discomfort all around.
The bites on his neck was particularly painful and that was when he woke up. He looked to the right, where the sink mirror was and saw the reflection of himself. He was not shocked in the mirror, his reflection was pale and he seem to have accepted this reality. There was an obvious bite mark on his neck. He felt his neck, he trembled from the action as he felt a stinging pain on it. He lifted his neck and let the water from the shower wash it down.
He was suddenly calm as he tried figuring out who the person was. He could not remember the face of the other man, not even the hair color. All he knew was the man had an athlete body and was completely naked. His cheeks and ears turned red as he thought of this.
Cough! Cough!! He coughed, 'what am I thinking?' He shook his head and got off the bathtub.
***
After dressing up, he picked his books from his reading table and seem to remember something. His face suddenly turned pale.
'How come I was asleep in the bed?' He thought.
That's right, last night, he was still struggling with his assignment on the reading table. He had not finished them when he fell asleep. He did not climb to the bed at all, so who could have carried him there? It obviously could not be his mother and definitely not father because he did not come back home last night.
The door also seems to be locked from the inside but he was sure he did not move a muscle to close it.
"Maybe I just sleepwalked" he said to himself aloud and looked around as if expecting a reply but heard nothing in return. He felt crazy. 'Why would I be talking to myself? Stop it Alex.' He reprimanded himself in his heart.
He opened the history book on the table and sees that the assignment has been completed but the handwriting was not his. His pupil shrank in fear. No one else was in his room, just him.
He packed all the books in his backpack and noticed the little brown book. It was lying closed on the table. His slender fingers reached out for it and opened it. Nothing was written on it. It was a plain notebook. Not even the printed horizontal and vertical lines were on it. He had not seen it before but he still kept it in his bag and left the room. He just could not wait to leave for school.
***
"Have breakfast" a slender woman with short black hair said. She looked pale and tired.
"No mom, I'd eat later" Alex said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
His mom frowned with displeasure, "I can't have you going to school on an empty stomach, I'd pack it up for you."
Alex could not refuse any longer and he nodded. He just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Even if he was half an hour earlier than the school bus.
He takes his food from his mom and went out the door while she looked at the closed door worriedly.