The Awakening - Dakota Edgell (elon musk reading list TXT) 📗

I awoke to the sweet smell of my mother's perfume and the shadow of her hand over my face, about to tap my shoulder in her gentle way. Before she could mutter my name, I snapped awake and sat up.
"Ugh! I'm still not used to that?! After twelve years, I am still not used to how you wake. I should just get an alarm clock…" She was talking, of course, about my supernatural senses. I could smell a fly's fart in Africa, if I wanted to. I could always hear what anybody was saying, even if they were outside. They knew to be careful around me. Of course, I needed contacts, but that was made up for in the other four senses. And then some.
I stretched and smelled deeply the crisp morning air. Bacon- maple bacon, eggs and cheese, and biscuits made with extra butter. Delicious! I sprinted around my room, picking up my clothes and throwing them on, and jumped onto the rail of the stairs, sliding on my feet. I hopped off and rounded the corner to the dining room.
"Morning!" I cheerily greeted my family and picked up a biscuit. I ate it in one bite, and in that I could hear the soft insides tearing, smell the buttery aroma, feel the bubbly surface, and taste the sweet succulence that is my mother's cooking. "Mmmm…"
I packed my bag for school- math book, science book, binder, pencils, and all that good stuff. I fed my dog, let her out, and kissed my mother goodbye. Running to school, I saw my friend Jacob and stopped to look at him. He seemed to be having trouble.
"Hey, Jacob! What's up?"
"Nothing, Jeremy. Just bike problems. Stupid chain's all rusted up."
"Why not walk? It's a beautiful day! Come on!"
"Sure."
We walked in silence, Jacob listening to his music, and me zoning off, staring at the trees. It was fall, and the leaves were beginning to fall. There was some sort of eerie beauty in leafless trees. I don't know what it was, but it was compelling me. The more bare, the more beautiful.
I stopped to stare at one in particular- it had absolutely no leaves. How strange. It was only mid-autumn, it should have at least had a few. I walked towards it, examining it thoroughly. It was covered in claw marks, and…blood. Fresh blood. I turned my back and ran away. I kept running, knowing that I was in danger. Next thing I could remember was sitting in class.


I was sitting in Math class, not paying attention to the droning lecture. Something about variables? I don't know. I've known these things since third grade. Yawning, I put away my textbook. We wouldn't need it. He's just gonna ramble on about variables and how to determine their appropriate values.
"Mr. Hagan, can you tell us the value of X since you are ever so interested in our lesson?"
Ugh. Mr. Hagan. I hate it when he says that. I'd rather him call me Jeremiah. I glanced at the board, taking in the problem, sighed, and said, "You cannot determine the value of X in this expression because it is an expression, so you cannot reverse the given operations for there is no equivalent value on the opposite side of the equal sign, which is non-existent."
"My God, you're right. Hmmm….."
And so the day went on.
As the day came to a close, I packed my bag and headed out the door. Or, that's what I want to say happened. It actually went something like this: I was walking down the hall and a kid tripped me. I got real angry, but I kept my mouth shut. I had plans for him anyway. As I paced down the hall, heading back to class, something hit the back of my head. A book. So I turned around and threw it back. But no one was there.
So, bag on my back, I grabbed the book and ran. I ran straight out those doors, dodging teachers and the students ditching class. I ran all the way home.
I slammed the door, locking it. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a coke and a cookie (can't run from danger on an empty stomach), and ran to my room, locking every door I passed.
In my room, I locked the door, the closet, and boarded up my window. Trying to turn on my light, I realized it was broke, so I lit a red candle.
Every minute dragged on for hours as I waited for my final hour to come. I wasn't waiting for my mother to come home from the doctor, nor for my father to come home from work. I was waiting for Death, and Death, as it seemed, was waiting for me. The codependence was being strangled, for I would not go to Death and Death would not come to me, causing the tension building up inside of me to feel like a ticking time bomb. It may have been my imagination, but it seemed to be that Death gave in and was coming for me, for the corner of my room was pitch black, and the darkness was gathering. Death was coming, and I was an open target.
As I thought about it, contemplating my end, I thought- maybe the darkness is because of the one candle! So I unboarded the windows for the slim sunlight. It was always gloomy, and today was the lucky day that the sun came out. I opened the curtains and looked into the corner. The black was still there. Well, I might as well wait for him to get off his lazy butt and get me. That was the thought in my head. But then I remembered- the strange being! Whatever had disappeared that I was running from- it was still after me! I couldn't get the boards back up, so I drew the curtains and pulled out my brand new black out ones. I pulled off the old white curtains and replaced them with the brand new ones. No one could see me. Other than Death. Then, I heard the door open with a slight creak. I ran for the door, unlocking it, knowing it was mom. But, as I put my hand on the lock, I smelled something, something sweet and floral. One of the most beautiful smells in the world. I heard the shuffling of feet on the outside windowsill of my room and the soft thump of feet hitting the ground. I backed away from the door and turned around, heading for the window. I snapped the curtains back and looked. There was a note on the windowsill. I opened it up and reached for it. It only said one word- "Soon". I began to freak out, seeing that there were claw marks on the windowsill- the same marks that were on the tree. Looking out the window, I looked down at the ground. I lived on the second floor, and whoever or whatever this was jumped from the windowsill straight down to the ground. He couldn't have gotten away, his legs would've been broken. I slammed the window, shut the curtains, and ran down stairs, just in time for my mother to call my name.

It was almost the same story everyday after that- running home as fast as I could, waiting for my mom after locking every door, etc. It became rather tiring and monotonous, and soon I began to feel no reason to hide, I just stopped doing the process altogether. I just felt no need to anymore. I didn't feel like there was any danger. I actually began to just walk the slowest I could, laughing at danger itself. Until it happened again.
I was so relaxed, I began to jog around the school every day, and I would lie by the tree everyday on the walk home. But then, while jogging as usual, I heard a rustle in the bushes. Not wanting another confrontation, I ran like the wind, using my sonic speed to get the hell out of that God-forsaken place. I ran and ran, then stopped to catch my breath by a tree. A wilting, leafless tree with claw marks and fresh blood. Again. I was shocked and backed away. My rest lasted only two seconds, and I was running again. I stopped again to look behind me, and he was keeping up, at a slow-walking leisurely pace! I ran again, top speed, looking back every few seconds, only to find him getting closer. Eyes as black as the night, and hair even darker. Hands in his pockets, he flashed his teeth at me- his sparkling white teeth.
I got inside and slammed the door. "Where the hell have you been?!" No hello for me then. "Answer me when I'm talking to you or I'll rip you into pieces, you little brat!"
"Shut up! God! You just need to shut up and go to your room or else! You. Will. Die!"
"Is that a threat?!"
"Just do it! Mom, I'm sorry, but you need to do as I say! Someone is chasing me and I need to keep you safe!"
She ran off, leaving behind a heavy odor of perfume in her wake. I saw and heard everything as if it were happening in slow motion. My mother plopping down on the bed, her gentle whimpers of fear. The faint thudding of feet up the sidewalk. It felt as if each footstep was a ringing of a church bell, sounding my funeral. I crouched to strike as I heard his breathing behind the door. I was waiting like a wolf, squatting and waiting, prepared to pounce on my challenger. But all I could hear was his breathing. I did not and would not rise from my stance, though. Something was up, I could feel it.
Waiting, I heard him sniff at the air, and his sick pleasure at my mother's scent. I growled like a demon wolf, and he stopped. Even the clock stopped at that growl.
I shook in fear at myself. What's happening to me?! was the first thought in my mind. People following me, this demon fighting against me! I couldn't handle it!
And then, I heard him smirk. The muscles tightening in his mouth. He gave one low, near silent chuckle and whispered something in some weird language. Almost like hissing, like a snake. I couldn't understand a word, but as soon as he uttered that odd phrase, I heard one foot hit the ground and could hear him running away. I relaxed, breathing in and smelling his scent. I memorized it, for the future. Lilac and oranges. Very pleasant.
But then, smelling his scent,