@AloeVera groupMentallyImInACottage
surprise
Uh it's canon and also it's called uh
"The Incident"
I hold my breath for a few seconds, just to make sure all the stress collected in the initial inhale, as my exhale grows accompanied by the vapors and fumes. I'm tired. That's obvious, I guess, but I just might fall asleep on the couch. I don't know when Anubis would be getting back home-or, here, I guess. I check the clock before the weed sets in.
It's only four o'clock, I've got plenty of time until I have to go have dinner with my family. I managed to get out of the house more often now that I have my own house, but since Crystal still lives with them, and Kristopher for some reason likes them, I'm obligated to join them at least every week for dinner. God, I'm hungry.
One snack is fine until dinner, right? No harm in just a snack.
But should I even try standing up? My body already feels heavy. I let out a gentle laugh, not sure why, though. I roll onto my side as my heavy eyelids clos-no, I'm way too hungry.
I jump up, immediately regretting my decision as my feet float upwards, the rest of my body leaning backwards.
I don't hit the floor. I look around, my eyes burning as I try to focus on something.
"Anubis? What are you doing here?"
He's staring at something in his hands, probably a lighter.
"It needs to be done."
"What nee-"
His face morphed. It was Kristopher.
"I said it needs to be done, otherwise you won't learn your lesson. Christ, Jean, you'd think you'd realize by now, there's no getting away with anything in this house of discipline."
"You're not my father, and you'll never be anything like him."
He held his arms out in an authoritative laughter, his voice distorting as he grows in size, blood dripping from his eyes and nose.
"That just means you will."
I turn my heel and run, but I don't seem to be going anywhere.
What was I running from again?
"It had to be done. He was better off dead, anyway."
I don't recognize that voice. It's that of a woman's. Have I heard it before? I feel like I could have, but where?
Prince walks by my legs, meowing and rubbing on them. This usually means he needs something, but for some strange reason, I doubt that it's actually Prince at my feet. His meowing grows more aggressive. He barely meows this much, what's wrong with him?
Anubis picks him up and holds him in his arms.
"Sorry about that. He just misses me."
Anubis? He was here today, Prince isn't that clingy. But clearly Prince wanted something.
"That's fine…" I utter, not sure why I'm saying what I'm saying. Anubis looks at me with a look of determination in his eyes, his goofy smile fading to a hardened glare. His face was so cold and empty that it almost felt like looking in a mirror.
Then it was. I was staring at my own face. My red, puffy eyes filled with a lack of any emotion. My scruff growing a bit thicker to emphasize the laziness that I've been experiencing lately. The hair down to show I'd either just woken up or just crawled out of my family's house. It was a hideous reflection, but it's really what I look like. Maybe I should at least make an attempt to clean myself up. He stares directly into my eyes, furrowing his brows until he utters one word, almost as if he's trying to call me or get my attention.
"Tushar."
I jump back in shock, but when I blink my eyes, I'm on the floor next to the couch.
In my living room.
I gaze at the clock.
Shit, it's 7:12. I need to get to my family's house before I'm late.
I probably shouldn't have gotten into my car when I was just recovering from a high, but I slept most of it off, right? Plus, my family's house isn't that far; driving there is practically muscle memory by now.
I pull up to the house, barely turning off the engine before I rush out, borderline late by now. As I approach the house, I notice something; the front door was left open a crack.
That wasn't necessarily uncommon; Crystal and I don't bother to close the door when we storm out of the house in anger, but Crystal tends to maintain her composure during family dinner.
I do what I can only hope is a tip toe up the stairs, gently pushing the door open.
I don't think I've recovered from my high. Am I still dreaming?
"Anubis?"
