Death by Sleep:Chapter 1 - A Normal Life

The life of Tom Holmes going to be turned upside down.

Chapter 1

A Normal Life

 

            I guess to truly understand the truth, you must know the lie. It all started a little over a month ago. Back then I was a just a normal Tom Holmes. I went to Francolin University after spending two years in a community college. I lived on campus my best friend Dan Munn. He and I were as different as apples and oranges. He was a big muscular guy with short reddish brown hair and brown eyes. I was this lean skinny thing with short jet black hair and brown eyes that covered with glasses.  He got into the university by getting a football scholarship while I got a scholarship in academics.

            I was very happy when I found out we were both going to same university. It was only fate that when end up being roommates. I spent most of time studying trying to get good grades.  I spent my late college years skating through getting B’s without even pushing myself. Now I was in university I had to step up. One night, I accidentally fall asleep and have vigor dream about killing people mostly firearms, pistols and rifles. Others were knifes or bare hands. I couldn’t see the faces of my victims it was all just blurs.

            That morning I woke up to the sound of Dan’s daily activity if you know what I mean. We lived in a small apartment with a simple kitchen, bathroom, and living room which was also our bedroom.  You couldn’t do much without your roommate knowing. I heard moaning and giggling coming from other side of the room where Dan’s bed was.

            “What if your roommate wakes up?” the girl said lightly before kissing noise drowned her out.

            Underneath the clinging of belts, Dan said “Don’t worry he’s a heavy sleeper. He’ll be out for hours.

            “I’m not that much of heavy sleeper, dude.” I said pushing back the sheets and began getting up. “Good morning, Dan. Good morning, random girl. Let me get out here.”

            I got up, grabbed some fresh clothes, and head toward the bathroom to do my daily list. You know the brushing teeth, taking shower, etc…. Then I walked out of the bathroom and quickly grabbed my book bag as they were going full auto. Once I got out the door, I realized that winter hit New York hard as snow was everywhere. Some people might be thinking how beautiful the snow is. I was thinking how much I want out of here. Not saying that I hate New York. I just want my Computer Science degree so I can get started with the rest of my life.

            I walked through the feet of snow. The campus stuff had already put the Christmas decorations up as I saw red and green lights wrapped around pole I walked past. It indicated to me that the fall semester was about to end. I hated when the semester was over, because I had to go back to orphanage. The campus was closed and that was the only home I known.  I was welcome there with opened arms, didn’t mean I want to do. I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as struggled through the snow. I arrived at campus cafeteria was a huge place after all it had to hundred plus students and teachers. I walked into the place which was completely empty expect for the cafeteria staff. They were working on breakfast. I guessed they didn’t expect to see anyone up so late.

            I took my usual seat at my usual table.  I pulled out my notebook and textbook. I found a hand stretch out across the table placing a bottle of milk next to my notebook.

            I smiled “Thank you, Mrs. Summers.” Mrs. Vanessa Summers, the nicest woman I have ever met. She was a good looking woman, a lot younger than other cafeteria ladies. She had beautiful light brown skin with long brown hair and green eyes. She always gives me free milk before a final or a midterm.

            She walked back to the kitchen as I stared on when I heard the chair beside me scrapped across the floor. God she found me I thought to myself. I already knew who this person was as I have been trying to dodge her for two weeks. It was like running from a blood hound. Everywhere I was there she was the lovely Sam Wilson. Sam or Samantha as  some people called her was good looking girl tall petite with long brown hair and pretty greenish blue eyes.

   Now Sam was in Human Communication which pretty much dealt with how we talk to people. I didn’t mind as long as I wasn’t the subject. Unfortunately in this project I was the subject.

            She wanted to know everything about me, and unlike her I wasn’t such an opened book.  She took the seat beside me and looked at me.

            “Have you been hiding from me?”

            I gripped the bottle and smiled “Yes, I have been running from you and weird questions.”

            She looked confused “My questions are not weird. They have academic purpose for this project. Anyway I did my part and it’s time to do your” I sighed as I have to admit she did have a point.

            “Okay, you have fifteen minutes, I have math final I have to study for math final that I’m sure I going to fail.”

            She smiled “I’m pretty sure you’re not. Since I couldn’t talk to you, I went to talk to your friend Dan.” Oh god, I thought to myself as I watched her pulled out her notebook. She flipped through the page at lightning fast speed. It was so fast I could barely see the words. I could still read as she wrote so big as she turned to page where her interview questions where I quickly found something not right.

            I said “Sam, I didn’t cry when you mentioned my parents.” She quickly pulled the notebook away. “Change that, I did not cry.”

            “What was I supposed to say what an a*s you became once I started talking about your family?”

            I said gritting my teeth.”I was not being an a*s. I just didn’t want to talk about my family, but you kept bring it up every chance you got.”

            She said “Fine.” Then she started writing some more stuff on her notebook.  I tried to get a closer look, but she pulled it away. “The orphanage where you lived, what can you tell me about it.”

            “It okay place I guess. I mean I didn’t hate anyone there. The staff took good care of us…” I got a huge headache as I tried to remember those days. I tried to remember all my friends at orphanage, I knew I had some, but it like had a huge hole in my memory. The more I tried to fill in that hole, the more intense the headache got.

             She said “Are you okay?” She had a worried look on her face as I looked up at her.

            “Yeah, I’m fine. What is the next question?”

            She continued “Where do you work at or do you work?”

            “Yeah, I work at the mall, Maxwell’s Electronics. It a small store that fixes and sells electronics and before you ask yes I do enjoy my job.” I replied looking at my math notes. I had no problem remembering going to work, fixing computers, and selling games.

            “Okay, I got one more question and then we are done. It’s about your choice in career, why did you choose to get a degree in Computer Science?

            “Because I wanted to work on computers all my life and I work with FBI as computer analysis. Keep the country safe.” I said I was fool back then if I known back what I knew now I would have never got her involved.

            She said “Okay, we are done. I need to write this essay which due tomorrow. Guess no sleep from me.”

            “I guessing that you are implying that this is my fault.” I said dryly.

            She said “Isn’t it? If you weren’t sure a baby just answered all the questions.  I wouldn’t have to work so hard“

            I nodded my head admitting she have another point. “Fine, I’m sorry. After my math final, I will help write the paper I promise.”

            She said “Fine, but you also buying me lunch afterward.”  I sighed but what the hell I might as well have a little fun, before I head back to the orphanage.

            “Agree.” She got up from the seat and head out the door leaving alone with my notes and text box. I began scanning the pages making sure I know every formula and equation.

            Then the second she walked out of the door, it was like the whole campus woke and started heading toward cafeteria like a herd of cows. They took all the empty seats around. Dan walked in with his football team and waved at me. I waved back at him. He walked over and took a seat beside me.

            “So working hard or hardly working?” he said with a huge grin on his face.

            I smiled “I was working hard for like a moment before some people came into making a lot of noise.” I return to my books.

            “Why didn’t you go to the library like everyone else?” He quickly realized the answer to his question. I didn’t like big crowd often and we both knew the cafeteria would clear out after breakfast.

            I looked over to his teammates’ table which was surrounded by cheerleaders. I though once we were out of high school we would get rid of nerd and jock status. Man, I was a fool. He was still the cool jock and I’m a weird geek. The reason we get along so well is because we are so different. I would have survived. When I was around him, people left me alone. I helped with his tests.

            “It looked like your boyfriends are mad at me for taking you away.”

            He smiled “They’re good guys. I wished you would just meet them. They not like you my little ninja. I didn’t even hear you leave.”

            “Could you hear me with all that moaning in your ear?” He laughed as he leaned back on his chair. “So how do you do on your finals?”

            He said “With you as my study partner no way I could fail. By the way thanks for that really help me.” We spent last couple of weeks preparing ourselves for the finals which meant no partying or drinking for him. I looked at the time. I had a few minutes before my class started. “You know you can come to my house on winter break.”

            I said “I don’t want to be a nuisance.” I have thought about asking Dan about this, but it just seemed wrong. Holidays were a time for family and I didn’t have one. I guessed I deserved to be alone on this supposed happy time of the year.

            “Dude, my parents love you. You wouldn’t be a nuisance at all. Mom asked 

 

 I finished drinking my milk, said my goodbyes to Dan, and walked out of the café.

            Back into the snowy campus I walked into the Mathematics Department. I was a little worry even though I was able to study over the four weeks. As I walked closer toward the building I noticed some of my classmates arriving as well.  I knew a few of them from my high school and others from the community college. Although I doubt with they remember me. I walked by them as I went through the door. The lobby was full of more students trying to get some last minute study in. I found a seat in the back in the back. I took my seat and decide to join the study group.

            Going through the pages of the math book, my confidence grew a little. I was doing some practice equation when my cell phone went off. The first thing I thought it was probably Dan forgetting some. I was wrong when I looked on my cell and saw a text message with three words.

            It read: Are you awake?

           

Author's Note

Please tell me everything thats wrong with this chapter.

Reviews

[melissa]

amazing book so far i am enjoying it so far i cant wait to read the next chapter

[Shep]

If you really want me to be real about it. It was a train wreak. I'll tell you what helps me...... read it slowly out loud. Trust me it works. If I was on my pc i'd cut and paste the trouble spots and I will if you try this first.

Story line Awesome. Great depth and good flow. Missing words..a lot...but anything can be fixed. I myself have had many, many drafts and still miss somthing every now and then. So keep your chin up.

[halflives]

I couldn't find many errors, at least none that I could point out to you off the top of my head. Well done! I'm intrigued by the cell text, and what it could mean. Tom is an interesting protagonist and he seems like someone who would try to outsmart the government. xD He's confident, but not much of a confrontantionst(sp?) so to speak. Great work, on to the next chapter!

.display. .olivia.014.
.memberID. 014
.division. II
.division.leader. Shane
.name. Olivia
.username. allonsy-doctor
.novels. Required, Walker
.status. Novelist
.join date. 04-02-2011

[Gone]

Very good! I love this so

[Alicka]

Very good chapter. There were a few clerical errors, but nothing else that i saw.