6 Chapter 5

A loud but low rumble woke me up. I sat upright with my T-shirt clasping to my back. Goosebumps ran down my arms and legs even though it felt like I was sitting inside an oven. A big flash followed the rumble, illuminating the clothes on my chair against the wall. With the next flash I saw the green book on my bed. The fingers waiting around my lungs slowly squeezed tighter as I heard another rumble. Wheezing I grabbed my inhaler again in desperation for the fingers to loosen their grip on my lungs. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Thunder have always scared me. It all started when I was a toddler.

It was raining outside when my mother sat me down in my bed near the window. A thunderstorm started, lightning struck the ground violently. It didn't bother me then. In fact it amused me. My cat, named Katrina, stood outside in the rain. She ran towards my window opened a crack. Before Katrina could reach the windowsill, a lightning bolt struck the oak tree in front of our house. Deadly electric waves pulsed through the ground. I saw the hairs on Katrina's back stand up and her insides lit up. With horror I saw the limp body drop to the ground, steam rising from her fur. My innocent mind couldn't un-see what I saw that day. I remembered that I cried and screamed that whole day and night, and my mom had to comfort me. After that day she still wrapped me up in blankets and sang me to sleep when thunderstorms started, even though her voice wasn't the best vocally. In that moment I missed my mother's welcoming arms, and the way the sound of our laughter, from trying to sing, would be harder than the sound of thunder. 

I tried to get back to sleep, but the thunder made me toss and turn in my bed. I decided to put the lights on and watch a movie on my laptop. I sat with my back away from the window on my fuzzy carpet. The laptop whirred rhythmically in the silence. I opened the internet browser, but a yellow triangle popped up: No internet connection.  I sighed and restarted the page, but the triangle appeared again. The connection must have been shut off by the lightning. I couldn't help but glance nervously at the window. The branches of the tree next to my window looked like skeleton hands scraping on the glass to get inside. I couldn't go back to sleep, so I was going to have to read a book. Ironically the only book except for my English literature book, was the green one lying face down on my comforter. Hesitantly I grabbed the book and tip-toed towards the kitchen. 

I made a vanilla bean coffee, and feeling guilty, adding three teaspoons sugar. The coffee was a tad comforting. Trying to distract myself, I went back to reading the wonky sentences. The words still didn't make any sense, but the reading made me tired. Before I knew it, my eyelids started getting heavy and droopy. I decided to let my head rest on the table for a few minutes, but realized that I was slipping into a dreamy unconsciousness. 

***

"This Orange juice is so good! I wonder where they got it." 

I opened my eyes, squinting at the person standing in front of the refrigerator. I remembered about letting Derora sleep in our house, and instantly regretted it. Derora stared at me with big eyes while holding the juice carton. 

"What are you doing?" I asked through clenched teeth, tearing off a piece of paper stuck to my cheeks. 

"I'm sorry. I was thirsty," Derora said defensively and put the carton back in the refrigerator. 

I gave a big grunt and stood up from the table to go back to my bed. Derora grabbed my book and stared at the confusing pages.

"What's this?" she asked. 

I sat back at the table and glanced at the clock. It was four o'clock in the morning. I realized that I wasn't going to get enough sleep anyway, so I might as well tell Derora about the book.

"I bought that book from an antique shop, and the sentences inside doesn't make any sense. I've been trying to figure it out, but fell asleep in the process. I think i'm going to throw it away because it gives me the chills. "

Derora stared at the book for a long time. Her forehead folding into a frown. Then she jumped up with a gasp. I was startled and almost fell off the chair.

"What is it?" I asked concerned. 

Derora smiled at me, dimples forming around her mouth. 

"How have you not figured it out already!? It's so easy. Read backwards."

Eagerly I grabbed the book from her hands and tried her method. The sentences made more sense backwards.

"Recently a fascinating discovery was made. Between thorns and roses, in the nearby pine forest, the world's motherclock rests patiently. At first it was a myth, but the things happening there was all too real..."