AWAKE

INTRODUCTION

Hey guys, that's my first time here and first time writing a short story. I hope you like it and I'd love to recieve comments from you on my story because I wonder if what I show is interesting.

I love zombies but I will make it enjoyable to read because I know a novel with this genre sounds dumb and boring. But in this story, I'll share different topics, so it is not only about dead people walking. This story is inspired by Naruto; moral values, friendship, hard work, love, politics and more. Some parts are inspired by real events. I hope you'll love it!!

Nathan (Nate) 22 years old

I was in my bedroom, on my laptop, watching random videos on Youtube. Suddenly, I could hear my mom's footsteps coming upstairs. She knocked twice on my door before opening and entering. She was holding her phone and was on a call with my older sister. I could hear her talk loudly. She was mad about something.

- Nathan is completely an irresponsible guy. He had an opportunity to work in a good company months ago, and he did not focus on his work. Now he lost his job. Mom, you should teach him lessons. He's doing nothing in his days, he is such a lazy unconcious brat. Said my sister on the phone.

My mom was agreeing and making gestures to say "Look Nate, she is right. You should become more responsible."

They both started yelling at me. And it's not the first time. Once a week, my sister calls my mom to talk bad about me and mom comes in my room to put oil on the fire.

It has been 7 years that my dad passed away and since then, my older sister has taken her role a bit too seriously. She did not give me time to heal. And all the family agree with her strict attitude towards me. No one has ever asked me if I was doing fine without my dad. My family is not a family. Instead, they only critisize me and tell me "it is for your own good or you could fail at life and become a drug addict". I have never touched anything like that and I don't know anything about it.

The pressure my mom and sister were giving me while yelling at me in my room today was horrible. I was thinking of giving a big slap to my mom. But they will call me rebellious and a kid with no respect for parents. So I was suffering in silence. Nevertheless, I decided to answer when my sister on the phone said "He had a good job but he lost it."

- It was a training contract of 3 months. Even if I wanted, I could not continue to work there because they did not promise the seat.

When I said that, there was 5 seconds of silence from my sister and mom. It felt like 5 minutes. Then my sister said "You could have told me that before but anyways, you must find a job because you are 22 now, you must be a responsible man."

In my family, they all speak more than they listen. So I had told her before that it was just a training contract. But she forgot because she had not listened to me.

That night, before going to sleep, I was thinking I had no one to talk about my family issues. I was thinking about that day when after school, I went out with my friends to the city and an hour later my sister called me and said "Nate, where are you? Gone out? Go home now. Stop wasting your time outside with your friends. You must study." Then I said to my friends ; "Guys, I have to go, sorry."

- Hey, Nate, are you serious? You're 21, you're not 10 years old. Said my friends.

- Yeah I know but my sister said to go back home.

- She's not your mom. Stop doing what she tells you to. You won't be responsible if you don't make your own decisions.

- Ok, I'll stay.

Then after her call, she texted me "are you home?" And I said yes eventhough I was with my friends. Then when I came back home, my sister texted me and said "Your mom told me you did not go home when I told you. You were still with your friends. You lied. You must stop your lies if you want to succeed in life." I said ok but she gave me a lecture for 10 minutes through messages.

- From now, you will never go out with your friends and you will only focus on your studies. Think about your future. Give it your priority. Do not waste time on going out. You understand? If again you go out, my boyfriend and me will not help you and your mom again with your financial burden and will never deliver food from grocery store for you, nor will go out to have fun family time. She said and I said ok.

But a week later, I still went out with my friends. She would everyday text me to check where I would go. This time, I could not lie to her so she yelled at me through the phone in front of my friends. When I came back home, she called mom and they both critisized me. I never had a good time with them. Even when my sister and her boyfriend brought me out to have "family time" we would eat good food, laugh and all but for me, I was not myself.

- Hey Nate, I want you to be more fun, creative and give ideas. You always look out of this world. You look like you're not present in the moment with us. Talk to me often about things you would like to do with me, with us together and productive things. You know, it's important for a family to be united. So please be more responsible. Said Sam through messages, my sister's boyfriend.

I was constantly put under pressure with my family. I was being more reserved with them because whenever I talked about the things I wanted to do, they would not agree. And then they are surprised why I'm not present when I am with them.

They surely gave me hard times. I just wished that one day, they would change. Or I changed and become a better person to impress them. I want them to treat me better. But as Sam told me one day :

- We don't need you. I have 2 cars, a big house, I own it, I am a doctor, I don't need to be in touch with you. So be honored to have me help you find your future.

01:38 AM and I am laying on my bed, unable to find sleep and looking the dark blue sky through the window. It's completely dark and the wind is fresh and soothing. I love the silence here.

"Mom has sent you a message"

On Whatsapp, I opened it to see. She sent me a motivational video. She's normally never awake at this time, so it is a bit surprising for me. Maybe she can't sleep because she feels bad of being mean to me today with my sister.

02:25 AM, I still cannot sleep. I am over thinking. I want to punch Sam in the face.

*ting!* Mom sent a message again. It's a video where a man says "Never give up and keep fighting. Take responsibility and be patient. You will find a job."

I don't really know if I need that but... interesting.

Then I slowly fell asleep.

04:07 AM, I went downstairs to the toilet. Then I headed to the kitchen because I felt hungry.

The kitchen was dark and I tried to switch on the lights but it did not work. Suddenly, I saw mom in the dark standing in front of the fridge. Not moving. I could barely see her. That looked creepy because although I knew that was mom but at the same time, she did not look like her... no, more like it is unual to see her stand there and not moving.

- Mom ? Why are the lights switched off ?

She did not reply. 10 seconds later, she walked slowly towards me. She was quiet and the feeling was becoming creepier.

- Hey! Hahaha! Stop. What are you doing? Aren't you sleepy? I said while stepping back.

- Uuuh.....ah....

She made a weird sound like she was suffering.

- I..... hungry.. she said in a tired and dying voice.

She ran towards me, and I yelled. I ran near the toilet to bypass her. I ran to the kitchen and made things fall. I started panicking. She opened her mouth like zombie and I knew I lost her. She is not herself anymore. She tried to jump on me and attack me but I was dodging her well.

I tried to reach something with my hand to defend myself. A cucumber. Damn. Ok, let's go. I took it and hit her head with it.

- Ah oo!! She said.

- Mom? Came back to your senses?

- Huuuh aaargh!!

- No? Ok, nevermind.

I ran to the garden and closed the door. I remembered that zombies can't open doors.

*clink* she did... she opened it. Zombies have evolved I guess.

I closed it again and kept forcing the door to me while she was tryig to open. I called the ambulence.

"Your call is unable to reach. Network is saturated."

What the hell. I'm in the middle of a-

She punched the glass of the door. I left the door and ran further in the garden. I was looking for something to defend myself with or something to keep her at place.

I headed to the small hut where we keep garden tools. I was searching something between many things in a hurry. I can't choose. I don't know what to pick in order to not hurt her. Suddenly, she jumped on my back trying to bite me. I took a random tool before turning around. The tool was a chainsaw.

TO BE CONTINUED