Of Pain | COMPLETED

Chapter 20

I woke up hearing my own screams again. I let out a groan and hit myself on the head with my heel of my palm, trying to dislodge the horror in my brain. As I shifted from the grasps of the dream to face reality, I could hear my phone vibrating on the floor. Groaning again, I shifted until I grasped the phone in my hand.

I accepted the call and pressed it to my ear, saying a gruff hello to the person who happened to call me at this timing. All I could hear at the moment was heavy breathing, like as if that person was still thinking of what to say to me. I frowned and looked at the caller id, seeing it was an unknown number, I pressed the phone back onto my ear to hear that breathing again.

Feeling rather irked, I ended the call quickly.

Muttering under my breath, I forced myself to sit upright. I knew it was four in the morning since I last saw it from my phone and I knew I won’t be going back to sleep. So I did what I always do whenever I woke up too early. I pulled on a pair of socks and stuffed my feet into a pair of running shoes.

I’m going for a run.

I gathered my phone and my earpiece, plugging them into my ears before heading out of the house. I left quietly and a smile was on my face as soon as the doors from the elevators slide open. My legs started pumping its way along the pavement and my arms moving along in synchronised moves, I could my whole body growing alive as adrenalin pumped through my system.

I loved running.

I feel alive.

I didn’t know how long I ran but by the time I came back home, the sun had already risen and I could see the signs of people waking up for the day as I pass many houses to get back to my building. I rode up the elevator, humming a song under my breath as I waited. As soon as the lift doors slid open, I stepped out and made my way along the carpeted hallway. I was beginning to get used to living here.

I like living here, no stress and no fear. I was beginning to live freely and I don’t feel like as if my own home was my own torture chamber. I don’t feel like I was being chained to the wall, my ankle locked and I certainly didn’t feel as if I was being tied down to the ground. I feel happier, I feel better about myself.

I am beginning to be a better and a more cheerful person. I knew it was a slow procedure but I was on the way there. Mum was awake as soon I stepped into the apartment. I could hear her moving around in the kitchen, cooking some eggs and bacons for the both of us. I greeted her as soon as I got within earshot and I saw her break into a huge smile as she saw me coming in.

‘Hey baby, how was your run?’ she asked me as she moved around the kitchen, pouring the eggs onto plates, sliding the bacons onto another plate and making coffee for the both of us. ‘I hope you feel better though Honey.’

I smiled warmly at her. ‘It was okay Mum; yeah the run did make me feel better thought. It always does,’ I told her easily and sat down on the stool as I waited for her to put the plates on the counter. ‘Maybe you can join me on one of the days?’

She broke out into laughter at my question. ‘Oh I don’t think I’d be able to wake up that early dear,’ she replied me with an easy grin on her lips. ‘Here’s breakfast!’ She placed two plates brimming with bacon and eggs on the table, with two empty cups before pouring the coffee in.

I could hear my stomach grumbling.

Twenty-five minutes later, I waved Mum goodbye as she dropped me off from school. She had given me her usual hugs and her kiss on my cheeks before I got out of the car. She beamed at me and waved back, turning the car around before leaving the school’s carpark. I watched the car retreat before heaving a sigh and made my way into school.