12-08-80

.1.

{November 29th 2015.}

I woke up on this particular morning startled. I was almost crippled with pain in my ribs, shins, and shoulders. My head throbbed as well. Although once the pain hit me, it was gone. Like ghosts of injuries past. I pulled myself out of bed and got dressed in my confusion. Where had this pain originated? I tried to remember what I had done the night before.

My friend Adam and I had played the XBOX at his house; we were celebrating his birthday. That was how we always celebrated things. I'd go to his house and we'd play against each other as we drank from the same champagne bottle. My parents would have murdered me if they had seen us doing this. What they didn't know wouldn't kill them. Besides I am an adult now. I am nineteen and living in my own apartment. Do I really have to carry their rules with me?

Adam and I were close. When we met, he was sixteen and I was fourteen so we easily became close, we were practically brother and sister. Just before we met, Adam had fallen for my friend Cali and had recently asked her to marry him.

Because of these facts I knew we hadn't done anything bad last night. Also, I'm pretty sure I would remember if anything did happen. I ruled that out.

I certainly hadn't done anything physically demanding. Playing videos can be stressful, but they don't require much movement. That was out.

Maybe I was hungover. But that didn't make sense. I had drank half a bottle of Champagne, but I didn't get drunk easily. Also, the headache should have lasted longer, right? I felt fine already. I ruled a hangover out.

I was out of explanations. Nothing made sense. Something else that contributed to the confusion was the excitement that I felt. I had an abnormal feeling, almost as if something was going to happen. Whether it would be for better or worse I couldn't say. The adrenaline pumping through my veins was enough to fuel a fighter jet for years (I may or may not be exaggerating).

I pushed it all out of my mind and shuffled to the kitchen to make myself some coffee. I added lots of cream and sugar and drank it scorching hot. It burned. I cringed. This was how I woke myself up in the morning. Pain is the best way to kick you into awareness. Of course today I was already alert from the pain I woke up to, but old habits die hard.

I took my coffee to my living room, but I didn't get to finish it. Because when I walked into the room I saw a man sitting on my couch. Some stranger being in my house wasn't even what freaked me out the most. What made me drop my hot morning drink was the fact that a dead man was sitting on my couch.

I took a deep breath. "Hello, Mr. Lennon." I whispered, my burning lips still trembling.