Chapter 3: Chapter 3

The fight cooled down as quickly as it started as a teacher sprinted at the young boys yelling, “No fighting!”

Each of the boys dashed away in opposite directions like scurrying rabbits. Leaving Carter to the teacher’s inescapable scolding.

His backpack held the homework he had to do for the night, he felt dizzy just thinking about it. He decided to visit his mother's bookstore before going through any of it.

As he walked through the streets the high rise buildings blocked the sun out, leaving some of the street safe from the sun's heat. As he turned a corner his eyes closed narrowly as the sun hit his face.

Trash littered a great area of the street and spray painted buildings were the majority, giving the street an unflattering and colorful look. He kicked a can out of the way with familiarity.

The two streets were like night and day. 

As he opened the door to the bookstore ‘Dwellers Books’ it chimed as he walked through. Raising her head hurriedly, his mother's long dark brown locks fell haphazardly around her face, she spit some of the hair that unfortunately flew into her mouth.

“Son, what brings you here? How was school?”

She said while holding a children’s book. She placed it down on the counter, and walked over to him, smothering him in hugs.

“I need to borrow a book. School was great, and thank you for the lunch.”

His mother gave him a thumbs up smiling.

He laughed and went to the back for a dictionary. As he shuffled through the books he felt his heart ache, he hadn’t been here in so long. The smell of books and the sound of pages being turned gave him a nostalgia that started from the heart and surrounded his thoughts.

He could have been able to run his mothers shop if he just took the effort, just a little bit of effort would have meant a life of comfort for his mother. His mother who single handedly raised him only for him to leave her alone and dying.

“What are you looking for, honey?” His mothers question reached the back of the store that stood at a small 1,666 square feet.

The bookstore had 10,000 books at best, not including small toys, bookmarks, etc. it was a bit cramped but it had its own cozy nook in the back with fluffy beanbags, couches, and kid toys. It was obvious from first sight that this was his mothers family’s life long work.

She put most of every penny into having the quality of the store kept reasonable for customers, however very few there were or how terrible the street of the store was. Even with some of the books pointing out of the shelves, it only added a visual of comfort.

“A dictionary.” He puts the book he was skimming through back into the shelf, as he turns around.

“You should’ve read the signs I put up. You’ve runned along these shelves since you were little. It's surprising you can’t remember where everything is.” She pointed to the white tabs that stuck out of the top corner of the shelves. The little words in colorful writing would catch anyone’s eyes as soon as they were lost, it was a wonder how he didn’t notice.

♪Oh my darling lover~

Lover darling~

Will you stay with me till the end of time?

As the earth and moon collide~

Lover darling~

Darling lover~

I don’t desire much else but you

So wait for me till I can come kiss you~♪

Carter tapped his foot to the slow paced music that was accompanied by a bass, piano, and acoustic. This brought back so many memories that it painted a smile across his face. 

This was the song that played at his prom.

He laughed to himself when he remembered running out of there with his past girlfriend, everyone chased them down several streets.

His fingers gilded happily across the books, his fingers stopped on a green covered book with no title. He felt almost compelled to pick it up. A little curious, he gently removed it from the light brown shelf.

Its cover was a dark green with no title, it was spotted with age and its spots were each a different shade of green.

♪Lover darling~

Don’t fear a thing

All you have to do is say something, then I’ll come running

Lover Darling~

Darling lover~♪

His fingers opened the book to the first page. Blank. Page after page was blank.

Sighing he closed the book, he didn’t know what came over him. He assumed it was a diary then placed it back on the shelf, he pulled his hand away in surprise and pain shortly after.

The book's ragged cover had cut his finger. The red blood ran down his arm quickly. He put it in his mouth and went to his mother for a band aid.

Behind him the book had disappeared like it had never existed.

**

His room's desk was loaded with books. His head hurt. He would have to stay up all night to get his homework done.

“Here are some snacks. Work hard son!” his mothers crow feather eyes turned to crescents, her eyes warmed looking at her son. He could tell she was proud of him.

He felt his mood lift and decided no matter how hard it was, he would make sure she was happy for however long he had with her.

His mother was a gentle soul, she was scared of pain. She would cry with the tiniest of wounds, she liked sweet things and she always made sure her son was happy before herself. He needed to make sure she would live the rest of her life eating sweets and never experiencing something unpleasant. She had given him so much and he had given her too little.

He smiled and thanked her for the snacks. 

Her rough hands patted his hair.

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As he worked he’d nibble on the apples then write something down. His notebook was soon filled with information he needed to remember.

His homework was done after a few hours of work. He’d finished quicker than he expected. His young body wasn’t tired in the slightest.

‘This is great. I should exercise before bed.’

He did 120 squats, 3 pull ups, and 60 sit ups with breaks in between. He drank constant water throughout his routine. He could feel it all heading south.

“Gotta pee, gotta pee.”

He rushed out of his room to the bathroom, but his mother had already occupied it.

“In the shower!” She shouted, he could hear the water running.

Feeling everything going down he started getting more anxious. 

“Just head over to Jackie's place next door like you always do.”

‘Jackie?’ He had forgotten Jackie, she was this girl he used to hang out with before becoming rebellious. He ran out the door, he had no time to think about it.

Knocking repeatedly the door finally opened and a young curly haired black girl opened the door. “What?!” She shouted angrily.

She saw him hopping anxiously, his face full of sweat. “Go go go.” She didn’t want him peeing at her front door.

Rushing through the house he instinctively found the bathroom and hurriedly locked it. He could feel all the tension releasing. He sighed contentedly.

Washing his hands he exited the bathroom.

“You two really need to get your second bathroom fixed.”

“I forgot we even had a second bathroom.”

She twirled her hair between her index finger and pointed at a wall while popping her bubble gum at him. “It’s to be expected. It’s been two years since you broke it.”

He couldn’t remember that at all, which wasn’t surprising since he could barely remember this friend of his too.

“I did?” He asked.

“Yeah. You overflowed the toilet, no one knows what came over you when you suddenly decided you were an expert plumber and started messing with it. All you had to do was use a plunger.”

He could feel his face heating up. 

Swallowing her gum she pointed at him with a glare and said, “I thought you said we were no longer friends and you wouldn’t be using our toilet.”

He thought hard but couldn’t remember. “Sorry, friends?” It was best he just apologized and tried to befriend her again. He was turning over a new leaf. She was willing to let him, someone who decided not to be friends and probably even insulted her, use their restroom. It showed she still cared for him.

“You won’t suddenly get angry with me again, right? Pinky swear.” She stuck out her pinky while smiling childishly.

He, embarrassed, locked pinkies with her after she kept egging him on. She was quick to forgive, but that just proved even more how deep their friendship was before he started being rebellious.

Thanking her he left her home, his sweaty shirt stuck to him uncomfortably. He needed a shower.

**

After a warm shower and a sumptuous dinner, he could feel his eyes shutting on their own. He stretched comfortably on his bed and wrapped himself like a burrito with his blanket.

He closed his eyes, complying with the sandman.

**

‘I can’t move.’

His body was immobile, like a rock he couldn’t move an inch. His eyes were closed and his breathing even, no one would suspect he was experiencing sleep paralysis.

It wasn't his first time but he certainly didn’t have a liking for it. He could slowly move his finger tips, he was slightly relieved to have some mobility, no one liked being confined so abstrusely.

As his fingers slowly started to move the rest of his body that was tethered by the static of sleep paralysis was starting to free itself too.

‘So close.’ 

He gasped sitting up, his chest was tight with nervousness. He didn’t like not being able to move freely. It made him anxious.

Looking around he stared at the white that surrounded him.

Sheets of white in various shapes, if one were to look closer they’d see the outline of furniture under them. 

‘Where am I?’

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