2 Chapter 2:Nightmare[2]

Ring..... Ring... 

The sound of the alarm ringing again and again frustrated him.

"Shut the hell up," He spoke in a half-asleep state and hit the button of the alarm with a bang, turning it off.

After waking up from the horrible nightmare, it was only after the sun rose did he fall asleep.

All sorts of distorted scenes dyeing his vision with blood appeared in his eyes which disturbed him greatly. 

The nightmare messed up his mind to the point that it took him a while to calm himself down. 

Taking a short nap for a few more minutes, he heard a scream from outside his room.

"Son, wake up quickly, it's already 8:45.You are going to be late for the train."

"Mom, 5 more minutes, please, "He uttered groggily and went back to sleep again.

After five minutes, he heard another loud shout much fiercer than before and his reply was the same as the previous time.

Digging his face into the soft pillow, he submitted himself to the warmth and drowsiness while unaware of the looming dark shadow that was drawing near him.

"Son!"

"Yes, Mom!"

He replied nonchalantly but his eyes opened as he felt a chill going down his spine.

"Did you stay awake till late at night playing games?"

Before the boy could answer, the blanket that he wore was suddenly pulled away with a great force which also pulled him down from the bed and he slammed on the floor.

His eyes opened wide and with a surge of anger, he roared like a wounded beast"Who hell...Hey, mom what's up?"

Choking up in between, his tone became gentle and soft.

His mind was jolted awake seeing the demoness form of his mother....he meant his mom glaring at him with a foul expression.

"Mom, why did you wake me like this?"

His mom smiled and pointed at the watch.

He tilted his gaze at the watch and his expression distorted as he saw the time.

"Kayak!"

He jumped up and screamed in panic seeing that only 37 minutes left until 9:30.

Without further ado, he rushed towards the bathroom to finish the nature calls and freshen up.

Vanessa looked around and clicked her tongue in annoyance and walked out slamming the door loudly.

.....

In the hallway, a man sat at the dining table and read the newspaper with a leisurely look.

He put it down and then looked at the news playing on TV.

[An unknown group that caused the train accident last month are still on the run. Police found some clues after searching them. The gangs are pulling out the tracks causing the train to go off tracks last month and yesterday, The Police found a set of missing tracks.]

[Seeing the severity of the situation, the case had been handed over to Special Forces. A petition is sent to Railway Minister to form a special team to check the tracks to avoid accidents.]

SWITCH!

The TV was switched off suddenly.

"Who turned it off?"He spoke angrily.

The man rotated his gaze and swallowed his saliva.

Beads of sweat trickled from his forehead.

"Honey, who pissed you now?"

"You."

Vanessa's anger flared up seeing a package beside her husband.

She walked towards the table and picked up the knife, sliced the bread and started to put butter in it while speaking in irritation.

"After he goes out today, I will burn his entire stock of novels and games."

"If I don't do something, he will waste his youth on these useless things instead of studying."

Cough...Cough...

Leonard tried to appease his wife's anger and said"Honey, don't let your anger get into your head."

"He is just 20. He has years ahead."

"Let him enjoy it a bit."

'After all, you have to sell your freedom as dowry when marrying a woman.'

That's what he wanted to say but he did not have the guts to say this.

''At least he is reading some-.."

THUD!

Leonard shut his lips as the knife stabbed the piece of butter and the temperature around him suddenly froze.

"Dear, did you want to ruin your son and turn him into someone like you who just lazes around?"

"I don't want him to grow up into a good-for-nothing like you."

Leonard wanted to refute her claims but he kept his mouth shut because he feared losing something important if he opened his lips now.

CREAK!

The awkward atmosphere lingering between them was broken by their son.

Leonard's words struck in his throat as he stared at his son in disbelief.

Two huge dark circles covered his eyes giving him a panda look.

The tie he wore wasn't tied properly and his shirt was half tucked in giving him the look of those so-called bullies.

His expression looked quite serious which made him wonder whether this son of his was going to college to study or to fight with someone.

Vanessa shot Leonard a glare and muttered softly"Like father like son."

Giving her husband an earful, she asked"Did you even sleep last night or waste the entire night doing something useless?"

The boy who was subjected to the acquisition grumbled and said"I slept at 1 but…"

"I had a very terrifying nightmare last night."

The boy's expression darkened and his eyes became lifeless which caught his parents off guard.

"I am not feeling well today."

His whole body shuddered a bit as the scene of corpses appeared in his mind again.

"The dream was so vivid and horrifying that every time I thought about it, my stomach churned up."He spoke and closed his eyes while inhaling heavily to clear his mind.

In a normal situation, Vanessa would have already started scolding him but her heart ached unknowingly seeing her son like this.

He seriously looked unwell.

"Son, if you aren't feeling well, you can take off.No need to push yourself."

Roy shook his head and said, "No, I am okay."

Vanessa stared at him with a softened gaze and stepping forward rubbed Roy's hair with a soft smile.

"You are already 20 and it's time for you to do something meaningful. How long are you going to be stuck in your room?"

"All the novels you read, all the anime you watch and all the games you are playing are nothing but a way to fill the emptiness in your heart. You are getting farther and farther away from reality by immersing yourself in them."

"So try to take a break and spend some time outside playing with your friends."

"Mom, it's not that."He tries to refute this with a flustered expression.

"Do you think you can hide this from me?"

"Who doesn't want an ideal life? Who doesn't want to live as a hero with lots of money getting respect from all around?"

"Everyone dreams to lead an ideal life like that."

"At first it just starts as a hobby for enjoyment but soon people found themselves deeply enthralled by it and think of themselves as living the life of the character because they found a part of themselves in that character who could do the things which they could never dare to do. A life that they deem as ideal."

"Hope and dreams are beautiful things if only they are fulfilled. Otherwise, the same things that fill you with zeal and happiness today, will turn into a poison that will kill you slowly in agony."

"If you don't want to be trapped in such a fantasy and dream, it's time to do something meaningful so that at least some who stay with you, may remember you and your deed."

"It's time for you to stand up and become a proper man."

His mom's words resounded in his ears like loops. Everything she said was correct and it struck straight in his heart.

He knew that deep within his heart but he was too embarrassed to accept it.

Maybe it was his ego that was still refuting trying to save a bit of pride from the so-called otaku.

He wanted to say no. He wanted to say that we just do it for fun even though this fun sometimes extends from a few hours to most of the day like a sweet addictive poison.

With an embarrassed expression, he shook away his mom's hands and spoke while averting her gaze.

"It's getting late. I will eat something in the college."He spoke and was about to leave when he heard his father's call.

Leonard pushed the package towards him and said"I have a gift for you."

Roy, who was in no mood to open it now, just picked it up and said"I will take a look on the way."

With a few simple words, he headed out.

Unbeknownst to him, this would be the moment that he would regret greatly when he looks back.

Vanessa stared at her husband's desolate expression.

"What was in it?"

"It's a novel that was released recently which he wanted so much. I was able to get my hands on a copy. It just had 10,000 copies till now and it took me a bit of effort to get it."

"You dare to give him another stupid book."Vanessa felt her blood boil seeing her husband giving her son something stupid again.

"If you put that much effort in somewhere else or spend some time with him, our son might have been different."

Vanessa wanted to beat her husband but stopped seeing his remorseful look.

"You don't need to look sad. Mark my words, once he opens it, he will jump out of joy."Vanessa sighed trying to calm herself.

"You will surely see the reaction that you were expecting when he returns."Vanessa comforted Leonard and patted his shoulder.

Leonard nodded but he didn't know why there was an uneasy feeling in his heart.

His heart suddenly felt empty as if he would lose something.

Something more precious than anything in the world.

He switched on the TV to divert his attention.

"Damn it! Why are you playing the same news in the loop?"