Early Morning
Autumn wakes to the sound of clinking cups, plates and distant laughter. "Ugggghhhhh!!" She groans as she gets up. She stretches and makes her way to the living room. The house smelled like cinnamon and forest air not like they were living in a forest but much so, the air smelt so damp. Cinnamon was her mom's blend of tea before any expedition or adventure. "They are up to something again." She thought, sighing as she enters the living room.
"There goes our beautiful daughter. You've been asleep for quite a long time. Are you okay?" Her father asked.
"Yup, I am very fine. That was the best nap ever." Autumn stretched her limbs again, yawning.
"Meow." The tabby cat meowed innocently in its cat house and trotted over to Autumn.
"How are you Milky?" Autumn asked, picking the cat up in her arms.
"Here you go." Her mother came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea and handed it to her husband.
Autumn's mom and dad were archeologists. They studied at the same university and decided to build a life together with unusual adventures and mythical findings. They are famous in that circle. They had fans who loves to see them in places they themselves can't go.
"Are you guys going anywhere again?" Autumn asked her father.
"Uhh... Yeah." Her dad said, not looking at her.
"Where are you going now? To the ancient Egypt to see pharaoh's corpse or to see the Mummy's remains in those their fancy casket things." Autumn rolled her eyes, while she stroked the cat's ears
Milky purred in appreciation.
"That's not fancy at all. They are called Anthropoid sarcophagus coffins. And no, we aren't going to Egypt." Her mother said as she poked her head out of the kitchen.
"Then, where are you going?" Autumn said, slipping into the chair.
"Do you really want to know?" Her father teased.
"Uhh, yeah." Autumn said. "I want to know if its safe for my parents to go there." She added, grabbing her dad's cup of tea.
"So you are what now? Our lethal protector?" Her father joked.
"Duh." Autumn rolled her eyes.
"Hey, gimme back my tea." Her dad said, reaching out for the cup.
"Nuh uh." Autumn said as she stood up with the cup in her hands and ran to the stairs.
The cat that already asleep, jumped in surprise as Autumn flew out of her chair.
"Sorry Milky." Her dad stood up and picked the cat, putting it back in its cat house. "Huh, you brought this upon yourself peanut." Her father added, running after her, trying to catch her.
"Don't call me peanut dad." Autumn laughed as she ran to her room, still with the cup in her hand. The cup spilling its contents to the floor.
Autumn barely made it to her room when her dad caught her and laughter filled the air. Her dad reached for the cup and went back down to the living room. Seconds later, Autumn followed suit and slumped into the chair once again.
"Where are you guys going dad. For real this time." Autumn said seriously this time.
"I'm not gonna tell ya." Her dad said.
"Anyway," Autumn said as she picked the folded map on the table. "Try not to uncover any ancient curses this time, alright?" Autumn teased, ruffling her dad's disheveled maps.
"No promises, kiddo. Curses usually make the best stories," he winked.
Her mom giggled from the kitchen. "Come on baby." She said.
Minutes later, Autumn accompanied her parents to the door with Milky by her side. She didn't want to admit it but she always felt sad that they always travel around and even though they gave her lots of attention when they are back, it doesn't make up for the times that they weren't around. She had gone with them once or twice, she was so bored that she kept sleeping all the way. The next time they went for an adventure, she told them that she would be at home and await their return. She sighed looking at them as they packed their bags into the jeep.
"Autumn, we won't be gone for long okay." Her mother started.
"That's what you always say but you come back later than expected." Autumn rolled her eyes.
"I know, I know but you know how our adventures always are. We can't stop even if we try, but for you, we will try our best to come back as early as possible." Her mother reassured, planting a kiss on Autumn's cheeks.
"Make sure you do. I'm counting on it." Autumn Said.
"You sure you don't want to come with us?" Her dad chipped in.
"Gosh, no. I'm 18. I will take care of myself right here." Autumn twisted her face.
"Alrighty then." Her mom said as she entered the passengers seat.
Her father was about to enter the car when he came back. "There have lots of accidents these days so promise me one thing." He said in a serious tone.
"Yeah, I heard from the news. What is it." Autumn asked curiously.
"Promise me you will take care of yourself and Milky." He said.
"I promise to do as you wish." Autumn teased, smiling.
Her dad smiled too and pushed his hands into his pocket. He opened Autumn's palm and put something inside it.
Autumn looked down at it. It was a necklace, with golden chains and a silver pendant which contained a symbol.
"What is this? It looks so pretty." Autumn said still admiring the necklace.
"Just a little something to keep you safe." Her dad said.
"Thank you dad." Autumn said as her dad pulled her into a hug.
"You're welcome peanut." Her dad said as he plants a kiss on her forehead. "See you later." He waved, walking towards the car door. The car's engine roared to life as they slowly moves out of the driveway and onto the road.
Autumn watched them drive away and a strange weight settled in her chest. Like something she couldn't name had just left with them.
Few days later, Autumn was about to close from her part time job when a shady man came to her. He was dressed in all black but it was torn and had dark stains in it. Autumn paid no attention to it and quickly took his order and went out of the restaurant. She entered the apartment and her tabby cat came to greet her.
"Hello there Milky" Autumn said as she carried the cat. "You miss mom and dad too Right?" She asked the cat as if it could talk back. She sighed and put the cat down. She went to her room to freshen up and she came back down to make some toast.
She smeared butter into the bread and put it in the toasting machine while she made herself a cup of instant coffee. After some time, her phone rang and she came out of the kitchen to take it. It was her friends from the restaurant.
"Hey girl, wanna come for a party?" A girl's voice came from the receiver.
"Uhhh, I don't think so." Autumn replied feeling unsteady all of a sudden.
"Why, are you okay?" The girl rushed her questions.
"Yeah, I am good just a little down but I'm gonna be fine" Autumn said.
"Okay, Take care of yourself okay!!" The girl said.
"No problem, I will." Autumn said briefly as she hung up the call. She sniffed the room and realized that she left the toast and it was burning. She rushed to the kitchen.
"Ohh my gosh." She exclaimed as she removed the machine plug and the toast too.
"Hehhhhh" she sighed, "Everything just feels wrong this evening." She told herself.
She walked out of the kitchen with the instant coffee and found Milky pacing by the door. Autumn was a little surprised at first. "That's odd." She muttered as she went to pick the cat, dropping it in the cat house.
She turned on her phone and texted her parents about their trip. She waited for twenty minutes but got no reply. She decided to send another message asking how they were. She waited another twenty minutes but still got no reply. She began to feel uneasy and calls them but got no answer. She shrugs it off.
"They really don't have signal there." She muttered under her breath and finished the coffee.
She went to her room and laid down on her bed, still feeling uneasy but nevertheless she drifted off to sleep.
As she drifted off to sleep, she dreamt of trees, fire. Someone running in the woods. She looked at her surroundings, everywhere was dark except for a dark shadowy figure standing with glowing eyes. The figure started walking towards her. She screamed and ran farther into the woods, stems and branches slapping her face, some even grazing her hands, yet she still ran. She could feel blood dripping down her arms and legs as she struggled to push them forward. She finally stopped to catch her breath and listened to know if the figure has caught up to her. She looked back expecting a jumpscare from the figure but she saw nothing. She cooled down and faced forward, there she saw glowing eyes peering into her soul. She screamed again and was about to run when she was dragged by an unknown force. She struggled desperately to escape but all to no avail, she couldn't. She stayed still looking for what she would use to defend herself. Just then, the force threw her unto an alter, which looked like the ones used for sacrifices. She thrashed, trying to escape but she couldn't. Something held her there. The shadowy figure picked up an axe and struck her chest. She screamed and then..... She heard her parents voice, calling out her name. She tried to answer but her blood clogged her throat making it impossible for her to speak. The figure then struck again and Autumn woke up.
She was sweating and breathing heavily. "Oh my gosh, that was just a dream. A.....a freaking dream." She said, trying to calm herself down. It was already morning, the sunlight pushed into the curtains, casting rays in the room.
Autumn calmed herself and was about to freshen up when she heard the doorbell ring.
"Who is at the door this early?" She mumbled to herself and went downstairs. The doorbell came again. "I'm coming." She answered.
Opening the door, she found a man with ragged beards and unkept hair. He looked like.....oh right, he was her parents friend. An archeologist too. He often goes out with her parents on their adventures.
"Mr Rodriguez, what brings you here this early?" She asked.
"Autumn....Autumn, I.... your parents..." He stuttered, not meeting her eyes.
"My parents are not home. Why are you asking for them. Didn't they tell you that they were going on am adventure?" Autumn asked.
"I know, they told me about that." He managed to say.
"Then what happened. Are they okay" Autumn asked curiously.
"They.....
" He stopped.
"They what" Autumn's eyes widened, her heart thumped in her mouth. "Tell me please" she added, already shaking.
"They're.... Dead."