Astral Whale III (Dreams series)

Chapter I - https://read.cash/@marcmire/the-astral-whale-dreams-series-c1f3cf49

Chapter II - https://read.cash/@marcmire/the-astral-whale-ii-dreams-series-85896fdc

Chapter III: Jealousy and Saints

"There's that whale again," I said while I stood up from the grassy plains that lay before the cosmic skies. I feel the warmth of the breeze that crosses over me from the horizon as I see a glimpse of the whale's appearance again. It's slowly swimming through the skies as its enormous body can be seen over the clouds. As it drifted away from it, my eyes were filled with shock as I could see the entirety of its tail gone with cosmic dust surrounding the lost part. Its cries echoed throughout the horizon, and a black mist is coming from the farthest part of the place, engulfing the plains filled with richness. The cosmic scenery plastered throughout the skies suddenly made the starlight dim and slowly filled the skies with darkness. I wanted to scream to get out of the place, but I was too focused on the whale. Its cries filled my ears with despair, and the body slowly disappearing out of existence made my eyes dismal with tears falling from it.

"DAMN"

"LET ME OUT"

"IT DIDN'T HAPPEN"

I woke up to the knocking sound on my bedroom door. It's my mom, trying to open the door as I have always locked it since then. I try to grasp reality to that horrible dream state, and it also gave me a painful headache.

 "Austin, are you okay? Open up!" She persistently tries to open it up. The noise made my headache worse.

"Yes! I'm awake, and okay, I'll come out in a sec!" I shouted from the bed, trying to regain my perspective.

"Are you sure?" Jesus.

"YES!" I retorted since it's been getting to my nerves, and it's super annoying.

"Okay, breakfast is ready, and you're minutes away from being late for school. See you!"

I looked at the calendar and the time. "Oh, it's a Friday. I guess I'll try my luck again tomorrow to catch the old man." I mumbled. Who gives a damn about a school anyway. After that encounter with Jane last week at the convenience store, we went awkward for each other. I often catch her hanging out with Norman like they have their circle. Not that I'm jealous, but it's just an eyesore for me. Well, not that I can change it, though.                              

Moments after realizing stuff, I went out of my room and came down for breakfast. I then saw a letter on the dining table. Which inscribed,

'I'm off to buy garden supplies and stop by for groceries; take care when you go to school and lock the door before you leave! Love, Aunt Lou'

Aunt Lou?! I thought Aunt Lou lived outside the country. But, man, I've been disoriented with how things are right now; even mom has the delusion that she's Aunt Lou. "Maybe it runs in the family," I chuckled. My headache makes me want to skip school, but I realized that I would fail if I won't attend a class in hell week. I'm going to make dad proud no matter what. I then went on to get dressed and went to school with my bicycle. My bicycle is the only one that's been sane enough to remind me that I'm still, in reality, trying to survive even if things are not that understandable.

Man, it's been a long time since I've been this late. The streets are now quite busy, and the scorching heat greets my skin. I only sighed and pedaled my way to school, hoping that the teacher for the first subject is absent. As I arrived at school, I immediately walked to the classroom after I latched my bike to the shed; as expected, the teacher was already finishing the class. My classmates handed out their papers that I assume had a long quiz. "Well, there goes my grades," I murmured. "Good morning, Mr. Page, sorry I'm late." The class murmured as I slowly entered the room. "Stop right there, Mr. Newman. You know you're going to fail this class if you continue to be late, right?" He sternly stated, "I'll give you this last chance Newman, see me in my office after your classes, and I'll let you take this quiz." He continued and emphasized, "One. Last. Chance." After.

I nodded in response and sat at my desk, and I could only scratch my head in my dilemma.

"Okay, class, that's all for today. Dismissed," Mr. Page dismissed the class, and they all stood up to went to their friend groups and chatter. My hands are shaking as I thought of sketching the dream state again. "Fuck that Whale," I cursed as I held both my hands to my temples as my headache worsened. Finally, I got no choice but to go to the school clinic. I rushed after slamming my desk in frustration. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

While navigating my way to the school clinic, I happen to bump into Norman and Jane together, with him sipping juice and her holding a pouch of cookies. I took a look at them while running to the clinic and then averted my gaze when they finally recognized me and caught their attention.

"Aust-"I heard Jane's faint call as I slowly grow a distance between them, with Norman saying, "Just let him be."

I just scoffed, and I calmed my posture, trying to bear the pain of my headache as I enter the school clinic.

"Good morning. How may I help you?" The nurse greeted me cheerfully, and I guess that's one good thing that happened in my day.

"Uhm, good morning. I need a tablet for a headache."

The nurse then gave me a tablet for the pain. I then asked if I could lay in bed for a while.

She just said, "Sure, as long as you're not going to skip class."

"Alright"

I lay down and closed my eyes and drifted myself to slumber. I hear the cries of the whale in my sleep as if for eternity I won't be able to wake up and listen to it forever. What the hell is happening? As if I'm slowly drifting away from reality, slipping into the void with its sorrowful voice accompanying my fall.

I woke up thankfully with the nurse tapping and shifting me repeatedly. "Hey! Wake up; it's now lunchtime!"

"S-sorry," I apologized, as I overlooked the time and gave in to sleep. "Don't worry, kid; I made a letter to your teachers. Is your headache okay?"

"Yes, apparently," I replied.

"You were burning up earlier; go get something to eat. Don't let that fester, okay?" The nurse said with concern. I just smiled and gave my thanks to her. Then, as I was about to go outside right when I opened the clinic's doors, I saw Jane and Norman with her holding the pouch of cookies right from earlier.

"A-Austin, wanna have lunch together? I brought you cookies." Jane said, but I know she's just forced about her kindness.

"If that's for the coffee, forget it; you can have your lunch with Norman. Besides, you two look good together, and it's a compliment." I sarcastically retorted.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Norman flipped, grabbing me by the collar. "Wake the fuck up, Austin! Wake the fuck up!" He then pushed me against the lockers that stood behind me.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Norman, don't!" Jane shouted, getting the attention of the students around the vicinity.

"Just because your mother and father are dead, you don't have to act like an asshole. Accept reality, goddamn it!" When Norman said those words, it felt like sharp knives tore into my head, making my headache agonizing.

“Mom and Dad, dead?”

-          To be continued.