Sally's pov

I spent all day unpacking with Dad. It felt like it was never going to end but we got it done. A storm brewing outside as we finished up the last of the unpacking. My room was sort of coming together, it was nice and cozy, my safe place. It was different and new but I also didn't mind. A new start was just what we needed right now. I'll have to start doing my online school next week so I have this whole week to just relax and get used to everything.

Dad would be away more because of work so I would be alone most of the time with Gizmo. I looked over at Gizmo who was sleeping on my bed already making me smile and sigh. I would miss Dad while he's away but he said that the job paid good and he'd be home in no time. I was happy for him, he seemed happier and wasn't always in his room anymore. He cleaned and made dinner, sometimes even breakfast. He stopped drinking too, when he saw how he changed when he drank he stopped altogether.

"Sally, I'm heading out to the store to get some groceries, want anything special?" Dad said, standing in the doorway to my room.

"Tea and chips." I said, hanging up the last poster I needed to hang.

"Okay, be back soon, your key is on the table, don't forget to feed Gizmo." He said before leaving. I nodded and found Gizmo's bowl and food, filling it up and putting it next to his bed that he never uses.

"I think that's it." I announced, patting Gizmo before going into the living room. Our bookshelf was bare, only a few books had a home there. There was a picture of Mom and Dad, before she got sick... Gizmo meowed loudly behind me making me look away from the picture.

He purred and hopped onto the couch, laying down and watched me. Sometimes I felt like Gizmo was a person trapped in a cat's body. He watches tv, enjoys a few baths here and there, he even watches me play guitar sometimes.

I explored the apartment a bit more, finding some spots of chipping paint and some spots where the carpet needed to be reattached to the ground again. A lightbulb in the bathroom was broken and the window in Dad's room seemed to have a draft. I wanted to paint my room a different color, anything besides the off white that every room was painted here. I tried to look on the bright side but it was getting harder as time went on. My medication wasn't doing its job and my mind was clouding.

I ended up laying in bed after taking my medication. It helped to just lay there and let it do it's job because I was stupid and didn't take it at the right time like I should. Sometimes I forget to take it somedays are just bad days... I haven't had a bad day in a few days but I guess my luck was running out on that one.

Sighing I pulled my mask off and set it next to me, closing my eyes as I dozed off. I might as well try to sleep this bad day away.
~~~~~

I woke up with a start, bolting up as I looked around the now dark room. My heart racing in my chest like ever time I wake up. My mind clouded with my nightmare I was just having. The panic and fear settling in as I turned the light on as curled up on my bed, pulling my knees up to my chest and began crying.

I wanted this to stop happening every night. I couldn't even sleep through the night without having a nightmare. Maybe if I just took sleeping medication it would help... shaking my head I wiped the tears away like I always do and look over at the clock that read 4:56am. I slept for awhile and after that panic attack I wasn't tired anymore.

Getting up I changed into some clean cloths before getting on my Gear Boy to pass time. Gizmo sat on my bed next to me, purring loudly as he rolled around on my blankets. A cold draft drifting through my room that was coming from the window from what I could tell. I'll have to tell Dad about it later, hopefully there's some left over pizza too, I'm starving.

I spent the rest of the morning playing on my Gear Boy and reading through a booklet Dad left on the counter. It was about the building that he found in the lobby it looked like. The pages were old and bent and it smelled like old coffee. There was five floors and a basement, four apartments on every floor, one in the basement, and a few empty ones.

"Hey, Sal, I won't be back for awhile, my new job wants me in for training." Dad said, ready to go for the day it seems. He trimmed his beaded and hair and he was wearing a suit.

"Okay, I'll be here." I said, watching him grab a piece of pizza before ruffling my hair and leaving. The apartment was silent again as I walked over to the window in the kitchen and watched Dad get into his car and leave. It looked like it'll be a nice sunny day today. I wanted to go outside but the thought of having someone see me made me stay inside. Dad did say everyone in the building was off to work or school at this time. Everyone besides Mr.Addison who never leaves his room I guess, he sounded like an odd guy... but who am I to judge?

"Do you think I should go explore the building, Gizmo?" I said, Gizmo meowed and I took that as a yes as I got my shoes on, making sure my mask and pig tails were all set. I grabbed my key off the counter and took a deep breath before leaving the safety of my apartment.

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Slowly getting into the story line and if you haven't read the warnings yet please do so, they're in the description of the book, thank you.
More character development to come