"Unwell"

In the half-light of morning the street was eerie. It wasn't just that it was a still day; the air simply didn't move. The leafy avenue was bereft of noise, as if every murmur and rustle was stolen away in the night. The sky was empty, not just of birds, but of clouds also. There was no weather at all; even the sunlight felt cold. Jian was about to retreat inside when from the distance came a series of tinny clangs. It was like the sound of an old can bouncing down the road after a wedding car, but without the engine rumbling or the hiss of tires on wet asphalt. It grew louder, then softer, then louder again. At first it appeared to come from in front, then from behind. In only moments the noise was coming from every direction, getting closer, louder, more frantic...

Jian couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Everything was perfect today, and he mean too perfect. It was like awakening in some 1950's TV show where everyone is super nice. But it wasn't just that, the weather was perfect, the bus was immaculate and on time, everyone he met on every street had a smile and a 'good-day' for him. It was eerie. Spooky really.

"Mom and Dad?" Those are first words that came out from the 16 years old boys' mouth after realizing that he's in a horrendous place, and everyone he passes by just smiles at him creepily with their eyes protruding and their mouths salivating.

Jian couldn't move, his eyes are beginning to thrift some droplets of tears, but in a spin of a second, everything altered. Jian felt like he was on a very ferocious slumber, and had gotten back to reality, when a big old man wearing a black, dwindling uniform with green and yellow linings on the broad shoulder marks, and every ounce of his stature screams authority. Not to mention his face who holds tons of anguish and sadness, mixing it right through his very eyes.

"What happened Jian? Tell me," The old man said with his voice beaming with rage and animosity. His looks unto Jian demands for an answer, but Jian wouldn't respond. His hands that had been roughly plunged into his ears are inordinately trembling from each sides.

"You're the only one inside this house after the incident, be honest this time Jian, who killed your mom?" The big old man tried to catch an answer from the boy by taking both of his hands away from his ears.

After a minute, Jian began to look intently at the old man, while spitting the words that have made the cops inside staggered, and even the crime scene investigators like the forensic team that's been collecting and securing evidence from the crime scene have feelt uneasy, and the words that came out from Jians' mouth are: "My friends."

The old man wondered for a second, but later replied, "Friends? But, you don't have friends Jian."

"I have my friends Dad, and they're inside my head." Jian spoke with his voice being evasive and his stare became uncanny, while looking on each and every people inside the old house.