[ WP ] Dreams have all been tests , and someone finally passed .

The boy opened his eyes. The room was still dark but he could see a faint orange glow starting to force its way through the pale curtains. Thin fingers of light reached out from the window, clawing across the room until they were halted by the bedroom wall. As he watched in silence, they slowly gained strength. His hungry eyes drank in the light and he started to feel the adrenalin rushing through his veins. 
 
 He had survived another night. He had passed the test. 
 
 A stab of fear roused him from his exaltation of the new day. There was no noise in the house. It was an old building, mostly made of wood. The kind that was always speaking to you in its screeching and groaning way. The wind whistling past or the rain thumping down. Today it was silent. Too silent. 
 
 What about the others? His brother? His mother? God, not his mother! 
 
 As the boy rose from the bed, the fear and adrenalin waged battle inside, almost paralysing him. Creakily, he opened the door, the house finally greeting him. That familiar noise helped push him down the hallway, adrenalin temporarily winning the battle. Past his sisters room. There was no one in there. Dolls perfectly arranged on the dresser. Everything was left exactly as it was. 
 
 Light now streamed through the windows. His mother should be up by now. 
 
 He reached the end of the hallway. There were two doors, one open and one half shut. From the left door he could make out the shape of his brother, he was starting to stir. Thank god! He turned and took a deep breath as the creaking house accompanied him through the other door. He could make out the shape of her. She always slept on her side, curled up with her arms wrapped around herself in a small corner of the huge bed. Always the right side. He could hear her breathing, it was soft, despite the silence. 
 
 Somehow he moved closer. Cold, hard wood greeted him as he crossed his legs and sank to the floor. He could n't wake her. She had to pass the test. 
 
 
 

