Imposter Syndrome: Chapter 2, Part 1
Welcome to Shady Springs
Imposter Syndrome is a spooky young adult mystery set in the weird town of Shady Springs, where nothing’s ever quite what it seems. Paid subscribers can read full segments of the story as they’re released (and help support my fiction writing in the process). Annual subscribers will also get a free physical copy of the novel when it’s published in full.
Previously…
Chapter Two: Welcome to Shady Springs
Theo woke the next morning to the sound of crunching.
At first, he thought he was still dreaming. Was he back on the bus again with the old woman? Was she chomping on a big bag of peanuts with her yellowy teeth, right by his ear?
No, he wasn’t dreaming. He was slowly waking up and the crunching sound was very real.
Theo opened his eyes, blinking groggily around the Oakwoods’ den. The curtains were still closed but an early morning luminescence now filtered through them, bathing the room in a warm golden hue. In the corner of the room, the old TV was on, playing an episode of some sitcom with the sound turned down. He frowned.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Theo turned his head. Alex was perched at the end of the couch by his feet, still wearing her lilac-colored pajamas. She had a big bowl in her hands and was staring at the TV screen. As Theo watched, vaguely wondering if he was, in fact, still dreaming, she spooned cereal into her mouth and went on crunching.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
“Alex!” Theo cried, louder than intended. “What’re you doing in here?”
She half-turned her head but her eyes never left the screen. “Breakfast,” she mumbled through a mouthful of bran flakes.
“But why’re you eating here?” Theo said, sitting up. He spotted his pajama bottoms near the foot of the bed - he must have taken them off during the night because of the warmth in the room - and tugged the blanket right up to his chin.
Alex swallowed a mouthful of cereal. “Tiffany’s watching the other TV. I always eat breakfast in here.”
“But… but this is my room!”
Alex finally peeled her eyes away from the TV and looked down at him. “Oh… did I wake you or something?”
“Yes!”
“Whoops - sorry.” She dipped her spoon back into the bowl.
“Alex - ”
“Shhh,” she said, nodding at the TV, “I’m watching something.”
With a sigh of frustration, Theo pulled the blanket over his head.
By the time Alex eventually finished eating (or the show ended - Theo wasn’t sure which came first) and left, the den had grown bright and birds were chirping happily outside the window. The other Oakwoods were up and about, moving around the house on creaky floorboards. Theo decided he better get up too, largely because his stomach had begun to rumble again.
He crawled to the end of the bed and scooped his phone off the floor. Alex had unplugged his charger to turn the TV on (This is what it’d be like having a sister, isn’t it?), but fortunately his phone had gotten enough juice during the night and was good to go. His Mom had sent him a message asking if he slept ok. He’d reply later.
“Theodore!” came Tiffany’s voice from down the hall. “Come and get breakfast.”
“Coming,” Theo called back, “and stop calling me that!”
“Ok, Theodore.”
He changed as quickly as he could and was trying in vain to smooth down his typically-disheveled morning hair when the memory of last night washed over him afresh.
Did I dream that? he thought, going reluctantly to the window. It must’ve been a dream. Couldn’t have been real, right?