Chapter 1

Kyra yawned as she woke up to the ringing sound of her alarm clock. She stumbled into her en-suite bathroom and splashed cold water over her face in an effort to wake herself up. She went downstairs to the kitchen, kissed her parents goodbye and grabbed her bag and breakfast money on her way out to school; she got her breakfast at school.

Leon decided to get up after a long, sleepless night. He picked his way over his younger brothers and sisters and scowled at his father drunkenly asleep. He sighed. Why couldn't his father be there to look after his 4 younger brothers and sisters? As it was, Leon had to look after all of them, meaning his school grades never rose above a D. He took what little change there was from the table and made his way to the bus stop.

Harvey woke to his baby brother Keagan crying and sighed. His mother was still on the night shift and his father was snoring away in bed. Harvey went to Keagan's room and picked him up.
"Hey Kee, what's the matter, eh?"
Keagan smiled as soon as his brother walked in and mumbled,
"Hungry..." Harvey sighed, soothing his brother as he went to get some toast for him. "K," Harvey said quietly, "Keagan, I'll sort you out as soon as I get home from school yeah?"
He nodded and curled up in his blanket, crumbs around his mouth. Harvey smiled and made his way to school.

Charlotte winced as she washed her tender, bruised face. Her father had come home drunk, started hitting her mum and then taken it out on Charlotte when she tried to stop him. She had been knocked onto the floor, unconscious, which was where she had gotten up from that morning. She used the makeup at her mum's dressing table to cover up the bruises and walked slowly to school.

Corey tried not to wake his new room-mate up as he made his way down to the kitchen where the cook was busy making breakfast.
"Mornin'!" Michael said, brightly. "Good sleep, um...Corey?" He nodded sullenly and mumbled an answer before grabbing some toast from the side and hurrying to school. This new home seemed better than the last few and he hoped it would be. This was his last chance before being kicked out on the streets. He sighed and quickened his pace.

Chapter 2

Leon yawned as he sat down at his desk. He'd just got there in time for the bell.
"Tired are we, Leon?" Mr Marks asked. Leon replied quietly that he hadn't got much sleep.
Mr Marks smiled sadisticly.
"I guess that means you've done your homework then?" Leon shook his head, sighing to himself.
"Well that's a detention for you then, isn't it?" Leon nodded sullenly as Mr Marks wandered away .Then there was a knock at the door and the school secretary walked in with a tall, black haired boy.
"Ah,"Said Mr Marks. "Is this the new boy?" This was addressed to the sullen-faced boy. He nodded and mumbled his name after being prodded by Miss Charlton.
"Corey, is it?" He nodded again, rolling his eyes, but making sure neither of the two adults saw. Leon smiled to himself and glanced at Harvey. As he thought, he was laughing too. Harvey always enjoyed a good laugh and was Leon's best friend.
"Leon!" He spun round as he heard Mr Marks' voice. "Pay attention!" He turned back to Corey saying, "Sadly, you will be in Leon's group." He turned back and addressed the class.
"Right everyone in your groups. Maths, start where you were. Leon's group come here. Kyra, Charlotte, Harvey and Leon, Corey will be in your group." Mr Marks then wandered away again, presumably to torture someone else.
"So," Began Kyra, before being interrupted by Charlotte.
"Ohmygod it's been ages since we've had a new addition to the group! Last one was Harvey; he moved here a couple of month ago, became best friends with Leon and the rest is all history." This was all said within the space of about 5 seconds.
"Hey Charlotte, chill. Well Corey, I guess you've met Charlotte." Kyra glanced towards her friend who was smiling sheepishly. "I'm Kyra and those two over there are Harvey and Leon; Harvey's the blonde one and Leon is the one with brown hair." They glanced over when Kyra mentioned their name and she mentioned to them to move over.

Harvey smiled at Corey but quickly stopped when he scowled back. Leon saw this and said hurriedly.
"Well, um, you'll have to use paper for a book and I've got a spare pen if you need one but as you can probably tell, we've got maths first. You'll have to start right at the front of the book so you can have mine and I'll share with Harvey. Oh and mind Mr Marks. He's an evil sadist so don't cross him." Corey nodded, seemingly absorbing everything, and bent his head over his book.
Harvey looked at Corey, then bent his head over his book.

Chapter 3

The day passed with no other events until lunch. Harvey, Leon, Kyra and Charlotte had got their lunch and were sat down at their table; Corey was still in the dinner queue waiting paitently. Kyra watched him walk through the dinner hall, then saw Rob Greene walk over to him. Oh no, she thought. She watched in horror as he tripped Corey, sending him and his food flying onto the floor. Corey slowly got up, to jeers of laughter from Rob's mates and the stares of his classmates. He looked at Rob, as if sizing him up, then taking him by surprise, delivered a punch to his stomach which sent him sprawling into the wall. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Corey walked out of the canteen leaving Rob still sat on the floor, doubled over in agony.

After school had finished, Charlotte chased after Corey. He was a fast walker and it took Charlotte a while to catch up with him.
"Oh.My.God. Corey, today was awesome! The way you just knocked him to the floor and walked away like nothing happened!" Charlotte jabbered away oblivious to Corey's discomfort until he said quietly.
"Look I only did that because I saw him picking on some little kid before school. He's a bully and he deserved it. Don't make such a big deal about it ok?" They walked in an uncomfortable silence until Charlotte asked,
"So what do you think of everyone? Mr Marks is evil but everyone else is ok aren't they?"
Corey nodded and said, "Yeah, Leon's especially nice, so's Harvey. Kyra's a bit dominating though. She's scary!" Charlotte laughed, surprised at Corey's sudden willingness to talk. They chatted away until they reached Charlotte's house.
"Well, this is my house. I guess I'll have to go...unless you want to come to the park with me, Kyra, Leon and Harvey?" He seemed stunned and slightly happy at the proposition. "Well, umm... I dunno, I'll have to go ask my..." Corey wasn't sure what to call the people at the home. "I'll have to ask." He corrected himself hoping Charlotte hadn't noticed. She hadn't and smiled quickly.
"Ok, I'll ring them now." She hurriedly rung them all and smiled as she hung up on Kyra. "They can all come! That's weird, we hardly ever get to all go out together. Anyway, lets go!" Corey looked at Charlotte questioningly, to which she replied, "To yours silly!" Corey nodded and said nervously, "Umm, why don't I meet you there?" Charlotte frowned and replied "You don't know the way. I'll come with you. If it's to do with your family, I don't think anything can shock me."

To his surprise, she pulled some make up wipes out of her bag and showed him the bruises which covered her face and arms. "You see?" He nodded and they walked on, Charlotte carefully reapplying her make up, Corey explaining the home. "I've lived in about 5 homes so far. This one is my last chance; I got kicked out of all the others." They reached it within minutes which surprised Charlotte. "Our houses are so close. We could walk to school together tomorrow couldn't we?" He nodded and motioned for Charlotte to wait outside.

Chapter 4

Kyra hung up on Charlotte and changed out of her uniform. She sighed as she chose what to wear, then made her way to the park, kissing her mum and dad goodbye on the way out.

Leon and Harvey had walked home together and Harvey was at Leon's. Charlotte had rung Leon and they had made their way there to see Charlotte, Kyra and Corey sitting on the tyre swing talking. The boys looked at each other in surprise Corey at chatting away happily with the girls. They wandered over and sat down at the swing.
"Hey guys." Said Corey brightly, "Sorry I was so cold earlier, I was nervous." Harvey recalled Corey scowling at him and smiled reassuringly. "It's alright, I was nervous too."
"So," Kyra interrupted. "Back to what we were saying. We were going to go to the scrapyard and show Corey our den." Harvey and Leon nodded and they all set off.

Kyra and the two boys were chatting together ahead of Corey and Charlotte.
"You're going to have to tell them, you know. No-one has secrets." Corey looked at Charlotte sceptically and asked, "So why do you still wear that makeup?" She looked back at him and said, "Look me straight in the eye and say you would like to walk around with bruises all over your face. No? Didn't think so." Corey winced at Charlotte's harsh tone. They walked on in silence again. Until Charlotte said, "Sorry. Tense subject. Come on, lets go catch up."

They reached the scrapyard within minutes and scrambled in through a hole in the fence. The scrapyard itself was huge; monstrous towers of cars loomed over them, ugly twisted bits of metal were scattered around their feet, eerie wolf howls drfted over to them. All of it deeply unnerved Corey although the others didn't seem too bothered about it all.
"C'mon Corey, this is it!" Leon crawled through a gap in some bushes in the corner of the scrapyard and each of them followed, Corey last. He gasped in surprise as he saw a spacious cavern. It was built into a huge cliff of rock behind the scrapyard. Corey stood, mouth slightly open as he took in everything. There was a huge shelf on one side and a row of hammocks attached to nails on the other side. Leon soon busied himself with putting up another hammock.
"Hey," Harvey laughed. "You'll get flies in your mouth if you keep it open like that!" Corey laughed with him and sat down on one of the chairs.
"Wow. How long have you been using this?"
"Ever since Harvey came." Kyra sat down next to him. "He found it. Well, he and his little brother Keagan did." Harvey was checking the shelves for food and tensed when he heard Keagan's name.
"Oh god, I was meant to go straight home! Mum's on the night shift again and Dad'll be drunk no doubt." He quickly said a hurried goodbye to Leon and Charlotte, who was changing the batteries of the torches, and went back through the hole in the hedge at the front.

Kyra watched him go and said quietly,
"His mum works all the time so she's hardly ever home and his dad's a drunk. Harvey has to single handedly look after his little 3 year old brother Keagan. Everyone here has a story. My family is perfect. Always neat, always tidy, always so boring. I dress differently, my room's a mess, I come home with grass and leaves all over me, just to annoy them, but it doesn't work. They just don't seem to care. Even my sister ignores me!" She talked quietly but the bitterness in her voice couldn't be mistaken. Corey shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Charlotte chipped in,
"You already know mine!" At the surprised looks of the others, she said, "He lives like, in the next street away." Leon sighed and said,
"My mum died when I was a little kid and my dad's always drunk too. I have 4 brothers and sisters who need me to look after them. I'm supposed to be there now but my auntie's there for today so I'm ok." Charlotte looked at Corey and said,
"No-one keeps secrets, Corey. They gotta know yours." Corey shifted uncomfortably and said, "Well, I suppose I'll have to but don't judge me ok?" They nodded and he began.

"I live in a care home. My parents were killed when I was 8. I was coming home from school one night after cricket when two shots rang out. I got scared and ran home. No-one answered when I called out so I went upstairs to see my older brother in my parents room holding a gun and my parents dead on the bed. My brother backed out onto the landing in shock. I was still holding my baseball bat and I swung it at him. He fell backwards down the stairs and when I went down, he was dead. He was 14. I got chucked into my first care home for the mentally unstable. I burnt that down. Second home, I got caught robbing someone's house. I was 10. Third, I broke someone's leg. Fourth, I burnt that one down too. I was 12. Now I'm 13 and this is my last home before I get chucked onto the streets or into prison." Corey looked at the others. He had been staring at the floor in shame. Instead of the shocked faces he expected, they just seemed surprised. Stunned, Corey asked,
"Aren't you shocked? About to run away crying?" Leon shook his head and replied quietly. "Well we weren't expecting that but we don't judge people on their past actions. It's about what you do now that counts. We've all got in some trouble or other and we come here to escape. From now on, you can come here.K?" Corey nodded and smiled in appreciation. Charlotte grinned at him then looked down at her watch.
"Guys, it's like quarter to 8. I've got to go." The others nodded and they hurried out after Charlotte,making their way home.

Chapter 5

Corey didn't turn up the next day and neither did Harvey. It wasn't like Harvey to not go to school and Corey had seemed fine when they'd gone home last night although he hadn't turned up at Charlotte's house that morning. They got through the day without much event, although Mr Marks didn't mention either of their absences, and made their way straight to the scrapyard after school to see if they'd gone there. They were about to go through the hole in the hedge when they heard a clattering sound behind them. There was a piece of metal on the floor.
"Just one of the foxes." Said Kyra, back to her usual, domineering self. They walked in to see both Corey and Harvey in the hammocks, asleep. Charlotte walked up to them and tried to shake them awake.
"Corey, Harvey, wake up. C'mon guys wake up! Guys! Hey can you two help me?" When there was no reply, Charlotte turned round to see that they weren't there. Shocked, and a bit scared, she looked around the cave to no avail and turned back to the hammocks. She gasped and stumbled backwards. The hammocks were gone, Corey and Harvey with them! There was a rustling in the bushes behind them.
"Well, Charlotte, I guess you're not going to come quietly are you?" The voice was deep and raspy, but Charlotte recognised the accent...
"Mr Marks?!"
"That is what you will know me as, yes. I am Mr Marks." He said this with a slow, mocking sarcasm. She turned around slowly and gasped at his appearance. His skin was grey and scaly, and he had a thin long tail which was darting around his head.
"What are you doing here? On second thoughts, what are you?!"
He chuckled, a deep, throaty laugh and said.
"In answer to your second question, I am the second in command of the mighty Poraxian army! As for your first question, my job is to put you to sleep." With that, his tail darted forward and everything went black.

Chapter 6

They all woke again later in the cave on the hammocks. Charlotte was the first one up and immediatly saw Corey asleep in the one next to her then saw the others.
"Corey!" She whispered, shaking him. "Wake up!" To her relief, he yawned and opened his eyes.
"Charlotte? What happened?" He blinked and looked around.
"I was hoping you could tell me that, Corey." He climbed out of the hammock and they woke Harvey, Leon and Kyra up. They copied Corey; blinking and yawning. One by one, they tumbled out of the hammock and stood up still bleary-eyed.
"Woah," said Harvey, his quiet voice cutting through the silence. "That was one weird dream." Leon and Kyra looked at him. Charlotte and Corey were talking quietly to eachother.
"Harvey, did your dream have Mr Marks in it?" Kyra asked. Harvey nodded slowly and replied,
"Did you get operated on?" Kyra and Leon nodded this time.
Guys, my throat kills. Charlotte looked round.
"Did you hear that?" She asked. Harvey and Kyra nodded. Leon shook his head.
I said it. Kyra turned her head towards Leon.
"Say something." she commanded him.
Like what? Oh my god.
"Leon?" Harvey asked incredulously.
Yeah,
I can speak to one person only too. I was talking to Corey then. But I can't actually speak. He opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish to demonstrate. Harvey whistled under his breath. Charlotte looked at her watch then swore.
"It's nearly ten o'clock. We've got to go home." They all nodded except Leon.
I'll stay here. Dad won't miss me. Even through the telepathy, they could all hear the bitterness in his voice. Leon made himself comfy and watched them go.

Chapter 7

Leon woke up early, even though it was a Saturday. He sat in the entrance and watched the sun rise slowly. He stayed there for a while, until he saw Kyra walk up to the entrance.
Hey Kyra. Where's the others?
Kyra shrugged and surprised him by pulling him into a fierce hug and bursting into tears.
Woah, what's up?
"M-my Dad's g-gone! I g-got home a-and h-h-he just wasn't t-there!" Sobs raced through her body and she shook against Leon's body.
Hey, he'll be ok. He'll probably just have gone out to the pub and fell asleep. Happens all the time, the bartenders just leave them until they wake up. The bitterness in his voice couldn't be mistaken, but he continued hugging Kyra as she cried, stroking her soft chestnut hair. She buried her head in his chest and they sat like that until she stopped crying and just sniffed. Pulling away, she smiled gratefully at Leon, before he shifted until he was leaning against the wall and she was lying against him. They fell asleep like that and slept peacefully until Kyra woke up, and hugging a bleary-eyed Leon, went home, leaving him to fall back to sleep which he did within a couple of minutes.
It was nearly midday when Leon woke, only because Kyra was back, this time with the others.
Hey guys. Speaking to Kyra privately, he asked,
Do they know? She shook her head.
Have you heard anything? She shook her head again, looking close to tears. She turned away and walked to the entrance. Leon followed her, to the surprise of the others, who'd been talking quietly. They shrugged and carried on talking. Charlotte said quietly,
"Kyra's dad's gone missing. My mum told me after she'd been round to the shops. Saw Kyra's mum there." They glanced at Kyra. She was silently crying and leaning against Leon. After a while she stopped and walked back to everyone, who'd carried on talking again. They didn't say anything, but didn't miss Leon and Kyra sitting closer together than usual. They brushed it off though and stayed until morning.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.08.2011

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