by Jack Parker
This Novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Jack Parker
Cover and internal design © 2014 by Jack Parker
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be used or reproduced, in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 1
Before
They left from the bay at Devinear, the cold, salty air lashing against their faces as they boarded the towering ship.
It was quite a sight, even for fourteen year old Lia, who had never been on a ship before. Her brother, Jack, was more confident.
"I know all there is about ships," he'd say, patronizingly, and Lia didn't dare question him. She may have been the older one but she didn't want to run the risk of being embarrassed, of being met with that cold glare, the one which told her she knew nothing, that told her she was too sheltered.
Lia clutched onto her bag, her small, tanned hands clasped over the handle as her mother and father -Dominic and Lessandra Relanne- handed the tickets to the portly lady with the leathery, brown skirt and overly applied makeup.
They all entered the tall, brown door, one by one, and stood among the hoards of people as Lia's father ran his fingers across the tickets and began to ask the nearest person where the rooms were. The man looked at him with surprise, then some other emotion that Lia could not quite decipher, before he answered her father quickly with a few hand gestures, indicating the direction. Dominic nodded and began to say thank you, but the man was gone.
Lia spent most of the journey in her room, her breakfast tumbling to and fro in her stomach, threatening to escape at any minute. The journey was short and they arrived on the shores of Elonsica in a matter of days.
They arrived at a dusty beach, hundreds of passengers surrounding them.
Lia could feel the thick bands of sunlight as they seared against her skin, the air dense and heavy. She didn't get time to take in her surroundings, for Dominic was insistent that they go to their lodgings. He led them through the hoards of people and to a row of cabs by a nearby road.
"Lessandra is extremely tired, and you know of your mother's condition at the moment," he said, as they bustled into the cab.
Lia felt extremely squashed between her mother with her protruding belly and Jack, his small game console jabbing at her elbow every time he pressed a button. She could hear Dominic tries to make conversation with the driver, then stop when he was met with no replies and only a few wary nods.
After what seemed like years, they finally arrived at their destination. Lia stepped out of the dusty cab to be met with a rush of scorching air against her tanned skin. She stood on the worn path littered with colorful autumn leaves, a towering pine tree shadowing her from the overwhelming heat.
Before her was a two storey apartment building painted an unwelcoming grey, which stood out under the thick, yellowed rays of sunlight. She could make out a small, unkempt lawn to its side, circled by a broken, wiry fence. On the other side of the building were a few small houses, squashed together and painted the same unwelcoming grey.
"It's only temporary," said Dominic, reassuringly. "The most it'll take is a couple of weeks, then we'll be back in Cadlia in no time."
Lia could hear her father's grunts as he attempted to heave the heavy suitcases from the back of the cab. She didn't have to look to know that he was having trouble, and why wouldn't he? Dominic had barely ever done any heavy lifting in his life and he had had no reason to, until now.
Once all of the cases were in a neat heap along the path, Dominic closed the boot and door, then turned to the cab driver in front.
"How much?" he asked, inserting a hand into his trouser pocket. The driver quickly muttered a price and as soon as the money was in his hand, there was a quick hum of the engine and he was off.
"Goodbye to you too!" Dominic exclaimed sarcastically to the now empty road and trail of dust.
Dominic was now no longer in a state of fake cheer he was annoyed and irritated as he dragged one of the many cases across the dusty tarmac.
"Jack, get your ass over here and pick up one of those cases. Lia, help your mother into the apartment. Honestly, I don't understand how you can stand out here in this heat wave," he said, his voice strained and tired.
Jack shifted his gaze from his game console, then quickly pressed a few buttons to save it and joined his father.
Lia made her way to the overgrown weeds, twisting out from the many cracks littered along the broken path leading to the door. Making sure her mother was with her, she turned the steely metal handle and quickly inserted the cold, rusty key her mother tossed towards her.
A small click issued through her ears. Lia pulled out the key and turned the handle. She pushed at the splintered door. At first it didn't open and only when she pushed with all of her energy did it finally give way. Her nostrils were met with the thick, putrid smell of dirt and sweat.
Lia coughed as she entered the dark room. Running her fingers across the rough walls, she finally found a light switch. She pressed it nimbly. The room was flooded with a pale, flickering yellow light and a soft buzzing sound filled her ears. Dirty tiles across the damp floor glistened under the wavering light as walls untidily clad in chipped plaster sent a damp, musty smell issuing through the small room. Small clusters of moss oozed out from the foundation’s many cracks and the only items of furniture were a small moth eaten sofa and a dirty square table, its wobbly legs looking as though they would give way at any moment.
Lessandra made her way to the sofa and sat down, causing it to creak ever so slightly. After a few moments, Jack entered, dragging a suitcase.
"You've got to be joking!" he exclaimed, his eyes drinking in the room before him.
"It must be a very desperate joke," said Lia, running her index finger across the side of the table to be met with a layer of grime.
"It's only for a couple of weeks," said Lessandra reassuringly. "Once your father has cleared up a couple of things, we'll be back in Cadlia in no time. Anyway, you did say that you always wanted to go on a holiday to Elonsica, so here's your wish."
"I never said that I wanted to go to Elonsica," said Lia, gazing pointedly at Jack.
Jack frowned.
"When I said I wanted to go to Elonsica, I didn't mean in this way. When Aaron went a couple of years ago they stayed in a luxury hotel with its own swimming pool."
Before either of them could reply, Dominic entered with the last of the cases. He then heaved them onto the greasy tiles and, upon closing the door, he slumped onto the sofa, wrapping an arm around Lessandra who in turn rested her head on his shoulder, her curly brown ringlets framing her perfect tanned features.
"I've got a banging headache!" he exclaimed, rubbing his temples.
He was met with glares from two pairs of eyes; one brown, the other a stormy gray.
Noticing the tension he
yawned and pulled two small boxes from one of the bags which sat next to him.
"I'm guessing you don't want these, then?" he said, mischievously, rotating them between his fingers.
The eyes widened.
"What's in there?" questioned Jack, his tone one of surprise and excitement. Jack had always liked gifts, no matter how small they were, ever since he was a child and he would never pass such an opportunity.
"Thought so," replied Dominic. "Okay, Jack first, since he's the youngest."
Jack rushed forward and eagerly took the box, tearing off the paper and hungrily pulling out what was inside. Dangling from his fingers was a thin chain, painted a vivid gold and secured at the back of a small, blue dolphin. Jack frowned, his expression dropping rapidly.
"I'm not a girl," he said.
"Yes, we know that. After all, we did give birth to you. That's not for girls, though. Boys do wear chains, you know," replied Lessandra, firmly.
Jack's frown grew deeper and, as Dominic handed Lia her box, he muttered something which sounded a lot like, "Yeah, boys do wear chains… gay boys."
Lia slowly tore off the bright blue wrapping paper and eased off the lid.
"It's really pretty," she gasped, pulling out the small silver anklet with its many intricate blue dolphins circling the bottom.
"At least someone's happy," replied Dominic, sending a glare towards Jack who merely glared back.
"Enough of this. I'm awfully tired. Let's go to the rooms," interrupted Lessandra.
Dominic nodded.
"I'll go upstairs and assign everyone their rooms to prevent any argument."
He made his way to the side of the room where there stood another door, which looked as though at one point in time it had been painted white, only now it was reduced to a sickly cream tinged with specks of brown.
He heaved it open and was met with a shower of dust, caking his black hair. Lia giggled, accompanied by a snort of laughter from Jack as Dominic trudged up the stairs, grumbling all the way. He returned not long after and led them upstairs. There were only two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and Dominic insisted that they have three bedrooms, Lessandra and he would make do with the downstairs.
"We're having a bed delivered tomorrow," he said, leading them to the rooms. "So, we'll survive for tonight."
In any other situation Lia would have been considerate towards her parents and offered to take up the couch, but not today. She was angry and annoyed. They'd dragged her away from Cadlia for this! They only had a two week holiday from school and whilst most kids were back in Cadlia going to parties and having fun with their friends, she was here. Stuck in a dirty, unstable building in the middle of a country she had never stepped foot in her whole entire life. One thing was for sure, this place sure hadn't left a good first impression on her. No, she wouldn't be considerate to her mother and father, they deserved to sleep on the sofa.
With this thought in mind, Lia marched into her room. Her eyes widened.
'Well, at least it's better than downstairs,' she thought, stepping onto the thin, threadbare carpet.
The room consisted of a small bed heaped in the corner and a dusty chest of drawers which looked like it would break apart at any moment. The walls were painted a sickly white and chipped plaster littered the muddy floorboards. A musty smell filled the room where damp had accumulated in thick, gray patches along the wall.
Lia slumped onto the bed and ignoring its constant creaking, she lay down and drifted into sleep.
* * *
"Lia, get up! Mum says you have to go to the local shop, because she has a craving for those really rank biscuits with the sprinkle sugar stuff on them."
Lia yawned and rubbed her eyes as Jack towered above her, a large blue cap firmly placed on his mass of black curls.
"Are you coming too, then?" she asked, slipping on her trainers and a jacket.
"Yeah, I guess. I haven't got anything better to do," he replied. "Hurry up, Li! Are you coming or not?"
He lingered in the doorway and waited as she hastily fastened the laces and tied the anklet around her heel.
"You're not actually wearing that thing?"
"I'm not like you, Jack. I appreciate the gifts," she replied, icily.
"I do appreciate gifts, but that doesn't mean I have to wear them. As I said before, only gay boys wear chains." Jack rummaged through his pocket and let the chain dangle from his fingertips. "But I'll still hold onto it. For symbolic reasons."
Lia rolled her eyes, then followed Jack as he left the doorway and made his way down the creaking stairs. Lessandra was sitting on the sofa, discussing something with Dominic, but as soon as Jack and Lia entered the room, they went quiet.
"I see you're wearing the anklet," said Dominic. He pulled out his wallet and tossed it to Lia. "Go get yourselves some sweets or something as a treat, once you've gotten your mum her biscuits."
Dominic placed his hand on Lessandra's stomach, playfully, and was met with a hit around the head.
They left, scrambling over the twisting weeds and thorns which clambered out of the broken path. Lia knew pretty much where the shop was; she'd seen it whilst in the cab and she had a good sense of direction. Jack merely dawdled behind, his attention on nothing else but the game console.
Lia could feel the frustration once again building up inside of her. She shouldn't have been here; she should have been back in Cadlia.
'It's Renae's party today,' she realized, as her anger mounted. They had planned on renting out the local swimming pool, and Renae's dad was going to hire a band to play in the back yard. Why was it that everyone but she got to enjoy their holiday?
"Is that all you ever do?" she bit out, as Jack furiously pressed at the buttons of his game console. "Why can't you ever do something productive for once?"
"What's it to you? At least I have something to do," he replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Jack switched off the console and turned to face her, days, maybe weeks, of pent up frustration suddenly leaking from his tongue.
"Come on, Lia, all you ever do is sit there in your room getting up to god knows what in your spare time. I mean, even back in Cadlia, what kind of life did you lead? Innocent, perfect little Lia. You never do anything wrong, do you? You've always been the perfect one in mum and dad's eyes. Hell, I bet no guy has ever touched your sad excuse of a body!"
Lia felt stung for a moment, before she angrily bit out,
"At least I'm not a sad ass pimp who touches every random girl who looks my way twice!"
"No. You're just a naïve, goody two shoes bitch, who can't get a boyfriend even if you did try. After all, who'd ever want you?"
Lia could feel the anger well up inside of her as well as another emotion which she furiously attempted to extinguish. She wouldn't let him hurt her, she wouldn't be hurt, there was nothing to be hurt about. None of what he said was true, he was only being horrible…Yet why did she feel a small note of recognition in what he said? Why was she suddenly rethinking her life without really meaning to?
No… sticks and stones… sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me…
That's easier said than done.
Focusing on the anger, she turned towards him, ready to lash out with her own sea of words. If she was angry enough, she couldn't hurt; the anger would overcome the hurt. However, before she could reply, Jack had walked away.
At any other time she would have gone after him and made him apologize for what he'd said. She was his older sister, he didn't have the right to be so disrespectful to her, but right now she was far too irritated to bother… Who was she kidding? At any other time she would have done the exact same, made an excuse as to why she didn't make him apologize, when in truth the reason was quite simple.
You're scared. You won't fight. You'll chicken out. You don't want regrets. Confrontations only cause problems. Let it go.
Lia pushed the thoughts out of her head, her mind attempting to numb th
e hurt caused by his words. What did she mean to get? Oh yes, sugary biscuits.
Keeping that thought in mind she made her way to the shop. Upon reaching the shop she noticed that there were quite a lot of people around this area. Well, a lot compared to the dump that they were living in.
As she entered its small interior she suddenly felt odd and out of place. It felt as though dozens of pairs of eyes were boring into her back, watching her every move, but when she turned to look, everyone was minding their own business, their eyes skimming across the shelves and picking out whatever they needed. Lia shrugged off the uneasy feeling and after grabbing the biscuits, made her way to the till and paid, ignoring the wary looks of the lady at the till as she hurriedly slipped the biscuits into a plastic bag and quickly handed them to Lia, as if they were covered in poison.
Lia quickly made her way out of the shop, the anger from earlier on replaced by an overwhelming feeling of unease. She quickened her pace, desperate to get back to the house. It felt as though something was going on, something she didn't quite know about, and she was desperate to get back and ask her parents why they had actually came here.
As she hurried along the path, she heard a sudden noise. Before she could register what was going on she was suddenly surrounded by a blinding white light, a sudden force sending her hurtling off of the ground and crashing into a nearby tree.
She felt a sharp pain sear through her forehead as her head collided with the splintered bark and, before she could attempt to think, she had completely blacked out.
* * *
It was dark, the only light coming from the few flickering lampposts that had survived the impact. Lia got up, her head throbbing painfully where the blood had clotted together to form a rough, sticky scab.
She clambered across the now broken path, her whole body consumed with pain, her arms and legs drenched in dried blood. She had to get back to the house. She had to get to her mother and father. She had to get back.
After what seemed like hours, she finally reached the house. Lia was suddenly overwhelmed with fear, a clenching, uneasy feeling residing in the pit of her stomach.