Chapter One

As I slung my backpack over my shoulder I headed for the subway. The busy NY streets were loud and a rusty smell arose from every gutter. Shifting my bag from one shoulder to the other, I ran up to the subway approaching. "Tickets!" yelled the driver. Rolling my eyes I pulled out the ticket from my pocket and let him punch a hole through it. I entered the Hall of Doom as I tried to find an empty seat. I gave up after entering the second carriage, and plonked myself down on the ground. I leaned my head against the wall and stared up at the window. This was how my life began every morning. I took off my backpack and searched for my phone.By the time I found it, Kelsey (best and most annoying friend in the world) had already begun ringing. "You're sitting on the ground again aren't you?" Hi to you too. "Shut up. Yeah, okay, I was late and missed the early subway. But at least the floor is clean." I quickly flicked away a piece of ABC gum and kicked a pile of paper and old tickets at my feet. At least now I wasn't lying. The subway suddenly launched forward, sending my cellphone across the tile floor. I struggled to my feet and followed the phone across the subway. What would Kelsey be thinking listenting to all the crashes and random voices at her end of the line? All at once, the driver opened the door to the end of the subway bus and sat at the near end. My phone started to vibrate and jump around,nearing the open door. "No!" I squeeked. That phone had cost me two years of savings, I was not letting it go now! I scrambled over and shoved past the driver. I stepped forth but the subway wobbled and shook. I was at the doorway but my phone had jumped around and landed on the steps. And you'd think someone by now would have tried to stop me. Nope. New York subway folk didn't care a bit if you hung your arms and legs out the door trying to reach your most prized possession, when you could be easily dead in seconds during the process. I learched forward, my stomach unhappy and my mind frazzled. Suddenly we were at my stop, and the subway slowed. My phone fell from the steps onto the pavement just as the subway stopped moving. I ran out of the subway and grabbed it, hoping Kelsey hadn't done anything stupid by now. "Kel? Kelsey?" I heard a muffled sigh in the background, and then the line went dead. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. I groaned and sat myself down at one of the benches. "This yours?" I looked up to see a man with a jamaican hat and a whispy moustache hand me my bag which I had left on the subway. "Oh, thanks," I mumbled, and took the satchel from him. "You know that's my seat you're sittin' in." I frowned but didn't complain as I got up from the bench. He tipped his brightly coloured beanie and sat down, bringing out a set of bongo drums and a jar. He started to pat and hit the drums as the sound echoed around the subway landing pad. I smiled and waved goodbye to him, and ran up the stairs into the real world, where school awaits me.

"Miss Evergreen I shall see you outside." I swallowed guiltfully as my maths teacher, Mrs Opal, ushered me out to the hall. I gripped my maths book in my hand but she wrenched it from my grip."What is this?" She asked, flipping through my book. She opened up a page and pushed it in my face. "It's...um..." The drawing was a picture of Mrs Opal being hanged from a tree, whilst I burnt her flesh with a lit match. I smiled awkwardly. "My mum?" I said. Mrs Opal shook her head. "I know you're an only child, Jessica, but you need to start acting like an only Adult!" She spat in my face. I grimaced. "Don't call me an only child." I whispered. Mrs Opal's face turned cold and pale. "You know your brother is dead!" Her words seemed dark and crackly, my fingers were shaking as I stood in her presence. "Now get your act together young lady. He is never coming back, so grow up!" She spat in my face as I stared intently at the ground. "Get back to class." She pointed her nose upward and strode back inside the classroom. Ignoring her request, instead I made a run for it.