CHAPTER 1: THE GREY FAMILY
The Grey family lived in the small town of Willow. Twenty-eight Hopeʼs Hill Terrace, Hopeʼs Hill, in an old house sandwiched between two large, extravagant town houses. Unfortunately their home––much like the Greys' family name––was quite drab and dull; the walls were cracked and paint-peeled, the curtains were dusty and faded and the plumbing was noisy and leaky. Although the place was in obvious need of repair and refurbishment, it was cheap for its location and the Greys were a low-income family who didn't have the luxury to choose wherever they wanted to live. Yet regardless of their lack of wealth, the Greys were goodhearted people who lived passionately and compassionately for each day. Some of their neighbours would even say they were blessed to have survived the trials and tribulations that they had faced throughout their years in Willow.
Jack Sebastian Grey was very responsible at the age of eighteen. He was the oldest of three children and the son of a widow—so in a family without a father he had to be. The teenager was unconventionally handsome with his mop of dark brown hair and his face lightly scattered with freckles. He was slim; but muscular—a gym regular at the Willow University of Arts and Technology where he studied history and literature—and was also quite tall for his age. Most of his friends usually stood up to his shoulder. Jack wasn't overly fussed about this for his height didn't win him better grades, nor did it win him the hearts of the girls he liked. The only thing it did do was make him slouch.
“Stand up straight dear,” his mother Eleanor would say to him on more than one occasion, “be proud of your height.” Jack would smile and do his best, but walking straight was ingrained in most people and Jack had to actively think about it. With his daydreaming mind he could never keep it up.
He was a conundrum, really. Slightly athletic, a bit of a bookworm, but most undoubtedly shy. A silent giant, some called him.
Eleanor Grey––or Elly as many called her––was a kind woman who was always overly concerned with the well being of her children. Sadly however she was burdened by a wheelchair, which was the result of a car accident she had survived three years ago. Jack loved his mother very much, and because she was limited to what she could do around the house he helped her in anyway he could. Whether that was doing a weeks worth of dirty dishes—that kept piling up without reprieve—or packing school lunches for his younger brother James and sister Alora, Jack would labor on without complaint.
James Albert Grey was fourteen and Alora Fate Grey was twelve. Unlike Jack however, both siblings were far from the responsible types. James liked playing heavy metal music and computer games in his bedroom with the volume turned up really loud; and Alora enjoyed pranks, teasing, and being a downright nuisance to her family. The young girl especially enjoyed taunting James with silly rhymes. Her favourite being: “James, James! You're a pain! How about you grow a brain!” She would sing this quite loudly at the dinner table, over and over again, until she was finally scolded by Elly. Despite a dark scowl on his face and gritted teeth, James was usually good at not lashing out at his annoying sister
Usually.
Then one Sunday evening before dinner, Alora followed her teasing with a peashooter shot to the back of James neck and an explosion of hysterical giggles.
That was the last straw.
“Ouch! You little gnat!” James shouted in surprise, holding his neck. He then leaped from his chair at the dinner table and chased his already running sister down the hallway to her bedroom. “I'll get you 'lora!” he threatened.
“Its A-lor-ra stupid-head!” the girl corrected James as she raced for her open bedroom door.
“Whatever gnat!” James said, trying to grab onto the flapping hood of Alora's pink jumper. However the girl was much faster than the bigger boy and she managed to quickly slip into her room and poke her tongue out at him before slamming the door and locking it.
“No door-banging!” Jack called from the sink as he vigorously scrubbed a greasy dish with a soapy sponge and grimaced at its companions who leaned in an unsteady pile like the Tower of Pisa. The house's old pipes groaned in protest as he turned on the cold tap to rinse off the soap suds. “Remember how crook Mr Whitley can get.”
“He'll have us kicked out with no convictions!” Elly added to Jack's warning. She sat at the dinner table sewing a patch on one of Jame's school pants and was keeping half an eye on the chicken and vegetable stew cooking on the stove. “Mr Whitley is not as forgiving as your mother.”
“I won't!” James replied red-faced, although hardly frightened of their fat, old landlord. Jack's younger brother was a smart kid and knew how to get the upper hand over his troublesome sister without hitting the door in the traditional style. “If you don't open the door you will soon run out of oxygen, gnat!” James shouted at the door in pretend anger, smiling smugly whilst he held onto the door handle and leaned back to make it difficult for the girl to open the door from the other side. “There is only so many breaths you can make before you suffocate!”
“I'm twelve, James, I'm not stupid!” Alora shouted back at her brother.
James mumbled in frustration. Then after a brief brainstorm his smile quickly returned. “Stupid enough to stay in a room with the Boogie Man under your bed?” He asked, not giving up on the scare tactics.
“Guys, please––” Jack began.
“James, what part of twelve don't you understand! That only worked on me when I was eight!”
“If you say so,” James said in a calm voice. “But I saw him last night before you went to bed. He was creeping around the hallways like a big, shadowy spider.”
“I'm sure!” She rolled her eyes. “Oh God, what part of twelve doesn't that lummox get?”
There was silence for a moment and Alora heard James whisper from the other side of the door, “Oh, I am sure.”
James turned his head and faced away from the kitchen. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and when he reopened them they were glowing white! The boy grinned deviously as he held tightly on the door handle.
The bedroom light switch flicked off and the room went black.
Alora gasped softly, then frowned. She closed her eyes––like James had done––and reopened them. Two glowing white lights glared at the switch and it flicked back on.
James huffed, and flicked the light off again with just a single thought.
The light flicked back on.
Off.
On.
This tug-of-war continued back and forth for about a minute, until finally the light bulb made a popping sound followed by a fizzle and then the room went pitch black... permanently. After a moment of silence, Alora heard a low hurrrm sound and scuttling across the floor behind her, which made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on ends. She slowly turned her head around to look at her bed, and––as if on call––saw a shadow move quickly across the floor from the foot of the bed into the open wardrobe.
Alora jumped and said, “Is anyone there?” She was instantly answered by the familiar meow of the family cat. Her back still pressed up against the door, Alora breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh its just you, Jinx. Come here you naughty kitty––”
“Iiits... Aaa... Lorrr... Raaa... Stuuuped heeead,” said a low, moaning voice from under her bed.
Alora's heart jumped into her mouth and she frantically attempted to turn the handle and pull the door open––but it wouldn't budge. When she realized she couldn't get out she squealed, “Mummy!”
“James!” Elly shouted from the kitchen, “Let her out of her room now! Stop scaring your sister, you should know better than that.”
“But she started it!” James answered back, not turning around to face his mother for fear of her seeing his strange, glowing eyes.
“James!”
Slumping his shoulders in defeat and blinking the strange white light out of his eyes, the young boy opened the door.
Alora bolted from the doorway and down the hallway crying. She was half-way to the dinning room when she stopped, ran back
to James and heeled him in the foot, before rushing back into the kitchen where she threw her arms around her mother's neck and began sobbing.
“Ow!” James shouted out in pain, then bit his bottom lip. He felt a great injustice had been dealt and angrily limped back to his bedroom. “I'll get you later gnat!”
“No you won't James,” Elly replied with a stern voice as she stroked her blonde daughter's hair. The old woman turned her gaze down at her whimpering daughter and lifted the child's chin up with a finger to gaze into her blue eyes. “Even though I scolded your torturer, you know you were in the wrong Alora, don't you?”
The girl sobbed––though more out of hurt pride now than fear––and buried her head in her mother's neck again. It smelt sweet like fresh spring flowers.
Elly turned and looked up from her wheelchair at Jack, who returned the silent stare with a helpless smile.
That night, James and Alora returned to their rooms, escaping any sort of allocated house duties their mother might bestow on them. James had almost defeated an end level boss on the online game he was playing when Jack called down the hallway, just managing to get over his loud music, “Hey guys! Dinner is almost ready!”
Jack had begun setting out his mother's old, second hand cutlery around the table, when Alora yelled from her room, “Coming!” Moments later she raced into the dinning room with bright, wide eyes as if looking for someone. “Is he here yet?”
“No not yet,” Jack laughed, ruffling his little sister's hair as she passed him.
“Aw!” Alora said with a huff, crossing her arms and pouting.
“Rowan must be stuck in traffic again,” Elly said from the stove. She was now leaning on a walking stick as she stirred the contents of a steaming pot. “I told him to leave earlier to avoid traffic.”
Rowan was Elly's eldest son from her first marriage and therefore half-brother to Jack, James and Alora. Although he lived in the much bigger city of Paradise, which was an hour and half drive away from Willow, he was always over for dinner on Sunday nights.
“Don't worry, he'll be here soon,” Jack said reassuringly.
“Oh I hope so. I'm just concerned about that dangerous motorbike of his.”
“Rowan's motorbike is cooool!” Alora said excitedly. She lifted her head up to catch Jack's eyes and grinned mischievously.
“Yeah it is cool isn't it,” he replied with a smile and then ruffled his sister's hair. “But you're too young to be wanting to ride motorbikes.”
Alora laughed and pulled away, but Jack pulled her into a playful headlock and ruffled her hair again.
“Let go of me, Jack!”
There was a sudden knock at the door and Elly said in between blowing on a ladle of hot stew and tasting it, “Can someone get the door please. It will be your brother.”
Alora instantly escaped Jack's grasp and ran to the door and opened it. Leaning in the doorway was a tall, rugged looking man with long, black hair in a ponytail and wearing a leather jacket. A motorbike helmet was tucked under one arm. When he saw Alora his eyes lit up. “Hey there pint-size!” he said affectionately as she tightly embraced his waist. “Are you going to let me in?” When she didn't disengage the hug he reached down and picked her up effortlessly and carried her into the dinning room towards Elly and Jack.
“Hey Rowan,” Jack said cheerfully, as he placed the last plate on the table. “Glad you could make it.”
“Hey man,” his half-brother greeted him. He placed his helmet on a nearby chair and patted Jack on the shoulder with his free hand. “I see you're helping mum out as usual. Good work.”
“Thanks.”
“So where's James?” Rowan turned and asked Elly whilst still holding onto Alora. “I've got a new CD for him.”
“Oh no, not another heavy metal album please, dear,” Elly said with dismay on her face. “We'll never hear the end of it. The neighbours never hear the end of it.”
Rowan and Jack both laughed.
“James is being a pain,” Alora whispered in Rowan's ear.
Her half-brother turned and nuzzled his forehead into hers. “You guys had better not have been fighting again. Otherwise there will be no more motorbike rides for you.”
Alora gasped in shock at the thought and shook her head.
“Rowan!” Elly said disapprovingly, “You haven't been taking them for rides have you?”
“Only down the street for milk,” the young man replied with a wink at Jack who laughed under his breath. Rowan lowered Alora to the ground and walked over to plant a kiss on his mother's cheek. “And only at a snail's pace.”
“It better have been at a snail's pace.” Elly kissed Rowan on the cheek.
“Uh-ah!” Alora said running over to cling onto Rowan's arm. “We went faster than a bullet train!”
Elly tilted her head and looked at Rowan.
“A snail's pace,” he repeated, picking up his little sister again and blowing on her tummy. Her giggles were much higher pitched this time.
James suddenly ran from the hallway into the kitchen. “Rowan!” he shouted, almost bowling his half-brother over.
“Hey little buddy,” Rowan said with a lop-sided grin, “I was wondering where you were. I've got something for you.”
Alora looked down at James with a furrowed brow. “Humph!” she said with a frown.
The young man looked from Alora to James who was also looking displeased at the sight of his little sister. “Now come on guys,” he said, “This is no way to treat each other.”
“But she started it!” James protested.
“But he started it!” Alora protested at the same time.
Jack suppressed a grin whilst Elly watched her children in curious silence.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Rowan said grabbing James with his other arm and holding him close. “How about you guys apologise to each other this instance. It doesn't matter who started it, you're both being silly. We're family and we're all that we've got.”
James and Alora had downcast gazes and tried not to look at each other.
“James,” Rowan said, looking at the young boy. “You don't want to hurt Alora now do you do?”
“No,” James replied under his breath.
“Alora,” Rowan turned to the girl. “Do you want to hurt James?”
“No,” she whispered in his ear and covered her face with Rowan's shoulder.
“Well then, lets just be friends again, okay? Otherwise there will be no more presents or motorbike rides.”
“No!” both kids cried together.
“I want a motorbike ride Rowan!” Alora pleaded.
“Yeah me too,” James added. “Oh and you said you brought me something too?”
“Hey!” Alora butted in. “Do I get something?”
Rowan kept his gaze stern. “What do you two have to do first?” he asked, not letting them get carried away.
“I'm sorry 'lora,” James said, finally looking at his sister. “I mean, A-lora.” He corrected.
“I prefer gnat,” the girl said. Then she finally said with her genuine, sweet smile—which she could do on occasions to the adoration of those who saw it—“Sorry James. I didn't mean to shoot a pea at you.”
Rowan laughed and said, “See it wasn't hard now was it?” The young man then pulled a CD out of his leather jacket's inner pocket and gave it to James. “The CD is the new album from the band Burning Chalice,” he said, making a claw with his hand and softly growling the band's name. “Because I know how much you love them.” He then turned to the girl and pulled out bracelet made of linked hearts and said, “Emily bought this bracelet for you Alora when we were in America last month. Not as brutal as the CD, but awesome nonetheless.”
“It's pretty,” Alora said, touching the hearts with a finger. She then gently took it and linked it around her wrist.
Both kids gave Rowan a big hug before seating themselves at the dinner table.
“I'm hungry,” Alora said with a big grin.
Elly mouthed the words
“thank you” to Rowan as he went to the stove to help prepare the food with Jack.
The Grey family spent hours after dinner talking at the table like they always did every Sunday night. They discussed James soccer practice, Alora's singing lessons at school and Jack's recent obsession with learning piano, which Elly could only just manage to afford. Then when it was Rowan's turn he was a bit apprehensive talking about his recent overseas trip to America. Although the young man and his fiancée Emily had saved for over a year on meager wages to get there, he didn't want to sound like he was flaunting the holiday in their faces, especially when they could hardly afford to travel to Paradise to visit him. However after a barrage of questions from his eager siblings and an encouraging smile from his mother, Rowan finally explained his adventure in greater detail––and his audience was captivated.
“That is amazing,” Jack finally said when his brother had finished explaining his romp with Emily through the glitzy city of Las Vegas. “I'd love to travel like you Rowan, although I'm sure it would cost a fair bit.”
“You got that part right,” his half-brother confirmed with a smile at Elly that was mockingly painful. “Pricey, but totally worth it.”
“You should take us with you next time Rowan,” James suggested as he wiped a piece of bread around the edge of his bowl, soaking up the remaining of his stew. He then took a bite and said whilst chewing, “I'd love to see America. They've got some brutal bands over there!”
Alora giggled at her brother speaking with his mouth full and Elly gently elbowed him to remind James of his manners.
“Can we go?” Alora added, bouncing excitedly in her chair. “Pleaeease Rowan! Pleeease!”
Rowan laughed warmly. “Someday little lady. But for starters I should take you guys somewhere closer to home. Like, say Everdawn Island, perhaps?”
“Yes, please!” both James and Alora shouted in unison.
“Just wait until Mum is feeling up for it and then I'll take you all to the Highcrest Resort. It is where I took Emily for our first year anniversary. Its backdrop has the most beautiful beaches you have ever seen.” Noticing the half interested looks from his two younger siblings he added, “And amazing video game arcades and shops!”
Jack watched in amusement at the facial expressions of his siblings. James and Alora turned to Elly and begged her with big eyes and repeated “pleases”.
“Oh, I don't know,” the old woman said with a cheeky smile. “Perhaps when I can walk again.”
“Aw!” Alora bawled, crestfallen.
“That could take forever,” James complained.
“James!” Jack reacted sternly to his brother's comment.
The younger boy quickly added, “I mean, you might get better quicker if we were on a nice relaxing holiday at a resort!”
Elly reached over to remove some food from the corner of Alora's mouth with her thumb then said, “I'm kidding. I was actually thinking we should go some time after the school break. How does that sound?”
“Yes!” James and Alora echoed each other in excitement. Jack smiled softly to himself. He was daydreaming of a trip away from Willow. Far away from the daily hardships his struggling family faced. Daydreaming of a holiday they all so desperately needed.