Author's note: I haven't written for two years but I'm trying to get back into it, I hope to do a bit more mature stuff so please some constructive criticism and support for my new stuff will mean I continue. Thanks a bundle!

Adelaide

 Foot in front of foot pounded down in front of me, jarring my body. In shock., in panic, breath ripped out of me, my eyes were sightless but I knew the road ahead and I knew the enemy behind who raged and rasped for my blood. I ached, my bones were screaming in pain and as I reached a swerve in the road suddenly my old shoes came loose, the lace flying in front of me and I tripped. Sailing through the air, a sound of raw terror escaped my throat and scarred the air until arms caught me. The panic was gone, and a sense of overwhelming peace surrounded me and as the world swam into focus a familiar, beautiful face peered down at me.

"Wake up" the lips moved.

And then I was rudely awakened. My little brother Luke had decided I had been asleep for too long and decided to poke me in the ear with a plastic sword.

Fighting the urge to swear at him, I managed a very graceful "eurgh" before pulling myself upwards in the chair, and stretching blissfully. "Luke sweetie, I'm not Darth Vader anymore."

"No, you're Lord Voldemort!" he declared. I didn't have the heart to argue with him and instead pulled myself up out of the chair.

"Go find Layla, she'll play with you" I pushed his sword from my face once again and he obliged for once. I considered falling back asleep again but the idea of doing it just to see him depressed me, and my stomach plunged again as I was reminded it was just a dream. A beautiful one, but a horrible one.  My legs still ached as if that dream had been real and as I staggered towards the kitchen they felt like they may collapse beneath me, my dreams were so short but so goddamn compelling reality didn't feel like the truth anymore, jeez.

Mum was in the kitchen, staring blankly into space. Her eyes so rarely registered with reality anymore that I often wished a poke to the ear with a plastic sword would wake her up. I instead very loudly dragged a chair up close to her and stared right into her eyes.

"Mum."

She blinked.

"Mum."

"Hey love" she shook her head, "I was just," she gestured to the cup in her hand filled with brown liquid. I took it from her, it was freezing cold.

"You've got to stop doing this mum" I said, as nonchalantly as I could muster "Luke and Layla need you to be awake sometimes you know. I'm starting school tomorrow I can't keep this up."

"You look tired."

I stiffened "well, I haven't been sleeping as well."

"Honey, talk to someone."

"It's fine" I smiled "really okay, it's just the move isn't it and everything else. Don't worry about me for a single second. Sort yourself out."

"I was thinking about looking for a job."

"You don't need to mum."

"I was thinking about doing it anyway, I mean something to do all day Lai not this.

"Next week" I replied "next week okay mum?"

"Next week" she replied.

"Go and do something mum, you can't just sit here, get out at least, or unpack your last bag."

"Yeah I will" she said vaguely, and I knew it was a guaranteed broken promise. I sighed and edged my way out of the kitchen and through one of the halls. This house was huge, and so strange, I wasn't used to it yet, I hadn't even ventured outside the garden either, it just felt so unreal, no wonder my dreams felt so absolutely life like. The pain, the joy, the love...

I pushed my way past Layla and Luke having an epic battle on the staircase and smiled despite myself, I was proud of them, I really was. They were great kids and I hoped mum would pull herself together for them, but I couldn't blame her. My stepfather had died a month ago, we'd moved away to get a new start, his will leaving my mum about three million didn't hurt either. Suddenly we had more money than we knew what to do with, the shock of the death mixed with this new life wasn't exactly easy right now. I was right, no wonder I wasn't sleeping, I guess.

My new room was gorgeous though, I was taken aback by it as I walked in, the view over the beautiful garden and the little nook in the corner with just enough room for me and a book. When it shone, light filtered into my room through the green gloss of the willow tree just outside my window, and when it rained it hammered on the windows and the roof above my head as I sat inside. The nearest thing to safety in the strange new world. I sat down on my bed, it creaked by I insisted on keeping my old one for the comfort it brought and my eyes automatically found the uniform hanging off the cupboard opposite me. Unwelcome nerves sprung up in my stomach and I had to calm my breathing. I wasn't loud, I wasn't confident, I was just me, and I doubted that bode well for the new girl. It didn't exactly help that mum insisted using her new found fortune to pay for the best private school around. Images of being chased, of name calling and hair pulling sprung to mind and I pushed them away; I keep my head down and I can't be called different. Besides, it's only one more year. One more.

I swallowed and looked up again, I was not looking forward to tomorrow.

Henry

I needed some peace from everyone. They weren't noisy, it was just their intrusive presence. Mother was questioning everything, although her attentions fell to Ezra for once while Harriet sat in one corner her textbook in one hand as she devoured knowledge and a phone in another as she divulged it harshly I'm sure. I couldn't handle it after too long, and left without an excuse, closing the door behind me thankfully.

I wondered about practising, then got too pissed at Ezra again I just lay down on the bed. A summer of this crap was oppressive to say the least, my eyes fell to the suit immaculately resting on my mirror and I held it up to myself, sensing its familiarity and smiling, comforted. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.