Stopwatch

Chapter 1

Chapter 1-

Everyone has a gift, whether it’s being smart, friendly or even good at sport. But they aren’t only given to one person, they’re given to millions worldwide and that’s what makes all humans so much the same.

I’m am human, I’m just different. A ‘freak’ as everyone at school so nicely calls me. They don’t know how much of a freak I really am. Heck, if I knew someone who could read minds I’d too call them a freak, but unfortunately I haven’t met another mind reader.

I don’t know what makes me be able to do that but the most important rule I have is not to tell anyone, not even my very close friends. If just one of them has a slip of their tongue and my mum’s around I’ll be dead, literally. Not that I have any friends.  

I’m not sure if you know but my mum’s a scientist and studies how the brain works. If she found out she’d ring all her co-workers and they’d cut out my brain, all while I’m still alive. Wonder how I know? Well let’s just say that my mum found someone who could move objects with their mind before and she told me what they did.

“Ross Jackson, you get out of bed right now!” My mum yells from downstairs in our fancy modern ‘mansion’ as so many put it. I’d had another nightmare last night, they seem to be getting worse.

“Coming mum!” I shout back, my voice deep and cracking from just waking up. ‘Great, another day of school.’ I think to myself as I get dressed into my uniform. Our school uniform consist of a white shirt, black tie, that I keep loosely around my neck, and simple black pants.

I don’t bother brushing my messy brown hair and instead I walk down to the kitchen where my mum and adorable four year old sister, April, sit at the table; waiting for me.

After we all eat I say goodbye to April and mum as I leave the house and get seated in my black sports car that I got a few years ago. After the crash that killed my dad. It was also the year I could hear voices in my mind. At first I thought people were talking to me and I asked them what they said but they just told me they didn’t say anything.

That’s how I lost all my friends by accidently saying things I shouldn’t have known and saying them aloud. They became angry then they spread the rumour that I’m coo coo in the head and that’s how everyone started calling me a freak.

I arrived at the school not long after. Ready to get the day over and done with, I grab my bag from the back seat and after locking my car I walk quickly into the school building.

As soon as the front double doors are open and I step foot into the school nearly a thousand different thoughts are running through my head. I nearly fall to the ground with the pain of it all; luckily I make it to my locker and rest my pounding head on the cold metal.

It always hurts when there’s more than 50 people’s thoughts in your head at once. I haven’t quite gotten to the stage where I can block people out, at least I hope I’ll be able to do that. If it does work though I hope It’ll stop my head feeling like it’s being banged on by a hammer every second.

“Freak.” One of the school football players say while pushing me into my locker.

‘Why do I have to be mean to him?’ His thoughts say. Truthfully I know he’s a good guy but he wants others to think he’s cool. He doesn’t want to be a freak.

“Are we still going on that date tonight?” I joke just to get him mad but he never gets mad. Instead he just walks away even when his ‘friends’ tell him to turn around and beat me to the pulp.

I walk to class with only several people calling me names. Luckily though the teachers smile at me because I’m one of their best students in the school, but really I just cheat by picking at their minds until I find the answers.

School passes by quickly and before I know it I’m at my house, playing with my black Labrador, Spark. Apart from us the house is dark, mum’s at work again and Aprils most likely at a friend’s house.

‘Stranger, danger.’ Spark thinks around midnight, waking me from my dreamless sleep. I sit deadly still in my bed, silently hoping that no one’s here to get my brain. All I hear is silence and then the thoughts of five, maybe six people come rushing in. They must be close.

I jump when there’s a loud knock on the door followed by a thump as the door is broken down. I stay in my bed as Spark continues to bark and growl. He mustn’t like who’s here. Footsteps advance towards my door and it’s not a surprise when they barge in.

I open my eyes to come face to face with Josh, the guy who called me a freak in the hallway, and five of his friends behind him. Josh looks calm as always but his friends look ready to rip me to pieces.

‘Help Ross, help!’ Spark yells and I wince before turning on my heals and swinging a punch at one of the guys who’s picking Spark up.

“Don’t touch my dog.” I warn in a low tone before they’re all surrounding me in a circle, but I won’t back down. Not now.

I go to swing at one of them and just as my fist makes contact someone gets my in the back. I fall down onto my knees. I hiss in pain as someone’s foot connects with my ribs. I try to stand up but they just push me back to the ground and I fall onto my back.

‘Run Ross!’ Spark thinks, while biting at one of the boys to get them away from me.

“I can’t run Spark.” I whisper then when Josh looks at me confused I realise my mistake and quickly shut my mouth. I receive another kick in the ribs but the pain has long gone now, everything’s just numb.

“Josh man, join in.” One of them says. Josh takes a small step into the circle. Standing right in front of me. I know it’s coming before I see it. He punches me straight in the stomach and I lose my breath from the impact. Black spots cover my vision but not before I see the pained expression on Josh’s face, right before he and his friends leave.

The last thing I hear is the barking of Spark and the one thought running through Josh’s mind; ‘I’m so sorry Ross, I wish I could tell you.’ And I think to myself, ‘tell me what?’ but before I can blink my eye lids droop and blackness takes over.