Crescent High

Chapter 1

Twelve o'clock came and went, and the delivery did not arrive. Sitting in the living room, I waited for the knock on the door, doing nothing but staring out of the window at the passing world.

The village of Westfield was small, with only a high street for shopping and cottages along quaint country lanes. It was surrounded by a dense forest, and the only way in and out was through the gate at the front of the wall around it. This meant that not much traffic passed through, most preferring to stay to the main roads rather than risking the woodland gravel lanes. My neighbors were out in their garden, and when I looked at them, they waved to me. We were a very close community, in our small, isolated village, and everyone knew each other. Every year, all of the residents would gather in the town square for a big street party, with music and dancing, and everyone bought food for the annual picnic when we walked into the forest to eat.

My feet touched the soft plush carpet of the floor, and I could hear the news playing quietly in the background. The house was blissfully peaceful, with my brothers, Jack and Michael, out shopping with Mum. In the corner, the fire was crackling, the smoky scent filling the whole house, and it reminded me of Christmas.
Slowly, I stood up and walked through to the kitchen, checking the post on the way for my parcel.
Nothing. Again.
I sighed as I opened the cupboards, scouring for any morsels that my brothers had left me. Who was I kidding, there was not a crumb in sight, and after doing one last scan, grabbed some money from the jar on the counter and headed out to get something for lunch.

📚

As I stepped onto the high street, I could smell the bakery's goods wafting up the street. My stomach growled at the thought of the glazed donuts that were sold at the bakery, and my pace quickened ever so subtly in anticipation.

When I reached the bakery, the bell jangled overhead, and the owner, Tom, walked in.
"Feonyx," he boomed. "My favourite customer, how are you?"
My face lit up. "I'm fine, just a bit hungry, the boys left nothing for me, so I came to you. After all, your bread is the best in the village."
We talked for a while, his large belly jiggling as he laughed. He treated me like family, and I thought of him and his wife, Garnet, as the only true family in my life.
"So, what do you want today?" he asked me, shaking out one of the striped paper bags on the counter.
"Just a plait roll please," I told him, taking some money out of my jean pockets.
I slid it across to him, telling him to keep the change, and took the now full bag. Bidding him goodbye, I strolled out of the store, making my way back home and humming to myself.

At home, I buttered my bread, and took it up to my room to eat, and revise for the new year ahead. There was only a week of summer left, and I planned to make the most of the time I had to myself. A small smile appeared on my face as I thought of walking through the forest on a hot day and dipping my feet in the brook that ran through it.
I sat down at my antique oak desk and took my beat up laptop out of its case, placing it carefully on the surface. A notebook was already out, along with one of my favourite pens - a fountain pen that Tom and Garnet got me for my birthday. It was my prized possession, and I always used it for writing.
Opening a new tab on Google, I turned on my lamp and started revision.

📚

A click sounded in the hallway as the front door creaked open. Groaning, I pushed my chair away from my desk and closed my notebook. Stomping could be heard outside my room as my brothers raced to their rooms to watch TV and munch on crisps.
"Feonyx," my mother screeched. "Get down here at once!" Her voice echoed around the house as I closed my laptop and opened my door.
"Put away this shopping, I'm going out and I want it done and dinner cooked by the time I get back."
I sighed when she walked out of the room and I heard her car start. It would take me all evening to put these away - there had to be at least ten bags full to the brim with junk. Jumbo packets of crisps overflowed from one, and another held gaming consoles for Jack and Michael. There were clothes, shoes and all types of food spilling out of the bags, littering the floor with mess.
For the next few hours, I slaved away going up and down the stairs to my brothers' rooms with all of their new purchases.
Finally, after a long afternoon of work, I could start cooking dinner at 8 o'clockish. There wasn't much in the way of food to cook with, so I had to make do with ham and cheese toasties.
The floors in my brothers' rooms were filled with rubbish, mainly crisp packets and empty bottles of fizzy drink, and they were sitting on their beds munching away at more crisps. I left the food on their tables and backed away, with my own plate of food.

After a long day, I lay down in bed, switching off my lights. I could hear the TVs playing next door and I closed my eyes, drifting into the realm of dreams.

* I will update soon, but it is my first story so I don't have a set update schedule. Mostly, I will update when I have the time around school and activities. *